Impulse Turbine Stage

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

 Impulse Turbine Stage
• Pressure and velocity distribution.
casing

F M1

po c1

p
& c c2 velocity

p1 = p2 pressure
co

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

 o1

W.D

h-s diagram. c1t2/2 c12/2

O1r O2r

w1 2/2 w2 2/2

O2

c2 2/2

hb 2
hn 1

1t

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

s
Velocity diagram for Impulse turbines

The main parts of an impulse turbine are

nozzles and blades.
Nozzles produce a jet of steam of high
velocity.
Blades change the direction of the jet,
thus producing a change in momentum
and a force that propels the blades.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
 VELOCITY TRIANGLES
1 1 2 2
w2
c2
c1
w1
Tc u
u
cw1 cw2

C : Absolute velocity
U : Blade velocity
W : Relative velocity
Cw : Tangential velocity
Tc : Specific axial thrust

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

• Power of an Impulse Stage
Nw
W.D = 0
= u(c1 cos α1 + c2 cos α 2 )
m
W.D = u(c1 cos α1 + c2 cos α 2 )
2 2 2 2
c - c +w - w
1 2 2 1
=
2

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

 Blade Efficiency (b)
developed power
ηb =
available power of the moving blade
2u(c1 cos α1 + c 2 cos α 2 )
ηb =
c12
2u(w1 cosβ1 + w 2 cosβ 2 )
=
c12
cosβ 2
= 2(x cos α1 - x )(1 + k b
2
)
cosβ1
kb = w2/w1 blade velocity coefficient
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
• where x is the blade velocity ratio ;
dηb cosβ 2
= 0 = 2(1 + k b )(cos α1 - 2x)
dx cosβ1
cos α1
x=
2
• The maximum efficiency, bmax,
cos 2 α1 cosβ 2
ηb max = (1 + k b )
2 cosβ1

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

 1.00

0.80

0.60


0.40 w =w
1 2
1 2

1 = 10 deg.
0.20 1 = 20 deg.

0.00
0.00 0.20 0.40 0.60 0.80 1.00
x = u/ c1
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
• Heat losses in impulse turbine stage
1- heat losses through nozzles
2 2 2 2
c - c c (1- k ) kJ/kg
Δh n = 1th
= 1 1th n
2000 2000
2- heat losses through moving blades
w12 - w 22 w12 (1- k b2 )
Δh b = = kJ/kg
2000 2000

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

Example:1
The blade speed of a single ring of impulse
stage is 300.0 m/s and the nozzle angle is 20o.
The isentropic heat drop is 474 kJ/kg and the
nozzle efficiency is 0.85. Given that the blade
velocity coefficient is 0.85 and the blades are
symmetrical, draw the vector diagrams and
calculate for a mass flow rate of 1 kg/s.:
a- axial thrust on the stage
b- blade efficiency, stage efficiency and maximum
blade efficiency.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

• Continuity Equation
Calculating of mass flow rate through turbine
stage is mainly effected by:
• partial admission degree
• discharge coefficient.
1- Partial admission degree, 
• The degree of admission is defined as the ratio
of the length of the admission sector and the
length of the entire periphery,
zt
ε=
πd
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
 w1

w2 under deflection
over deflection

1.0

steady flow
w1/c1
unsteady unsteady
flow flow

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

• The flow in partial admission stages is
unsteady.
• The rotor blades are subjected to large
variations of forces during their passages in
the active and inactive sectors of the annulus.
• This leads to harmful vibrations of the rotor.
• A partial admission configuration is only
suitable for an impulse stage, in a multi stage
turbine this is invariably used only in the first
stage.
• Partial admission of steam has been usefully
employed in the governing of steam turbines.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

Presence of partial admission tends to :
• pumping loss;
• starting of the flow or filling process
occurs with sudden expansion, mixing
and shear. All these phenomena lead to
addition cascade losses.
• variation in velocity, direction and
pressure along the admission sector.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

2- Discharge Coefficient
The discharge coefficient of a blade
cascade is the ratio of the actual flow rate
through the cascade to the theoretical
mass flow rate of the working fluid through
the cascade:

o
m
μ= o
m th

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

 o πd o lo μεco sin α o
m=
vo
lo l1 l2
o πd1l1μεc1 sin α1
m=
v1
o πd 2 l 2μεc 2 sin α 2
m=
do d1 d2 v2

where
d mean blade diameter (m)
l blade height (m)
 degree of partial admission
 discharge coefficient

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied

Example:2
An impulse turbine stage has the following
parameters:
mean diameter 900 mm, number of revolution
3000 r.p.m, the generated power 450 hp for 40
kg/hp.hr of dry saturated steam at a pressure of
10 bar. If the outlet relative velocity from the
stage is 235 m/s with angle of 70o measured
from axial direction, and the axial thrust is 200 N,
determine:
i) the blade velocity coefficient and the velocity
ratio;
ii) the blade and stage efficiency.
iii) the exit condition of steam leaving the stage
if the nozzle efficiency 80%;
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied
Example 3
• In a single row impulse turbine stage, steam is supplied
dry and saturated at 5 bar and the exhaust pressure is
2.8 bar. There is carry over velocity of 75 m/s from the
previous stage and the kinetic energy at exit from the
nozzle is only 90% of the theoretical available energy.
The nozzle is inclined at 20o with direction of rotation of
blades and the blade speed ratio is 0.4. The blade exit
angle is also 20o. For a steam flow rate of 2.5 kg/s, the
output of the stage is 280 kW. Determine:
• a- velocity of steam at exit from the nozzle.
• b- diagram (blade) efficiency.
• c- stage efficiency.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abd El-hamied