Jyothy Institute of Technology

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Subject: Turbo machines Session: Sept – Dec 2020

Subject Code: 18ME54 Semester: V
Module – 3

Introduction:
Steam turbines are power generating machines in which the enthalpy of the steam is
converted into mechanical energy, which in turn gets converted into electrical energy in the
generator. Steam turbines are one of the most important prime movers for power generation.
It basically converts thermal energy into mechanical work by expanding high pressure, high
temperature steam. The thermal efficiency of steam turbine is fairly high. It works on the
principal of Rankine cycle.

Classification of Steam Turbines:

Impulse steam turbines
Impulse steam turbines are simple devices where the steam expands in or through the nozzle,
and the heat released through the pressure drop associated with the nozzle or comparable
device imparts velocity to the steam
In Impulse Steam Turbine, there are some fixed nozzles and moving blades are present on a
disc mounted on a shaft. Moving blades are in symmetrical order. The steam enters the
turbine casing with some pressure. After that, it passes through one or more no. of fixed
nozzles into the turbine. The relative velocity of steam at the outlet of the moving blades is
same as the inlet to the blades. During Expansion, steam's pressure falls. Due to high-
pressure drop in the nozzles the velocity of steam increases.

Reaction Steam turbine

The rotor blades themselves are arranged to form convergent nozzles. This type of turbine
makes use of the reaction force produced as the steam accelerates through the nozzles formed
by the rotor. Steam is directed onto the rotor by the fixed vanes of the stator. It leaves the
stator as a jet that fills the entire circumference of the rotor. The steam then changes
direction and increases its speed relative to the speed of the blades. A pressure drop occurs
across both the stator and the rotor, with steam accelerating through the stator and
decelerating through the rotor, with no net change in steam velocity across the stage but with
a decrease in both pressure and temperature, reflecting the work performed in the driving of
the rotor.

Comparison between Impulse & Reaction Steam Turbine

Impulse Turbine Reaction Turbine
Complete expansion of the steam take place Partial expansion of the steam takes place in
in the nozzle, hence steam is ejected with the fixed blade (acts as nozzle) and further
very high kinetic energy. expansion takes place in the rotor blades.

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 1

 Blades are symmetrical in shape. Blades are non-symmetrical in shape, i.e.
aerofoil section.

Pressure remains constant between the ends Pressure drops from inlet to outlet of the
of the moving blade. Hence relative velocity moving blade. Hence relative velocity
remains constant . increases from inlet to outlet .

Steam velocity at the inlet of machine is very Steam velocity at the inlet of machine is
high, hence needs compounding. moderate or low, hence doesn’t need
compounding.
Blade efficiency is comparatively low. Blade efficiency is high.
Few number of stages required for given More number of stages required for given
pressure drop or power output, hence pressure drop or power output, hence
machine is compact. machine is bulky.
Used for small power generation. Used for medium and large power
generation.

Blade velocity coefficient (Nozzle velocity coefficient):

The losses in flow over blades due to friction, leakage and turbulence are significant in most
cases. The velocity at the exit of the stator blade (nozzle) will be less than the velocity which
would exist in friction less flow. The ratio of the actual velocity at the exit of the stator to the
ideal exit velocity is called blade velocity coefficient.

Nozzle efficiency: Is defined as the ratio of actual enthalpy change per kg of steam to the
isentropic enthalpy change per kg of steam.

For impulse turbine,

For reaction turbine, the stator efficiency is

Diagram efficiency (Rotor efficiency or Vane efficiency):

It is defined as the ratio of work output from the rotor to the useful kinetic energy of the fluid
at the inlet

Stage efficiency:
The product of rotor efficiency and nozzle efficiency is called stage efficiency

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 2

Need for Compounding of Steam Turbine
If the steam pressure drops from boiler pressure to condenser pressure in a single stage, exit
velocity of steam from the nozzle will become very high and the turbine speed will be of the
order of 30,000 rpm or more. As turbine speed is proportional to steam velocity, the
carryover loss or leaving loss will be more (10% to 12%). Due to this very high speed,
centrifugal stresses are developed on the turbine blades resulting in blade failure. In order to
overcome all these difficulties, it is necessary to reduce the turbine speed by the method of
compounding. Compounding is the method of reducing blade speed for a given overall
pressure drop.

