STEAM TURBINES

What is Steam Turbine

Steam turbine is a machine capable of transforming thermal energy (from steam) to mechanical energy. energy. OR Steam Turbine is a prime mover in which, heat energy is transformed into mechanical energy. energy.

Purpose of Steam Turbines

Broadly speaking, Purpose of Steam turbines is divided into two broad categories:  Generating Electric Power  General - Purpose units used for driving pumps, compressors etc. In both cases Steam Turbine will act as a prime mover.

Principle of Working
When Steam is passed through a nozzle, it expands (transforming pressure into velocity). velocity). This high velocity (momentum) steam, when impinges on the blades, cause the wheel (rotor) to revolve. revolve.

Types of Steam Turbine

Steam turbines are categorized by the following three different ways:


From working principle

Impulse Turbine  Reaction Turbine


From number of steages

Single stage turbine  Multi stage turbine


Types of Steam Turbine



From how steam is utilized

Condensing turbine  Back pressure (non-condensing) turbine (non Extraction turbine  Induction turbine


Impulse Principle
If steam at high pressure is allowed to expand through a stationary nozzle, the result will be a drop in steam pressure and an increase in steam velocity. velocity. If the direction of this high velocity steam changed by passing it through a properly shaped turbine blade, will generate an impulse force. force. This impulse force will cause the blade to move. move.

Impulse Principle
Impulse Blade Steam In

Impulse Force

Steam Out

Reaction Principle
When high pressure steam is allowed to expand through a nozzle. It will produce a reaction nozzle. force in the opposite direction. Causing the direction. blade to move. move.

Reaction Principle

Steam Out

Reaction Force

Single Stage Turbine

This type of turbine intakes and expands the steam in a single row of nozzles and the kinetic (velocity) energy of steam is converted into a mechanical one, by one or two rows of buckets. buckets. Single stage turbines are used mainly for small output service, such as driving a pump. pump.

Single Stage Turbine

MultiMulti-stage Turbine
A multistage turbine consists of a series of stages arranged on a single shaft. It is designed so that each stage shares shaft. only a part of the total pressure difference. Each stage has difference. a set of nozzle rows and bucket rows and is arranged in series to expand the steam by turns. turns. These turbines are energy efficient and used for medium to large power service to drive large pumps, compressors and (electric) power generators. generators.

MultiMulti-stage Turbine

Condensing Turbine
A condensing turbine intakes high-pressure steam highand expands it fully through the series of stages to vacuum and exhausts it to a condenser, where it is condensed to water, instead of being released to the atmosphere or low pressure steam system. system. A condensing turbine require less steam than a backback-pressure turbine because the recovered energy from a unit of steam can be maximized by expanding to high vacuum. vacuum.

Condensing Turbine

Back Pressure Turbine

A back pressure turbine (non-condensing turbine) (nonutilizes only a part of high-pressure steam by highexpanding it to an appropriate level of pressure (low pressure or medium pressure steam). steam). Remaining energy in the exhaust steam will be utilized as a heat source in the refinery. refinery.

Back Pressure Turbine

Extraction / Induction Turbine

The Extraction Turbine, a part of the expanding steam is extracted from the turbine casing at each connection and supplied to the steam header of intermediate pressure. pressure. The Induction Turbine, intermediate nozzles are provided to induce the excess steam from the steam header and expand it to the lower pressure level. level.

Extraction Turbine

Parts of Turbine
High Pressure Parts:
Governor Valve  Trip Valve Trip & Throttle Valve  Steam Chest  Nozzles


Low Pressure Parts:

Casing  Blades  Seals


Parts of Turbine
Exhaust Hood  Glands or Seals


Rotor Assembly
Blades or buckets  Disks  Shaft


Other Parts
Bearings (Radial & Thrust)  Turning Gear


Purpose of Governor
The purpose of Governor is to control the speed of the turbine according to the required load / set point. point. Governor controls the speed of turbine by controlling the flow of steam into the turbine. turbine.

Types of Governor
There are several types of governors used in Steam Turbines.
Fly Ball Governor  Hydraulic Governor  Oil Relay Governor  Electronic Governor


Fly Ball Governor

It consists of a fly ball and governor spring. spring. As the speed of turbine changes, the fly ball moves outward or inward because of centrifugal force. This creates tension in the force. spring that in turns opens and closes the steam regulation valve. valve. This phenomena in shown in following figure. figure.

Hydraulic Governor
It uses an oil pump in place of fly ball. An Oil ball. pump is connected directly to the turbine shaft. As shaft. the turbine shaft speed changes, the discharge pressure of the oil pump changes. Governor valve changes. is connected to a flexible diaphragm. As the oil diaphragm. pressure on diaphragm changes, the Governor valve opening changes as well. well. This governor is sensitive to temperature because of Oil. Oil.

Oil Relay Governor

These governors combines the features of both fly ball governor and hydraulic governor. Oil pressure governor. operates the piston which is attached to the spring. spring. The spring keeps the piston in place until a change in oil pressure acts on the piston. Fly ball position piston. the pilot valve that controls the oil flowing through oil inlet and oil outlet of the oil relay. relay. It is not sensitive to temperature as the fly ball adjusts the turbine speed. speed.

Electronic Governor
In these Governors an Electric Generator is attached to the turbine shaft to adjust the oil relay. relay. Changes in the speed of shaft changes the output of the electric current. This current. change in the electric current adjust the pilot valve of the relay. relay.

Turbine Protection
For the protection of turbine from over speeding, an over speed trip mechanism is provided. This mechanism provided. operate automatically if the speed exceeds the designed limit. limit. The over speed trip pin assembly is contained in the trip body mounted on the turbine rotor shaft. When the shaft. turbine speed exceeds the rated operated speed, centrifugal force exerted on the trip pin increases. As this increases. force increases above the tension in the spring of trip pin. pin. The pin moves outward and strikes the over speed trip lever and thus stops the turbine. turbine.

Auxiliary Systems
Steam turbines are usually equipped with following auxiliary systems
Lubrication system  Sealing steam system


Moving Blade

Steam Nozzle Stationary Blade

Lubrication System
There are mainly two types of turbine lubrication systems  Oil Ring Lubrication system  Forced Lubrication System

First one is simple system that employs oil rings to deliver oil to the turbine bearings. Second one employs a lubrication pump to deliver oil to the turbine bearings.

Bearings
Two types of bearings are mainly used in the turbine,  Radial Bearing or Journal Bearing  Thrust Bearing Radial bearing is used to avoid radial vibration (up & down vibration) of the turbine shaft. shaft. Thrust bearing is used to avoid axial movement of the turbine shaft. shaft.

Start Up of Turbine
Following are the main steps involved in the start up of steam turbine,
Lubrication system preparation & start up  Turbine condensing system start up (optional)  Turbine sealing & vacuum system start up (optional)  Heating & pressurizing of steam lines and turbine  Process system preparation  Start up & Control


Preparation & Precautions

Monitoring Parameters During Operation

Excessive Casing Pressure  Condensation of Steam  Quality of Steam  Bowing of Shaft  Healthiness of the Instruments & Fittings  Vibrations  Contamination of the oil system  Seals leakage  Critical Speed


Shut Down of Steam Turbine

Following are the main steps involved in the start up of steam turbine,
Lowering of Speed to minimum controllable  Stop the turbine with shutdown push button  Isolation of the steam inlet and outlet valves  Opening of all drain points  Barring of turbine for some time  Cooling and shutdown of auxiliary systems