STEAM TURBINES AND AUXILIARY

SYSTEMS
 STEAM TURBINES & AUXILIARY SYSTEMS

OVERVIEW

X Basic Flow Path

X Performance Ratings
X Common Terms
X Typical Features
X Components
X Auxiliary Systems
X Miscellaneous
 Steam Flow Path and Valves

LOW PRESSURE
REHEAT STOP VALVE TURBINE
STEAM
GENERATOR

INTERCEPT
VALVE

GENERATOR

STOP CONTROL
VALVE VALVE HIGH PRESSURE
TURBINE
INTERMEDIATE
PRESSURE
TURBINE

CONDENSER
 Steam Flow Path and Valves

First D11 in Operation: 1993

Courtesy GE
 Performance Rating Terms

X NAMEPLATE RATING - Kilowatt output of the turbine

generator unit the customer wants to place on the nameplate
that is within the limits of the guaranteed output. Normally
the guaranteed output at the rated inlet steam conditions.

X GUARANTEED RATING - The rating used for pricing the

turbine generator, and sometimes used for plant design
 Performance Rating Terms

X THROTTLED RESERVE PERFORMANCE - To compensate

for variations in manufacturing tolerances, all turbines are
designed for a maximum calculated throttle flow 5% greater
than the throttle flow corresponding to guaranteed rating.

X VALVES WIDE OPEN - (VWO) - maximum calculated rating

with all steam control valves wide open at the rated steam
conditions. Not guaranteed.
 Performance Rating Terms

X 5% OVERPRESSURE PERFORMANCE - 105% of the rated

steam pressure with VWO. This increases the flow another
5% for an increase in kilowatt output of 4.5%. Not
guaranteed. VWO and 5% OP gives about 9% more
kilowatts. Not guaranteed.

X SYSTEM DESIGN POINT PERFORMANCE - The rating

point at which the plant is designed. Frequently the
guaranteed point.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

• Back Pressure • Glands or Steam Seals

• Blade or Bucket • Stop-Control Valve
• Tandem Compound • Reheat Stop/Intercept
Valve
• Cross Compound
• Rating
• Cylinder, Casing or Hood
• Turning Gear
• Diaphragm
• Heat Rate
• Front Standard or Front Pedestal
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X BACK PRESSURE- Absolute Exhaust Pressure

If a condensing turbine, atmospheric pressure minus the
vacuum (or negative pressure) inside the turbine exhaust

Pgage

Patmosphere
PRESSURE

-Pgage or Pvacuum

Pabsolute

Pabsolute
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X BLADE OR BUCKET- Converts steam energy into

continuous power-generating torque by expansion of steam
through blades
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X TANDEM COMPOUND - Turbine generator unit in which the

various components are arranged in an axial line on a single
shaft

Courtesy Hitachi
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X CROSS COMPOUND- Turbine-generator unit in which the

various turbine components are arranged on two parallel
shafts on two separate generators

Courtesy Hitachi
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X CYLINDER, CASING OR HOOD

The stationary parts that contain the steam and rotating
parts of the assembled steam turbine. The hood is usually
the portion of the low pressure turbine casing that connects
to the condenser.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Outer Casing

Outer Casing

Inner Casing

Courtesy Fuji
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X DIAPHRAGMS - The stationary blades that are mounted in

the casing

Courtesy Turbocare
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Diaphragm
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X FRONT STANDARD or FRONT PEDESTAL- Equipment

attached to the steam turbine usually at the inlet of the
steam turbine and containing various control devices such
as overspeed trip, speed indicator, vibration detectors,
differential expansion meter, centrifugal lube oil pump, and
thrust bearing. Also referred to as front pedestal or governor
pedestal.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Front Pedestal
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

FRONT PEDESTAL

Courtesy Fuji
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Front Pedestal

Journal
Bearing

Oil Pump

Thrust Bearing
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X GLANDS OR STEAM SEALS - Area at the point where the

rotating shaft of the steam turbine penetrates the cylinder or
casing, and provides a seal against leakage of the steam out
to the atmosphere, and minimizes air leakage into the
turbine. Also referred to as packing.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Seals
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Steam Seals

Courtesy Fuji
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

STOP-CONTROL VALVE
X Shuts off the flow of steam to the turbine in the event of
overspeeding beyond the setting of the overspeed trip.
X Opens due to high pressure oil acting against the force of a
spring.
X The spring is a fail-safe method of closing the valve in case
of a turbine trip or in the event of a loss of oil pressure.
X Strainer is fine mesh during initial startup.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Stop-Control Valve

