Department of Mechanical Engineering

Laboratory Manual
POWER PLANTS LAB

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

Mini Steam Turbine Power Plant (Model PC-TMS-400A)

List of Experiments:
EXPERIMENT NO. 1

To determine the dryness fraction of steam with the help of throttling calorimeter

EXPERIMENT NO. 2

To determine the thermal efficiency of a steam boiler and measure its evaporating rate

EXPERIMENT NO. 3

To determine the thermal efficiency of a super heater and evaluate its performance

EXPERIMENT NO. 4

To determine the thermal efficiency of a steam turbine and evaluate its performance

EXPERIMENT NO. 5

To determine the condenser heat exchange rate and evaluate its performance

EXPERIMENT NO. 6

To determine the overall efficiency of Steam Turbine Experimental Apparatus

Experimental Setup Power Plants

Mini Steam Turbine Power Plant (Model PC-TMS-400A)

Figure 1: Photograph & Block Diagram of Mini Steam Turbine Power Plant
The basis of operation of the Mini Steam Turbine Power Plant is through Rankine Cycle. There
are multiple components attached to the whole system as shown in Figure 1. Some important
ones and their details are mentioned below:

 Boiler:
It is a vessel in which fuels are burnt to convert water or any other type of liquid into
superheated steam or vapors, respectively. Primarily it can be divided into two types which is
the fire tube and water tube boilers. This classification is utterly based on the medium present
inside the tubes of boiler. It utilizes both latent and sensible heat content. One can say that
without a boiler, a thermal power plant cannot exist.

 Calorimeter:
This instrument functions to determine the amount of heat involved in a process. In the
power plant mentioned above, a throttling calorimeter is used. This type of calorimeter
consists of an orifice.

 Superheater:
The primary purpose of this device is to generate dry steam from wet steam. It provides
further heat to the steam to make it superheated. It utilizes only the sensible heat content for
increase in temperature.

 Condenser:
A device that converts matter from gaseous state to liquid state. It functions with the
extraction of latent heat from the fluid.

 Generator Turbine Mechanism:

This mechanism will convert the thermal energy to mechanical energy with the help of
mechanical drives that consist of a generator and turbine. Further additions to the mechanism
will result in storage and transfer of this energy in a suitable form. A pump is placed at the
end of condenser to draw the steam that was used to drive the mechanical drive back to the
boiler.
 Experiment No 01
Objective:
To determine the Dryness Fraction of steam (x) with the help of
Throttling calorimeter.
Apparatus:
 Steam generating device
 Throttling calorimeter.

Specifications:
Pressure gauge 10 kg/cm2, 2 kg/cm2
Throttle type Needle Valve type

Procedure:
The dryness fraction of the steam tells us about the amount of water
vapors in the steam. It can be measured with the help of a throttling calorimeter
which uses isenthalpic expansion in a throttling mechanism to expand the steam
after an orifice or a small opening. The sudden drop in pressure causes the
temperature and pressure to be in the superheated region and enthalpies are
matched to get the fraction.
Open needle valve to induce steam to the throttling calorimeter. Then
reduce the pressure after expansion by means of needle valve and valve down to
designated pressure. ‘Designated pressure’ means the value where the steam
becomes superheated steam in combination with the temperature after the throttle.
After the temperature becomes steady, note the pressure before and after the
throttle on the respective pressure gauge and note the temperature of outlet
superheated steam.
Specimen Calculation:
Dryness fraction = ms/ (ms + mw)

For throttling h 1 = h2

h1 = hf1 + x hfg1

h2 = h (at p2, T2 ) from superheated steam

table

x = (h2-hf1)/hfg1

= (2682.85– 730.213) / 2025.71

= 0.964

Observations:
p1 p2 T2 h1 = h2 X
No. of Obs. (MPa (MPa (ºC) (kJ/kg)
) )
1
2
3
4

Comments:

Give remarks on the following graph(s) for pre-recorded and experimental results:
1. Dryness Fraction (X) vs. Calorimeter Inlet Pressure (p1)
 Experiment No 01
Objective:
To determine the thermal efficiency (ηth) of a steam boiler.
Apparatus:
 Boiler (Steam generating device)

