Steam Turbine Principles

The steam turbine consists of a rotor that carries the buckets, a casing in which the rotor
revolves, and nozzles through which the steam is expanded and directed. One set of nozzles
and buckets is called a stage.
A steam turbine is a heat engine in which the energy of steam is converted into useful work in
two distinct steps. Steam entering the turbine has a great deal of thermal (heat) energy due to
its pressure and temperature. The higher the pressure and temperature, the more thermal
energy there is in the steam.
The steam's thermal energy is converted into kinetic energy (energy of motion) by the
contraction and subsequent expansion of steam as it passes through a nozzle. Energy is
converted into work by directing the steam against buckets attached to the turbine rotor.
The primary function of the nozzle is to convert the thermal energy of steam to kinetic energy by
expanding it from a higher pressure to a lower pressure.
The primary function of the nozzle is to convert the thermal energy of steam to kinetic energy by
expanding it from a higher pressure to a lower pressure.
The decrease in temperature and pressure is converted into kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is a
function of the square of velocity; therefore, as the velocity increases, the kinetic energy
increases at a greater rate.

The blade (bucket) is designed so that the steam will strike it and change direction, thus giving
an IMPULSE to the bucket that causes the rotor to turn. The high velocity steam does work on
the moving buckets.
The entire pressure drop in an impulse turbine occurs in the nozzle; there is no pressure drop
over the moving buckets. With no difference in pressure between the two sides of the blade,
there is little or no tendency for the steam to leak past the blade tips, so leakage losses are
reduced.
In a reaction turbine, the steam passes through fixed buckets that act as nozzles, thus the
velocity of the steam increases. Some work is done by the impulse effect of the high velocity
steam.
The fixed and moving buckets are designed so that the steam expands as it passes through
both, thus giving a REACTION effect due to the expansion of steam through the moving
buckets.
Reaction turbines have a pressure drop across the moving buckets in addition to the stationary
buckets, hence it is necessary to provide effective sealing at the blade tips.