Courtesy GE
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

REHEAT STOP VALVE

X Stops the steam flow from the reheater to the intermediate
and low pressure turbine.
X Opens due to high pressure oil acting against the force of a
spring.
X The spring is a fail-safe method of closing the valve in case
of a turbine trip or in the event of a loss of oil pressure.
X Primarily an emergency trip valve and not responsive to on-
line speed and load variations.
X Strainer is fine mesh during initial startup.
X Backup protection for the intercept valves.
X Should never operate in the partially open position
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

INTERCEPT VALVES
X Controls the steam flow from the reheater to the IP and LP
turbines.
X Opens and closes the same as stop valves.
X Responds to overspeed the same as the main stop valve.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X RATING - Kilowatt (or megawatt) output of the turbine

generator unit
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X TURNING GEAR – Rotates the turbine generator at a few

revolutions per minute to ensure uniform heating and cooling
during startup and shutdown cycles.
Steam Turbine Common Terms

Turning Gear
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Turning Gear

Courtesy GE
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Turning Gear

First D11 in Operation: 1993

Courtesy GE
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Non-Condensing Turbine

X Economic choice when all exhaust steam can be used for heating or other uses

X If HP steam is available for the turbine and the LP exhaust can be used to supply other turbines,
a non-condensing turbine can be applied to increase power output with the same fuel
consumption.
 Steam Turbine Common Terms

Condensing Turbine

X Used when electrical power generation is the only concern and it must be produced on a
minimum amount of steam.

X Multiple uncontrolled extractions may be provided for feedwater heating.

 Steam Turbine Common Terms

X HEAT RATE - Thermal energy input to cycle in BTU divided

by net output in kilowatt hours
 Steam Turbines and Auxiliary Systems

SOME TYPICAL FEATURES OF STEAM TURBINES

 Typical Features

Exhaust Flow Guide – To minimize losses after the last row of blades in
an LP turbine.
Flow Guide

Courtesy Fuji
 Typical Features

Coupling Spacers – Used for cold setting of rotor

coupling spacer
 Typical Features

Clearances

casing

Flow

rotor
 Typical Features

Balance Provisions – for adding balance weights

Provisions for Balancing
 Typical Features

Dummy or Balance Piston – Helps balance thrust

 Typical Features
Expansion Joint

Crossover Pipe
Expansion Joint –
Accommodates
expansion of crossover
pipe which is anchored
to the turbines

First D11 in Operation: 1993

Courtesy GE
 Typical Features

Thermal insulation on outside of casing - Prevents excessive heat

loss and provides personnel protection. Reduces heat loss during
cooling down and prevents high thermal stresses
Typical Features

IP exhaust pressure is
the outer pressure for
the inner cylinder.
This minimizes the
pressure drop across
the inner cylinder, and
the outer cylinder does
not have to contain the
inner high steam
pressure.
 Components

Cast Steel Casing

No gasket on horizontal joint. Avoids gasket yielding & creep

Forged Steel Rotor

Horizontal joint bolts resist

internal pressure and thermal
stresses. Bolts are prestressed.

Stainless Steel Blades

 Components

Rotor Forged or Fabricated by Welding

Rupture Disc
Stream-Lined Braces
Fabricated Steel Casing
Stainless Steel Blades

Upper Inner Casing

Gland Case
Gland Case
Bearing Housing
Cover

Coupling Guard
g
Casin
Inner
Turning Gear Housing
 Auxiliary Systems

X Steam seal or gland steam

X Lube oil
X Control oil (sometimes combined with lube oil)
X Generator cooling
X Controls
X Supervisory
 Auxiliary Systems

Steam Seals
 Steam Seals

X Where rotor penetrates casing need to prevent leakage of air

into, or steam from the turbine
X Gland condenser maintains sub-atmospheric pressure in
system all the time
X HP & IP turbines - prevents high pressure steam from
leaking out of the high pressure ends of the turbine during
normal operation.
X LP turbines - Prevents air in-leakage in the low pressure
turbine during normal operation
 Steam Seals

X Glands are labyrinth shaft springback seals

X Seal strips are mounted in the seal rings
X Seal rings are mounted in the gland case, which is bolted to
the turbine casing
X Clearance between the seal strips and rotor is just enough to
prevent contact during operation
X Normally, all turbine generator vendor supplied, although in
recent years sometimes steam seal piping is excluded
X Valves, safety valves, and desuperheater are frequently skid
mounted and automatically maintain gland steam pressure
during startup, normal operation, load changes, and
shutdown
 Steam Seals

X Interfaces:
x Condensate system
x Auxiliary steam system
x Main steam system
x Cold reheat steam system
x Drains to condenser
 Steam Seals