Methods of Compounding of Steam Turbine

Following are the methods of compounding of steam turbines:
• Velocity compounding
• Pressure compounding
• Pressure and velocity compounding

Velocity Compounding (Curtis Stage)

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 3

Pressure Compounding (Rateau Stage)

Pressure Velocity Compounding

Expression for maximum blade efficiency (maximum diagram efficiency or maximum

utilization factor) of an impulse turbine
Or
Show that for a single stage axial flow impulse turbine the rotor efficiency is given by,
, where , φ is speed ratio, β1 and β2 are
rotating blade angles at inlet and exit, Vr1 and Vr2 are relative velocities at inlet and exit.

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 4

By definition of diagram efficiency, we have

For impulse steam turbine,

From combined velocity triangle

Substituting Eq (3) in eq (2). We get

From combined velocity triangle, we have

Substituting for in Eq (5), we get

Eq (6) is the expression for blade efficiency or diagram efficiency or rotor efficiency or
utilization factor
The blade efficiency will be maximum when,

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 5

Eq (7) is the necessary condition for maximum blade efficiency
Substituting Eq (7) in Eq (6), we get

If relative velocity is constant & blade are equiangular or symmetrical,

Eq (8) & (9) are the expression for maximum blade efficiency

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 6

 Reaction steam turbines
Expression for maximum blade efficiency of 50% reaction axial flow steam turbine
(Parson’s turbine)
or
Prove that the maximum blade efficiency of Parson’s (axial flow 50% reaction) turbine is
given by .

Consider the combined velocity triangle of an 50% reaction axial flow steam turbine as
shown in the figure. For , we have and
.
By definition of blade efficiency, we have

By Euler’s turbine equation, the work developed by the turbine is given by

From combined velocity triangle, we have

Substituting Eq (3) in eq (2). We get

Dividing throughout by , we get

Speed ratio,

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 7

From inlet velocity triangle, applying the cosine rule

Substituting Eq (6) in eq (5), we get

Substituting Eq (7) and Eq(4) in eq (1), we get

Adding and subtracting 1 to the numerator, we get

The necessary condition for maximum blade efficiency is given by

Eq (9) is the necessary condition for maximum blade efficiency

Substituting Eq (9) in eq (8), we get

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 8

Eq (10) is the expression for maximum blade efficiency of a 50% reaction axial flow steam
turbine

Show that for an axial flow reaction turbine, the degree of reaction is given by
and also show that for axial flow 50% reaction turbine the blade
speed is given by , where and are inlet and outlet rotor
blade angles. Assume velocity of flow or axial velocity to be constant.

Consider the combined velocity triangle of an axial flow reaction steam turbine as shown in
the figure. The axial velocity of flow is assumed constant i.e.
By definition of degree of reaction, we have

From combined velocity triangle, we have

From combined velocity triangle, we have

Substituting for in eq (1), we get

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 9

For

For a 50% reaction steam turbine, show that and , where and are
the inlet angles of fixed and moving blades, and are the outlet angles of fixed and
moving blades.

Consider the combined velocity triangle of a 50% reaction axial flow steam turbine as shown
in the figure. The axial velocity of flow is assumed constant i.e.
The degree of reaction in term for rotor blade angles is given by

Adding and subtracting , we get

From combined velocity triangle, we have

Substituting Eq (3) in Eq (2)

For a 50% reaction steam turbine, for

Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 10

Adding and subtracting , we get

From combined velocity triangle, we have

Substituting Eq (5) in Eq (4)

For a 50% reaction steam turbine, for

Important Relations for reaction steam turbine

1) Work done

2) Power developed

3) Rotor efficiency or blade efficiency or utilization factor

4) Stage enthalpy change

5) Stage or Gross efficiency

Application numerical problems – Impulse turbines

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1. The data pertaining to an impulse turbine is as follows: Steam velocity: 500 m /sec, blade
speed: 200 m/sec, exit angle at moving blade: 25o measured from tangential direction,
nozzle angle: 20o. Neglecting the effect of friction when passing through blade passages.
Calculate: i) Inlet angle of moving blade ii) Exit velocity and direction iii) Work done
per kg of steam iv) Power developed v) Diagram efficiency

