Steam turbine

A machine for generating mechanical power in rotary motion from the

energy of steam at temperature and pressure above that of an
available sink. By far the most widely used and most powerful turbines
are those driven by steam. Until the 1960s essentially all steam used
in turbine cycles was raised in boilers burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and
gas) or, in minor quantities, certain waste products. However, modern
turbine technology includes nuclear steam plants as well as production
of steam supplies from other sources.

The illustration shows a small, simple mechanical-drive turbine of a few

horsepower. It illustrates the essential parts for all steam turbines
regardless of rating or complexity: (1) a casing, or shell, usually
divided at the horizontal center line, with the halves bolted together
for ease of assembly and disassembly; it contains the stationary blade
system; (2) a rotor carrying the moving buckets (blades or vanes)
either on wheels or drums, with bearing journals on the ends of the
rotor; (3) a set of bearings attached to the casing to support the shaft;
(4) a governor and valve system for regulating the speed and power of
the turbine by controlling the steam flow, and an oil system for
lubrication of the bearings and, on all but the smallest machines, for
operating the control valves by a relay system connected with the
governor; (5) a coupling to connect with the driven machine; and (6)
pipe connections to the steam supply at the inlet and to an exhaust
system at the outlet of the casing or shell.

Cutaway of small, single-stage steam turbine. (General Electric Co.)

Steam turbines are ideal prime movers for driving machines requiring
rotational mechanical input power. They can deliver constant or
variable speed and are capable of close speed control. Drive
applications include centrifugal pumps, compressors, ship propellers,
and, most important, electric generators.

Steam turbines are classified (1) by mechanical arrangement, as

single-casing, cross-compound (more than one shaft side by side), or
tandem-compound (more than one casing with a single shaft); (2) by
steam flow direction (axial for most, but radial for a few); (3) by steam
cycle, whether condensing, noncon-densing, automatic extraction,
reheat, fossil fuel, or nuclear; and (4) by number of exhaust flows of a
condensing unit, as single, double, triple flow, and so on. Units with as
many as eight exhaust flows are in use.