X Startup operation versus normal operation:

x Requires steam supply during startup
x Self sufficient during normal operation

X Startup steam supply sources:

x Auxiliary steam
x Main steam
x Cold reheat steam
 Steam Seals

Gland Steam Condenser

X Shell and tube type heat exchanger and provides the
vacuum

X Cooling is condensate pump discharge

X Shell side has level alarm

X Engineer provides condensate system design pressure and

temperature to turbine supplier

X Turbine supplier provides gland condenser tubeside 'P to

engineer
 Steam Seals
Desuperheater limits
temperature to LP turbine
rotor glands to avoid
distortion of gland case
and cracking of rotor due
to cyclic thermal fatigue
Maintains slight vacuum in the leakoff
of each gland and at valve stem
leakoff points.
Exhauster piping not by turbine
supplier
Exhauster piping to the outside of
turbine building.
Exhauster drains by engineer
 No Load or Low Load

x
y
Sealing steam supplied
to “x” and leaks in to
air turbine or to “y” for
leakoff to gland steam
condenser
Steam Seals
Steam Seals
No Load or Low Load
 Higher Load Operation

x
y
Sealing steam leaks from
inside the turbine to “x”
air and is supplied to the LP
steam seals. Some leaks
to “y” for leakoff to gland
steam condenser
Higher Load Operation
 Auxiliary Systems

Lubrication Oil System

 Lube Oil System

X Lubrication for bearings and seal oil for hydrogen

cooled generators.
X Historically supplied by the steam turbine generator
supplier. Sometimes the piping is in the engineers
scope today.
X Between lube oil reservoir and steam turbine generator
bearings.
X Guarded lube oil piping in hot areas for fire prevention.
X Guarded pipe means pressure pipe (supply to bearings)
inside the larger drain pipe to reduce fire hazard in the
event of a leak.
X Drain pipe is slopes toward reservoir.
 Lube Oil System

X Pumps start and stop automatically.

X Oil coolers are usually two 100% capacity.
X Coolers and pumps mounted on skid with oil reservoir.
X Inside of reservoir has oil-resistant paint to prevent
corrosion. Also immersion heater(s).
X Vapor extractor mounted on lube oil reservoir maintains
slight negative pressure in the oil drain system and
reservoir (discharge piping is by engineer).
 Lube Oil System

X Oil-tight bearing housing and negative pressure

prevents oil from leaking out at end of housing.
X Oil coolers cooled by auxiliary cooling water system.
Engineer to provide auxiliary cooling water system
design pressure and temperature to turbine supplier.
X Turbine supplier to provide cooler 'P, temperature rise,
flow rate, and heat rejected to engineer.
X Instrumentation such as level, pressure, temperature is
provided.
 Lube Oil System

X Main pump is a centrifugal type mounted on the turbine

shaft for normal operation.
X AC motor driven pump for startup and shutdown. DC
pump for emergency backup.
X Vapor extractor on lube oil reservoir to maintain slightly
negative pressure in oil drain system and reservoir
X Piping can be carbon steel or stainless steel. If carbon
steel, takes longer to clean at initial startup. Some
estimates are two weeks. If stainless steel, cost is
higher but flushing time is much shorter.
 Bearing Lube Oil System

Vapor
Extractor

Oil Coolers
(2-100%)

DC Motor Driven Oil Pump

Lube Oil Reservoir

AC Motor Driven Pumps (2-100%)

 Lube Oil System

7
1

2
3

1 Loop seal vapor extractor

2 Loop seal tank
6 3 Generator oil piping
4 Lube oil reservoir
4 5 Oil coolers
6 Guarded oil piping
7 Main oil pump (inside front pedestal)

5
 Lube Oil Reservoir

Courtesy GE
 Lube Oil System

BEARINGS
Advantages of fluid film journal bearing and thrust bearings:
X Exhibit little or no wear.
X Can operate for long periods of time with no need for
inspection or change.
X Can tolerate some dirt or foreign material.
X Exhibit strong damping properties; ability to absorb
vibrations.
X No metal-to-metal contact in these bearings. Only a thin
film of oil.
 Bearings

bearing

bearing
bearing

Courtesy Fuji
Bearings
 Bearings

Tilting Pad Journal Bearings

X Locates the rotor radially with respect to the stationary parts
and supports the weight of the rotor plus any vertical or
transverse steam loads imposed on the rotor.
X Shoes are tin based babbit bonded and centrifugally cast to
a steel back.
X Bearings are horizontally split and permit removal without
removal the upper half of the casing.
X Thermocouples are installed in the bearing to measure metal
temperature.
X The tilting pad design eliminates bearing instability and
certain vibration problems.
 Tilting Pad Journal Bearings

shoe

Courtesy Kingsbury
Journal Bearings
 Bearings

Thrust Bearings

X Maintains axial position of the rotor.