2. An axial flow single stage steam turbine has a mean rotor diameter of 55cm and runs at
3300rpm. The speed ratio is 0.45 and blade velocity coefficient is 0.91. If the nozzle
angle at the rotor inlet is 20o. Find i) Rotor blade angles assuming axial exit ii) Draw the
inlet and exit velocity triangles iii) Power output per unit mass flow rate. Assume
absolute velocity at inlet to be 211m/s.

3. In a single stage impulse steam turbine the mean diameter of the blades is 1m. It runs at
3000rpm. The steam is supplied from a nozzle at a velocity of 350m/s and the nozzle
angle is 20o. The rotor blades are equiangular. The blade friction factor is 0.86. Draw the
velocity diagram and calculate the power developed if the axial thrust is 117.72Newton

4. Steam emerging from a nozzle to a impulse De-Laval turbine with a velocity of 1000m/s.
The nozzle angle is 20 o. The mean blade velocity is 400m/s. The blades are symmetrical
( . The mass flow rate of steam is 1000 kg/hr. Friction factor is 0.8. Calculate
the following i) Blade angles ii) Axial thrust iii) Work done per kg of steam iv) Power
developed

5. The mean diameter of the blade of an impulse steam turbine with a single row wheel is
1.05m and the speed is 3000rpm. The nozzle angle is 18o and the ratio of blade speed to
steam speed is 0.42. The ratio of the relative velocity at the outlet from the blades to that
of inlet is 0.84. The outlet angle of the blade is 3o less than the inlet angle of the blade.
The steam flow rate is 8kg/s. Determine i) Resultant thrust on the blades and ii) the
power developed

6.
Find out the axial trust, power developed and diagram efficiency of an impulse turbine
supplied with steam at the rate of 30 kg/min through nozzles. Steam entering the nozzle
inlet is at 5 bar and 200 OC while the condenser pressure is 0.2 bar. Nozzles are inclined
at 25O to direction of motion of the blades which are running at speed of 300m/s. Outlet
blade angle is 35O

7. Dry saturated steam at 10bar is supplied to a single rotor axial flow impulse turbine, the
condenser pressure being 0.5bar. The nozzle efficiency is 94% and the nozzle angle is
18o to the wheel plane. The rotor blades are equiangular and move at a speed of 450m/s.
If the blade velocity coefficient for the moving blades is 0.92 determine i) Absolute
velocity of steam entering the rotor ii) Power output for a mass flow rate of 1kg/s iii)
Rotor efficiency iv) Stage efficiency

8. A Curtis impulse stage has two rotors moving with average tangential speed of 250m/s,
the fluid relative velocity is reduced by 10% in its passage over every blades, weather
fixed or moving. The nozzle inclined at an angle 17O to the wheel tangent has an
efficiency of 0.92. The inlet angle of the first rotor blade is 22 O. The intermediate stator
inlet and exit angles are 31.5O and 20O respectively. Assuming that the fluid leaves the
second rotor axially. Find i) Absolute velocity and speed ratio ii) The ratio of work
output from second rotor to that of the first rotor iii) Stage efficiency iv) Power output
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9. A velocity compounded impulse stage has two rows of moving blades with a mean
diameter of 70 cm. the speed of rotation is 3000 rpm and the nozzle angle is 16 O and the
estimated steam velocity at the nozzle outlet is 610 m/s the mass of steam passing
through the blades per second is 5.5 kg. Assuming that the energy loss in each row of
blades (moving and fixed) are 24% of the kinetic energy of the steam entering the blades.
The outlet angles of the blades are First row of moving blades = 18 O, Intermediate guide
blades = 22O, Second row of moving blades = 38 O Draw the velocity diagram and find
the following i) Blade inlet angle ii) Power developed in each row of moving blades iii)
efficiency of the wheel as a whole

10. In a Curtis stage with two row of moving blades, the rotors are both equiangular. The
first rotor has angles of 29 o each and the second rotor has angles of 32o each. The
velocity of steam at the exit of nozzle is 530m/s and blade velocity coefficient are 0.9 in
the first rotor, 0.91 in the stator and 0.93 on the second rotor. If the absolute velocity at
the stage exit should be axial find i) the mean blade speed ii) the rotor efficiency iii)
power output for a flow rate of 3.2kg/s iv) rotor efficiency if the blade speed is decreased
by 8%, the absolute velocity of flow at the nozzle exit remaining the same above.