Specification:

Maximum Pressure 10 kg/cm2

Equivalent evaporative quantity 150 kg/h
Heat transmission area 3.06 m2
Rated heat output 80,850 kcal/h
Potential water quantity 54 L
Fuel consumption 10.8 L/h (kerosene oil)
Fuel tank 90 L
Pressure gauge 15 kg/cm2
Procedure:

For starting the boiler open water supply valve. Turn main power On.
Open air purging valve. Open drain valve. After total blow-off, close drain valve
and air purging valve. Open fuel valve and press feed water switch. Press
combustion switch.
Steam pressure goes up and when it gets set value, combustion stops
automatically. Open main steam valve gradually. Note feed water inlet temperature
from panel and note pressure of generated steam from the outlet pressure gauge.
Note the volume of feed water fed to the boiler and fuel consumed in specific time
interval, from integral flow meters on control panel, to determine their volume
flow rates.
The enthalpy at Feed Water Inlet comes from the Boiler Feed Water Inlet
Temperature and the Enthalpy at Feed Water Outlet comes from the Boiler Outlet
Pressure.

Specimen Calculation:

Thermal efficiency of the boiler is given by

ηth = ṁs(h1-h6)/ṁf x C.V

where
ṁs = mass flow rate of steam generated = ρw Vw / t

ṁf = mass flow rate of fuel consumed = ρf Vf / t

C.V. = 42700 (kJ/kg)

ρf = 820 kg/m3

ηth = 0.0134(2682.85 – 89.8)/0.0011 x 42700

ηth = 74.1%

Observations:
p1 Tw1 X V̇w V̇f
No of Obs. (MPa) (ºC) (Dryness (L/s) (L/s)
fraction)
1
2
3
4

ṁs ṁf h1 h6 ηt
(kg/s) (kg/s) (kJ/kg) (kJ/kg) (%)
Comments:
Give remarks on the following graph(s) for pre-recorded and experimental results:
1. Thermal Efficiency of Boiler (ηt) vs. Water Inlet Temperature of Boiler
(Tw1)
2. Thermal Efficiency of Boiler (ηt) vs. Mass Flow Rate of Steam (ṁs)
3. Thermal Efficiency of Boiler (ηt) vs. Mass Flow Rate of Fuel (ṁf)
 Experiment No 03
Objective:
To determine the efficiency of superheater and
evaluate its performance.

Apparatus:

 Steam Super Heater

Specifications:
Inlet Pressure & Temperature 5 kg/cm2, Saturated Steam 158 ºC
Outlet Temperature 250 ºC
Fuel Kerosene Oil
Pressure gauge 15 kg/cm2

Procedure:
A superheater is used to add a degree of superheat to the steam.
Greater the superheat, less is the effect of vapors on the turbine rotors due to
rusting and wearing.
Before starting it, close respective valves of super heater and wait for
steam generation.
Induce steam which goes up to designated pressure by opening valve
of super heater inlet. Open drain valve of super heater. After drained thoroughly
and steam comes out, close drain valve. Turn power switch ON. Burner starts
function and steam is super-heated. Note the readings of pressure and temperature
before and after the superheater. Note the reading of the volume of the fuel
consumed in superheater by the integral flow meter on the panel.
Specimen Calculation:

ηth = ṁs (h3-h2) / (ṁf x CV)

= 0.01350 (2818.7 – 2758) / 0.00012 x 42700

= 16.0 %

Observations:

p1 p2 T2 ṁs T3 ṁf x h2 h3 ηth
No. of
(MPa (MPa) (ºC) (kg/s) (ºC) (kg/s) (kJ/ (kJ/kg) (%)
Obs.
) kg)
1
2
3
4

Comments:

Give remarks on the following graph(s) for pre-recorded and experimental results:
1. Efficiency of Superheater (ηth) vs. Mass Flow Rate of Steam (ṁs)
2. Efficiency of Superheater (ηth) vs. Mass Flow Rate of Superheater Fuel (ṁf)