X Double acting, self-equalizing tilting pad design.
X Consists of multi-segment load carrying shoes.
X Bearing can easily be inspected and replaced.
X Thermocouples are installed in the bearing to measure
metal temperature.
 Thrust Bearings

Courtesy Waukesha
Thrust Bearing
 Control System

The Control System Controls and Protects

 Control System

Control Functions

X Accelerates to operating speed

X Modulates load

X Regulates speed under all operating conditions

X Regulates and controls inlet pressure

 Control System

Protective Functions

X Main stop valve, reheat stop valve and their operating

mechanisms

X The trip devices operate directly to close these valves.

Governing valves and intercept valves are also
interlocked hydraulically with the trip devices and are
closed when the turbine is tripped
Control System
 Control System

Some Trip Devices

X Overspeed

X Low vacuum

X Low bearing oil pressure

X Thrust bearing wear

X Differential expansion

X Manual trip
 Control System

Supervisory Instruments
X Eccentricity

X Vibration

X Rotor position – axial

X Differential expansion

X Casing expansion

X Turbine metal temperatures; steam; bearing; oil

Control System
 Generators

Cooling Systems
X Air-to-Air

X Air-to-Water

X Hydrogen-to-Water
 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

Advantages of hydrogen over air:

X Lower density (14 times lighter than air) reduces
windage and ventilation losses.

X Better thermal conductivity (7 times greater).

X Better heat transfer coefficient (40% higher).

X Increased insulation life (no oxidation).

X Closed gas system reduces dirt and moisture.

 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

But,
X Hydrogen is explosive.
X Must be purged from all generator parts during
shutdown.
X Use carbon dioxide when removing hydrogen, since
hydrogen and air is an explosive mixture.
X Hydrogen is vented and displaced with carbon dioxide,
then with air later.
X Do the reverse for filling with hydrogen.
X Hydrogen is cooled by water; shell and tube coolers.
X Seal oil lubricates seals and isolates the hydrogen in the
generator.
 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

X Gas dryer continuously removes moisture from gas in

the generator housing.
X Gas-changing operations may be performed with
generator on turning gear or at standstill.
X Transmission of hydrogen purity and pressure
indications permits remote gauging with a minimum of
hydrogen piping.
 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

generator oil supply to H2 seal

H2 manifold bearing

CO2 manifold

water detector H2 equipment

grouped together
below T-G

vent to
outside purity & pressure
purity meter alarms
sampling lines

CO2 supply H2 supply

gas dryer H2 control panel

 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

X Seal oil system with separate air and gas side oil
supplies eliminates oil vacuum treating unit and reduces
hydrogen consumption by minimizing the interchange
between the hydrogen saturated oil and the air side oil
supply.
X Contamination of turbine oil by hydrogen is prevented
by loop seal in combined generator bearing and air side
drain line.
X Pressure backup is provided by emergency backup
pump and interconnection with the turbine oil system.
 Hydrogen Cooled Generators

Seal Oil System

vent

Generator rotor
Common
bearing oil turbine
& air side bearing oil
seal oil drain
drain

H2 side seal
oil drain
loop
seal
 Generator with Water Cooled Stator

X Water tank is pressurized with hydrogen gas to minimize

oxidation.
X The entire system is composed of corrosion-resisting
materials and thus will require less maintenance.
X Mixed-bed demineralizer is used for the most
economical and efficient means of maintaining low
water conductivity.
X The water conductivity transmitter includes temperature
compensation, alarm interlocks and local indication.
X The use of differential pressure alarms across the stator
coils gives a positive indication of stator coil water flow.
X The continuous monitoring of water temperature,
pressure and conductivity for abnormal conditions
promotes safe, reliable operation.
 Generator with Water Cooled Stator

turbine end

pumps

demineralizers
makeup from
BFP
 Exhaust Hood Spray System

X During startup, exhaust hood temperatures can become

excessive and cause casing distortion and shaft
misalignment.
X Can occur at less than no-load steam flow at rated
speed due to windage heating by last row blades.
X Automatically controlled.
X Nozzles installed downstream of last row blades.
X Water flow rate and pressure required is provided to
engineer by turbine supplier.
X Thermocouples, control valve, and internal piping and
spray nozzles by turbine supplier. Sometimes bypass
valve and strainer also.
X Water usually from condensate system
Exhaust Hood Spray System
Steam Blowout
 Foundations

FOUNDATION DIFFERENCES
Down Exhaust Versus Axial Exhaust

X Axial exhaust has better performance: ¼ to ½ % better than

a comparable down exhaust
X Axial exhaust has reduced building costs due to lower height
and smaller concrete foundation
X Axial exhaust: Less time to install axial condenser
Down Exhaust
Axial Exhaust