ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

Computer Assisted Design of Thermal Systems

Steam Turbine Calculations In an ideal thermodynamic sense steam turbines are treated as isentropic devices. Though actual steam turbines deviate from this ideal performance, the treatment of a steam turbine as an isentropic device still forms the foundation for actual turbine calculations. Calculations for steam turbines are demonstrated from three perspectives in this document: using an isentropic assumption, using a specified adiabatic or isentropic efficiency, using actual manufacturers operating data. Also a second law analysis for steam turbines is provided. Ideal or Isentropic Steam Turbine Calculations We consider the schematic shown in Figure 1 where state 1 represents the inlet conditions for the turbine and state 2s represent the ideal/isentropic outlet state for the turbine.
State 1

ME 416

Turbine

State 2s

Figure 1. Schematic of Steam Turbine Normally the inlet state for the turbine is fixed by specifying the temperature and pressure of the incoming steam. For the outlet state only the pressure is specified, which mean that state 2s is not fixed. Often the mass flow rate of steam passing through the turbine is given, however, since the calculations for the ideal turbine will be linear they may be done on a per mass basis and scaled up according to the mass flow rate. We begin by going to the steam tables and obtaining the entropy and enthalpy at state 1 with the given temperature and pressure. Next the outlet state may be fixed by using the isentropic condition or
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ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

s2s = s1 At this point we know both our pressure and entropy at state 2s, which fixes the state. This allows us to go to the steam table and identify the fluid phase, followed by an evaluation of the enthalpy and temperature of the outlet state. We can now calculate the specific work (work per mass) and power produced by w = h1 - h2
W = m( h1 h 2 )

Adiabatic Turbine Calculation For our purposes an adiabatic turbine will have an adiabatic or isentropic efficiency that has been specified. The specific work is calculated with
w = s w ideal

where s is the isentropic efficiency of the turbine and wideal is the work that would be produced if the turbine behaved isentropically. Hence, an adiabatic turbine calculation first requires an ideal turbine calculation. Once the ideal work is calculated the actual work is calculated with the equation provide above. The final step of the calculation is to determine the actual outlet conditions, since up to this point in time only the isentropic outlet conditions have been found. Using the fist law we can write
w = h1 - h 2a

where the subscript 2a denotes the actual outlet state, state 2a. To demonstrate this turbine calculation, as well as an ideal turbine calculation, we consider the following example. Adiabatic Turbine Example: Steam enters a turbine with isentropic efficiency of 0.78 at 12 MPa, 400C and 0.3 kg/s and exits at 0.15 MPa. Determine a. Actual Power Output b. Actual Outlet Temperature c. Actual Outlet Fluid Phase It is convenient to set this problem up with the following format
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ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

System Type: Control Volume (Turbine) Working Fluid: Steam (Compressible Substance) Process: Isentropic (ideal) Adiabatic (actual) with s = 0.78 State 1 State 2s State 2a T1 = 400C T2s = 111.37C T2a = 111.37C P1 = 12 MPa P2s = 0.15 MPa P2a = 0.15 MPa h1 = 3051.3 kJ/kg h2s = 2251.9 kJ/kg h2a = 2427.6 kJ/kg s1 = 6.0747 s2s = 6.0747 kJ/(kgK) s2a = 6.53 kJ/(kgK) kJ/(kgK) phase: sup.vap. phase: two phase with phase: two phase with x2s=0.802 x2a=0.881 Italicized values are from steam table. Bold values are calculated. State1: Fixed State2s: UNKNOWN State2a: UNKNOWN Q =0 Wsh = UNKNOWN 1st Law: m[ h1 h 2 ] = Wsh Approach: To use the isentropic efficiency we must first work the ideal turbine problem. To fix the state 2s we will use our process description which will gives us our entropy at state 2s. The remaining properties can then be determined from the steam tables. The ideal power is then calculated from the 1st law. The definition of isentropic efficiency will be used to calculate the actual power. The first law can then be used to calculate the actual outlet enthalpy, which will fix state 2a and the properties can then be determined from the steam tables. We start by completing our information for state 1. Going to the saturation pressure table we find that at 12 MPa the saturation or boiling temperature is 324.75C and since our actual temperature is 400C and greater than this, we have superheated vapor. We go to the superheat table and find h1 = 3051.3 kJ/kg and s1 = 6.0747 kJ/(kgK) Since we have an isentropic process the s at state 2s is given by s2s = s1 = 6.0747 kJ/(kgK) Then from the saturation pressure tables at 0.15 MPa we find
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ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

sf = 1.4336 kJ/(kgK) and sg = 7.2233 kJ/(kgK) Since s2s is between these two values, we must have a two phase mixture with quality given as
x 2s = s2s - sf 6.0747 -1.4336 = = 0.802 sg - sf 7.2233 -1.4336

Our temperature must be the saturation temperature at 0.15 MPa

T2s = 111.37 C

and the enthalpy is calculated from the quality

h 2s = h f (@ 0.15 MPa) + x 2s h fg (@ 0.15 MPa) = 467.11 + (0.802)(2226.5) = 2251.9 kJ / kg

Next we will calculate our ideal power from the 1st law
Wideal = m[ h1 h 2s ] = (0.3)(3051.3 - 2251.9) = 239.8 kW

