Bucket

Purpose
To understand :
1. configuration and function for bucket
2. design concept and feature for bucket
3. characteristics for long bucket (including Last stage bucket)

Index

1. Introduction
2. Configuration and Function
3. Bucket types
4. Procedure for basic design
5. Design Features for long bucket

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1. Definition of Bucket
The primary function of a bucket in a steam turbine is to efficiently transform the momentum of the steam flow into a
driving force applied to the attached wheel or rotor.

Bucket

Diaphragm

HP Outer Shell Rotor

HP Inner Shell

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2. Configuration and Function

2.1. Bucket configuration

Cover & Tenon
The term bucket includes the tenon and covers (if any), the
dovetail, any attached sealing fins or platforms if used
1) Dovetail
To assemble bucket and rotor
2) Vane
The stage energy drop of the steam is converted to a tangential
driving to force within the vane section of bucket
3) Cover (Fin & Platform)
-To control the steam leakage at tip section Vane
-The function of confining the steam to the steam path
-To tie buckets together in to groups which can better withstand the
forces causing vibration( only cover and tie wire) and control certain
vibrational frequencies or to reduce the amplitude of vibration
4) Tenon Dovetail

Tenons are integral appendages of the vane and serve to retain

the cover
Fin

Platform

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2.2. Dovetail Type

Bucket dovetails are classified by the method of attaching the bucket to the wheel.
There are five types bucket dovetails as follows :

1) Tangential Entry Dovetail

A) This type is the oldest and most commonly used.

(These dovetails are also called to as “pine tree” dovetails)
B) Tangential entry dovetail are used with one or more hook pairs and in different
sizes to provide a range of strength
C) For assembly of tangential entry dovetails, a “notch opening” or “assembly gate”
Tangential Entry
must be provided in the wheel.
Type
D) The closure piece, which is made slightly oversized so that it must be driven into
place at the notch opening, have several type as follows :
■ Notch Blade
■ Reduced Notch Blade
■ Notch Block
■ Reduced Notch Block
■ Titanium Notch Blade

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2) Gas Turbine Dovetail

A) This type is an axial entry dovetail (See figure7) which gives a full row of blades and
therefore never requires a closure piece.

B) So, the efficiency penalty associated with notch blocks can be avoided

C) It is this feature which leads to the application of gas turbine type dovetails on long Gas Turbine Dovetail
high temperature buckets (e.g. long reheat stage bucket)

3) Pinned Finger Dovetail

A) To sustain the centrifugal force for long buckets (longer than about 17” active length)
B) This type will be applied to L-1 and LSB for large steam turbine
■ Application for loose assembly among buckets.
■ The mating bucket and wheel fingers are fastened together by a series of dovetail
pins..
■ Not requires closure bucket Pinned Finger
Type

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4) Keyed Axial Entry Dovetail

A) This type is occasionally used on first stage.

Keyed Axial Entry Type

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2.3. Vane Type

The vane in steam path is key component and the

efficiency according to vane profile is directly reflected to
turbine efficiency
Steam

1) Conventional Type
A) Uniform section and uniform reaction from root to tip Partition
Bucket
(Nozzle)
B) The concave and convex surfaces are each a uniform circular arc

2) Advanced Vortex Type

A) Vortex stages have an increase in root reaction, and a decrease
in tip reaction
B) Benefits are derived from less tip leakage losses and more
steam passing through the central, and gain the increase in
efficiency Conventional Advanced
Type Vortex Type
3) Advanced Blade Type
A) The reaction ratio in bucket is increased more than vortex type profile
B) To increase the number of stage in same span to gain most efficiency

Advanced Blade Type

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2.4. Bucket Tenon & Cover

1) Tenon
Tenons are integral appendages of the vane
and serve to retain the cover

2) Bucket Cover
①
A) To control the steam leakage at tip section
B) To tie buckets together in to groups and to control certain ②
vibrational frequencies or to reduce the amplitude of
vibration Cover
C) There are four or five types bucket covers as follows: Tenon ③
■ Single thickness flat cover, called ‘Band Cover’
■ Control stage Integral Cover or Bucket Cover Configuration Leakage Control
Non- Control stage Integral Cover.
■ Side-Entry Cover or Segment Cover, called ‘Z-cover’
■ Over/Under Covers

Band Cover Integral Cover Segment Cover

Bucket Cover

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3. Bucket Category Based on Design

