Energy conversion in steam turbine

Steam turbine basically consist of two elements.

Nozzle :
Nozzle is attached to the casing of the turbine.
Steam enters the nozzle with high pressure and relatively low
velocity.
Due to nozzle action steam velocity increases at the cost of
pressure and temperature.

Blades :
The blades are attached to turbine rotor.
The rapidly moving particles of steam issuing from the nozzle
enters blades.
As the blades are curved, the direction of motion of the of
these particles of steam is changed.
This causes the of momentum of passing steam due to which
resultant force in the tangential
to the rotor periphery is set up.
The summation of the force acting on all the blades constitute
the driving force of the turbine.
Finally when the steam comes out of the blades, the pressure
and temperature of the steam are reduced.
The drop of enthalpy at the exhaust of the turbine due to
expansion of steam.
 Classification of Turbine
Direction of flow :
Axial Flow : (a) Single flow (b) Double flow (c) Reverse flow

Cylinder arrangement /Shaft connections :

No. of shafts and coupling methods
No. of cylinders
Type of exhausts (single exhaust, double exhaust)
Rotational speed (1500, 3000, 3600 )
Use of Reheat cycle (Single reheat, double reheat)
Governing methods (Nozzle governing, Throttle governing)

Shafts Arrangements :
Tandom – Compound machine
Cross – Compound machine
 Classification
1] Impulse Turbine
2] Impulse : Reaction / Reaction Turbine
Impulse Turbine :
The potential energy of steam , by virtue of the pressure and
superheat is changed into kinetic energy of steam , having high yelocity
by expansion in fixed nozzles.
All the expansion of the steam occurs in nozzles. {Fixed blades}
None of expansion is occurs in Rotor blades [Moving blades]
Thus the pressure at the inlet and outlet edges of these blading will be
equal.
The moving blades are designed in such a manner that the steam will
guide on and off without any tendency to strike them.
Thus giving an impulse due to change in velocity of steam , which
causes the shaft to rotate.
The steam flow area at the inlet and outlet is constant in this type of
Blading.
Single Impulse Turbine :
In this type steam is expanded
once only.
The heat drop is comparatively
large as the increase in kinetic
energy.
The nozzle exhaust velocity of
steam is very high.
As the Rotor diameter is kept
fairly small, the rotational speed is
also very high, being in order of
30000 rpm.
For which ,it is necessary to
reduce the speed by providing Gear
box.
This increases the cost and
complexity of an installation and
reducing overall efficiency.
The pressure- compound Impulse Turbine
Basically a number of impulse turbines connected in
series on the same shaft.
The exhaust steam from one stage entering the
nozzle in succeeding stage.
In this way the whole pressure drop (Heat drop)
available.
Due to more stages , the in kinetic energy in each
stage will be much lower i.e. the velocity of the
steam issuing from the nozzle will be much lower.
Therefore the blade velocities and rotational speed
can be lowered.
In pressure-compound impulse turbine the nozzles
are normally fitted in partitions, called “Diaphrams”.
The expansion of the steam takes place wholly in
the nozzles.
The space between any two diaphragms is filled
with steam at a constant pressure, but the pressure
on either side on any diaphragm are different.
The steam will tend to leak through the space
between the bore of the diaphragm and surface of
the shaft.
By fitting labrynth glands usually minimizes such
leakages.
Velocity-Compound Impulse Turbine :
In the first stage moving blades the
steam gives up a part of kinetic energy
and fairly high velocity.
In the consecutive row , it added the
part of kinetic energy and lowering
down the velocity.
Finally leaves the steam in axial
direction with very low velocity.
The Pressure-Velocity Compounded
Impulse Turbine :
It is the combination of pressure
compound impulse turbine and
velocity compound impulse turbine.
There are nozzles provided in
between the certain rows.
This type of turbine is comparatively
simple in construction and much more
compact.
The efficiency is not high in this type
of turbine, now it is obsolete type.
Impulse Reaction turbine :
 Commonly called “ Reaction Turbine”
 Turbine works on the principle that the steam
pressure reduced in both in fixed and moving blades.
 Steam is admitted over the whole circumference and
is passing through the first row of the fixed blades.
Under goes a small drop in pressure and its velocity is
increased.
 It is then enters the first row of moving blades, and
suffers a change in direction and hence momentum
giving an impulse on the blades.
 During the steam passage through the moving
blades. It undergoes a further small drop in pressure
resulting in increase in velocity. Which gives rise in
reaction, in direction opposite to the added velocity.
 It is in this way that the impulse-reaction turbine
differs from the pure impulse turbine.
 The steam flow are at inlet and outlet will be differ in
this type of blading.
 Thus the gross propelling force in the Impulse-
Reaction turbine ( or Reaction Turbine), is the vector
sum of the impulse and reaction effects.
 It is necessary to provide axial / or radial seals at
blades tips and between the fixed blades and rotor to
arrest the steam leakages due to pressure drop in
each stage.
Distinction between Impulse and
Reaction Design :
There is a general trend to adopt the
combination impulse and reaction
design.
The reason for progressive
development is that the reaction stage
is slightly more efficient than the
impulse stage.
But ay the high pressure end of the
turbine, this is more offset by loss due
to leakage across the tips of moving
blades.
The general trend is to use a greater
percentage of impulse at the high
pressure end of turbine , and to
progressively increase the percentage
of reaction at the low pressure end.