11. In a two stage velocity compounded axial flow steam turbine, steam enters the first row
of moving blades with an absolute velocity of 600m/s. Steam leaves the last row of
moving blades axially. The blade angles at inlet and outlet of both rotors are same and
32o. The blade coefficient is 0.92 for stator and rotor. find i) the mean blade speed ii) the
rotor efficiency iii) power output for a flow rate of 5kg/s

12. In a Curtis stage with two row of moving blades, the rotors are both equiangular. The
first rotor has angles of 30o each and the second rotor has angles of 32o each. The
velocity of steam at the exit of nozzle is 600m/s and blade velocity coefficient are 0.92
for first rotor, intermediate stator and the last rotor. If the absolute velocity at the stage
makes an angle of 60 o find i) the mean blade speed ii) the Axial thrust iii) power output
for a flow rate of 90kg/min iv) Stage efficiency if nozzle efficiency is 96%

Application numerical problems – Reaction turbines

1. In a reaction turbine, the inlet and outlet blade angles are 50 o and 20o respectively. Steam
enters at 18o to the plane of the rotor wheel and leaves at 40 o. The rotor speed is 260m/s
calculate the speed ratio, specific work and degree of reaction

2. A certain stage of a Parson’s turbine consists of one row of fixed blades and one row of
moving blades. The details of the turbine are as follows mean blade speed = 107m/s,
mass of steam passing per second = 13.5kg/s, steam velocity at exit from fixed blade =
143.7m/s, nozzle angle = 20o. Calculate the power developed in the stage and gross
efficiency, assuming carry over coefficient as 0.74 and the efficiency of conversion of
heat energy into kinetic energy in the blade channels as 0.92.

3. In a Parson's turbine, the axial velocity of flow of steam is 0.5 times the mean blade
speed. The outlet angle of the blade is 20° diameter of the blade ring is 1.3m and
rotational speed 3000rpm. Determine inlet blade angles, power developed for steam flow
of 65kg/sec and isentropic enthalpy drop, if the stage efficiency is 80%.
Dr. Narendra Kumar .M, Professor, CIIRC – JIT Page No. 13
4. The following data refers to a 50% reaction turbine,
. Find i) blade efficiency ii) percentage increase in blade efficiency
and rotor speed, if the rotor is designed to run at its best theoretical speed.

5. Steam at a pressure of 10bar and a temperature of 300 oC enters the reaction turbine. The
blade angles for the stator and rotor are If
the blade velocity is 300m/s, the carry over efficiency 0.89, the stator efficiency 0.93,
and rotor efficiency 0.94, find the degree of reaction, the power developed for 5kg/s flow
rate and the axial thrust. Find also the enthalpies and pressure at the rotor inlet and exit.

6. Steam at a pressure of 10bar and a temperature of 300 oC enters the reaction turbine. The
blade angles for the stator and rotor are If
the blade velocity is 300m/s, the carry over efficiency 0.89, the stator efficiency 0.93,
and rotor efficiency 0.94, find the degree of reaction, the power developed for 5kg/s flow
rate and the axial thrust. Find also the enthalpies and pressure at the rotor inlet and exit.

7. A certain stage of reaction turbine consists of one row of stator and one row of rotor. The
details of the turbine are as follows: mean blade speed is 300m/s, inlet and exit angles of
stator are 25 and 71o, inlet and exit angles of rotor are 60 o and 32o. Determine the
degree of reaction, power developed for a flow rate of 5kg/s and gross efficiency, if the
carry over efficiency is 0.89 and stator efficiency is 0.93

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