3.1 Governing Stage Bucket (Control Stage)

1) The governing or control stage has the unique characteristic

of variable area. As a control valve opens, the area allowing
throttle steam to flow through the turbine increases and the
turbine produces more kilowatts.
2) Governing stage buckets must sustain loading during partial
arc operation which is periodic severe, the bucket alternately
passing through active (Full Steam Force) and inactive
(negligible steam force) arcs.
3) Governing stages must also be able to withstand the high
operating steam pressures, foreign particle impingement and
water slugs which may carry over from the steam supply
systems (e.g, Boiler or Steam Generator) Governing Stage Bucket
4) Characteristics
■ Integral Cover Design Application
■ Multiple Tenon Design Application
■ Tangential Entry Dovetail or Keyed Axial Entry Dovetail
Application (For Recent Fossil Power Plant)

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3.2 Load Factor Stage Bucket

1) The bucket modes of vibration that have natural frequencies
are more than eight times running speed.
Resonance with the major bucket natural frequencies is avoided
by the proper selection of a nozzle quantity
2) Stages : All buckets except 1st Stage, LSB,L-1,L-2 stage
3) Characteristics
■ Tangential Entry Or Axial Entry Type Dovetail Application
■ Tenon & Cover Structure
■ Vane Tip Built-up to machining Tenon

3.3 Low per REV Stage Bucket

1) Some long reheat and low pressure (e.g., L-2’s) stages fall into this stage design category. These buckets have
vane length and shape characteristics which result in the fundamental vibration frequency being in the range of
6 to 8 times running speed.
2) Stages : L-2 stage
3) Characteristics
■ Application of Loose Tie-Wire
■ Use of Long Cover
■ Application of Moisture Groove (Only Nuclear Power Plant)

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3.4 Margine Stage Bucket

1) The bucket modes of vibration that have natural frequencies are below six times
running speed and the last and L-1 buckets usually fall in this classification
2) Experience has shown that inadequate margins from resonance with the low per rev
stimuli can result in bucket fatigue problems.
3) Stages : LSB, L-1 Bucket
4) Characteristics
■ Application of Pinned Finger Dovetail
■ Use of side entry covers for continuous coupling vane at tip in order to eliminate
possibility of vane flutter
■ Application of sleeve and nub or tie wire mechanism

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4. Basic Design Procedure for Bucket & Wheel

Vane Profile Selection Dovetail & Wheel Design Tenon & Cover Design Rotor
Analysis
• Vane Type Selection • Dovetail Stress Calc • Tenon Design
• Bucket 수량 Calc • Wheel Stress Calc • Stress Calc
• Load Factor Calc • Dovetail Type Select • Tenon & Cover Type Confirm FEM
Analysis

■ Rotor Modeling (FEM Analysis)

■ Special Requirement • Bending Stress Calc • Bearing Span Determination
for Rotationary Parts • Torsional Stress Calc • Journal Dia. Determination
• Steam Balance Hole • Bearing Load Calc • Packing Dia. Determination
or Steam Balance Groove • Shaft Flexibility Calc • Coupling Size Determination
• Critical Speed Calc
• Moisture Remove Groove • Torsional Frequency Check
• Rotor Train Stability Calc
• Moment Weighing and Charting
• Cr-Carbide Plasma Spray Coating
■ Thrust Bearing & Clearance Determination
• Cold Assembly
• Thrust Load Calc • Thrust Bearing Size Determination
• Shot Peening
•Thermal Expansion •Axial Clearance Determination
•Movement,Vibration Consideration • Radial Clearance Determination

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5. Design Features for Long Bucket

Features
■ Long Non-Last Stage Bucket Design:
- High stage efficiency
Tie-Wire
- Optimum combination of centrifugal and static
steam bending stresses.
Vane
Profile - Maximum protection against damage from
fatigue
- Protection against moisture erosion
- Minimum possibility of SCC and corrosion
fatigue for the expected steam environments

■ Last Stage Bucket Design:

- The same process as the long non-last-stage
design system as above comments
- The two major goals of overriding importance
are to produce a bucket that is 1) trouble free
during operation and 2) operates with a high
aerodynamic efficiency because the LP last
stages supply approximately 10% of the
turbine output of a modern unit

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5.1 Bucket connections for suppression of certain vibration modes (Continued)

Current Design Develop Design

Hitachi Design MHI Design

Nub & Sleeve Type

Toshiba Design

Lacing Wire Type Alstom Design

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5.2 Bucket connections for suppression of certain vibration modes

Current Design Develop Design

Hitachi Design

Cover Segment Type (Z-Cover)

MHI Design

Bucket Cover Type Toshiba Design

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