Then our actual power is

Wact = sWideal = (0.78)(239.8) = 187.1 kW

Our actual exit enthalpy is

h 2a = h1 Wact 187.1 = 3051.3 = 2427.6 kJ / kg m 0.3

We now go to the steam tables and find that at state 2a we have a two phase mixture with quality
x 2a = h 2a - h f 2427.6 - 467.11 = = 0.881 hg - h f 2693.6 - 467.11

and T2a = 111.37C and s2a = 6.53 kJ/(kgK)

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ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

Actual Turbine Calculation The calculation procedure for an actual turbine will depend on how the operating characteristics of the actual turbine have been provided. Quite often this information is provided graphical as seen in Figure 2, where for a low superheat turbine the stage group efficiency is given in terms of the inlet volume flow rate and the ratio of inlet pressure to outlet pressure. To perform a calculation with this graph as the operating data requires one to determine the adiabatic efficiency from the graph, and then carry out an adiabatic turbine calculation. We now consider an example of this type of calculation. Actual Turbine Example: Steam enters an actual low superheat turbine with operating characteristics represented by Fig.2 at 12 MPa, 400C and 3000 kg/s and exits at 0.15 MPa. Determine a. Actual Power Output b. Actual Outlet Temperature c. Actual Outlet Fluid Phase We will first use Fig.2 to determine the adiabatic efficiency. calculations we have Pr = 12/0.15 = 80
V1 = v1 m

Making some

From the steam tables at the inlet conditions of 12 MPa and 400C, we find v1 = 21.08 x 10-3 m3/kg So that
V1 = 21.08 x 10-3 ( 3000) = 6.32 m3 / s

Now converting to the appropriate units (ft3/hr)

V1 = 6.32 m3 / s (3.281 ft / m) (3600 s / hr)
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= 8.04 x 106 ft 3 / hr

ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

0.96

200
0.94

50 15 5 1.5

0.92

Adiabtic Efficiency

0.9

0.88

0.86

0.84

0.82 0.1 1 10 100 Volum e Flow Rate (m illions cu.ft./hr)

Figure 2. Stage Group Efficiency of a Low Superheat Steam Turbine (numbers next to curves are the bowl pressure to exhaust pressure ratio)
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ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

Now reading from the graph we find s = 0.942 We now proceed through the calculation using the methodology of the adiabatic turbine. The ideal work will be the same as in the previous example, so that our actual power is
Wact = sWideal = (0.942)(3000)(3051.3 - 2251.9) = 2260 MW

Our actual exit enthalpy is

h 2a Wact 2.26 x 106 = h1 = 3051.3 = 2298.3 kJ / kg m 3000

We now go to the steam tables and find that at state 2a (0.15 MPa) we have hf = 467.11 kJ/kg and hg = 2693.6 kJ/kg Since h2a is between these two values we must have a two phase mixture with quality
x 2a = h 2a - h f 2298.3 - 467.11 = = 0.822 hg - h f 2693.6 - 467.11

and T2a = 111.37C and s2a = 6.195 kJ/(kgK) Reheat Legs and Moisture Separators One of the critical concerns in steam turbine operation is the exit quality. If the exit quality is too low there can be considerable erosion of turbine blades due to collisions with water droplets that may lead to mechanical failure of the turbine. Most steam turbines require minimum exit qualities between 0.90 and 0.95. To maintain these sort of exit qualities require higher exit pressures and a wasting of some steam energy. Two devices are used to counter this problem: a reheat leg and a moisture separator. The application of either of these devices require the addition of a second turbine with the reheat leg or moisture separator operating between the two turbines. Such as system is shown in Fig.2.

ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

Figure 2 Steam Turbine System with Reheat Leg or Moisture Separator

Inlet

Turbine #1

Moisture Separator or Reheat Leg

Turbine #2

Exhaust

A reheat leg operates by taking the steam exiting the first turbine and returning it to the boiler where it is heated up to a temperature somewhat less than the boiler exit temperature. An ideal reheat leg has no pressure drop associated with it. A moisture separator operates by passing the steam exiting the first turbine through a series of tortuous paths during which the liquid separates from the gas in the two phase mixture and is then removed. Hence, an ideal moisture separator will produce a steam of quality 1 in an adiabatic fashion (or isenthalpic). There will be a loss in mass flow as the steam enters the second turbine when a moisture separator is used. EXAMPLE: Operation of a Reheat Leg Steam leaving the actual turbine of the example above enters a reheat leg and is heated to 360C. Determine (i) heat transfer rate required (ii) exit conditions The exit conditions will be set at a pressure of 0.15 MPa (assuming no pressure loss in the reheat leg) and a temperature of 360C. Going to the steam tables we find we have superheated vapor with hexit = 3195 kJ/kg and sexit = 8.229 kJ/(kgK) Then the heat transfer rate is given by
Q rh = m( h exit - h in ) = (3000)(3195 - 2298.3) = 2.69 x 106 kW

ME 416 CAD of Thermal Systems

EXAMPLE: Operation of a Moisture Separator Steam leaving the actual turbine of the example above enters a moisture separator. Determine (i) amount of water removed (ii) exit conditions The exit conditions will be set as saturated vapor at the incoming enthalpy of 2298.3 kJ/kg. Going to the steam tables we cannot find such a state. As an alternative we assume that the temperature is kept constant and find Pexit = 0.15 MPa and hexit = 2693.6 and sexit = 7.2233 kJ/(kgK) The amount of water removed is given by
m removed = min (1- x in ) = (3000)(1- 0.822) = 534 kg / s