Thermodynamics Steam Turbine
Thermodynamics Steam Turbine
Introduction
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that converts thermal energy in pressurised steam into useful
mechanical work. The original steam engine which largely powered the industrial revolution in the
UK was based on reciprocating pistons. This has now been almost totally replaced by the steam
turbine because the steam turbine has a higher thermodynamic efficiency and a lower power-to-
weight ratio and the steam turbine is ideal for the very large power configurations used in power
stations. The steam turbine derives much of its better thermodynamic efficiency because of the use
of multiple stages in the expansion of the steam. This results in a closer approach to the ideal
reversible process.
Steam turbines are made in a variety of sizes ranging from small 0.75 kW units used as mechanical
drives for pumps, compressors and other shaft driven equipment, to 1,500,000kW turbines used to
generate electricity. Steam turbines are widely used for marine applications for vessel propulsion
systems. In recent times gas turbines , as developed for aerospace applications, are being used more
and more in the field of power generation once dominated by steam turbines.
The steam energy is converted mechanical work by expansion through the turbine. Th expansion
takes place through a series of fixed blades (nozzles) and moving blades each row of fixed blades and
moving blades is called a stage. The moving blades rotate on the central turbine rotor and the fixed
blades are concentrically arranged within the circular turbine casing which is substantially designed
to withstand the steam pressure.
On large output turbines the duty too large for one turbine and a number of turbine casing/rotor units
are combined to achieve the duty. These are generally arranged on a common centre line (tandem
mounted) but parallel systems can be used called cross compound systems.
There are two principles used for design of turbine blades the impulse blading and the reaction
blading.
Impulse Blading
The impulse blading principle is that the steam is directed at the blades and the impact of the steam
on the blades drives them round. The day to day example of this principle is the pelton wheel.ref
Turbines.
In this type of turbine the whole of the stage pressure drop takes place in the fixed blade (nozzle) and
the steam jet acts on the moving blade by impinging on the blades.
z represents the blade speed , V r represents the relative velocity, V wa & V wb- represents the
tangential component of the absolute steam in and steam out velocities
The power developed per stage = Tangential force on blade x blade speed.
The reaction blading principle depends on the blade diverting the steam flow and gaining kinetic
energy by the reaction. The Catherine wheel (firework) is an example of this principle. FOr this
turbine principle the steam pressure drop is divide between the fixed and moving blades.
z represents the blade speed , V r represents the relative velocity, V wa & V wb- represents the
tangential component of the absolute steam in and steam out velocities
The power developed per stage = Tangential force on blade x blade speed.
The blade speed z is limited by the mechanical design and material constraints of the blades.
Rankine Cycle
The Rankine cycle is a steam cycle for a steam plant operating under the best theoretical conditions
for most efficient operation. This is an ideal imaginary cycle against which all other real steam
working cycles can be compared.
The theoretic cycle can be considered with reference to the figure below. There will no losses of
energy by radiation, leakage of steam, or frictional losses in the mechanical componets. The
condenser cooling will condense the steam to water with only sensible heat (saturated water). The
feed pump will add no energy to the water. The chimney gases would be at the same pressure as the
atmosphere.
Within the turbine the work done would be equal to the energy entering the turbine as steam (h1)
minus the energy leaving the turbine as steam after perfect expansion (h2) this being isentropic
(reversible adiabatic) i.e. (h1- h2). The energy supplied by the steam by heat transfer from the
combustion and flue gases in the furnace to the water and steam in the boiler will be the difference in
the enthalpy of the steam leaving the boiler and the water entering the boiler = (h1 - h3).
The ratio output work / Input by heat transfer is the thermal efficiency of the Rankine cycle and is
expressed as
Although the theoretical best efficiency for any cycle is the Carnot Cycle the Rankine cycle provides
a more practical ideal cycle for the comparision of steam power cycles ( and similar cycles ). The
efficiencies of working steam plant are determined by use of the Rankine cycle by use of the relative
efficiency or efficiency ratio as below:
The various energy streams flowing in a simple steam turbine system as indicated in the diagram
below. It is clear that the working fluid is in a closed circuit apart from the free surface of the hot
well. Every time the working fluid flows at a uniform rate around the circuit it experiences a series
of processes making up a thermodynamic cycle.
The complete plant is enclosed in an outer boundary and the working fluid crosses inner boundaries
(control surfaces).. The inner boundaries defines a flow process.
The various identifiers represent the various energy flows per unit mass flowing along the steady-
flow streams and crossing the boundaries. This allows energy equations to be developed for the
individual units and the whole plant...
When the turbine system is operating under steady state conditions the law of conservation of energy
dictates that the energy per unit mass of working agent ** entering any system boundary must be
equal to the rate of energy leaving the system boundary.
**It is acceptable to consider rates per unit mass or unit time whichever is most convenient
Boiler
The energy streams entering and leaving the boiler unit are as follows:
F + A + h d = h 1 + G + hl b hence F + A = G + h 1 - h d + hl b
Turbine
The energy streams entering and leaving the boiler unit are as follows:
h 1 = T + h 2 + hl t hence 0 = T - h 1 + h 2 + hl t
Condenser Unit
The energy streams entering and leaving the boiler unit are as follows:
W i + h 2 = W o + h w + hl c hence W i = W o + h w - h 2 + hl c
The energy streams entering and leaving the Feed Water System are as follows:
h w + d e + d f= h d + hl f hence d e + d f = - h w + h d + hl
The four equations on the right can be arranged to give the energy equation for the whole turbine
system enclosed by the outer boundary
That is ..per unit mass the of working agent (water) the energy of the fuel (F) is equal to the sum of
- the mechanical energy available from the turbine less that used to drive the pumps (T - (d e+ d f)
- the energy leaving the exhaust [G - A] using the air temperature as the datum.
This cycle shows the stages of operation in a turbine plant. The enthalpy reduction in the turbine is
represented by A -> B . The reversible process for an ideal isentropic (reversible adiabetic) is
represented by A->B'. This enthalpy loss would be (h g1 - h 2 ) in the reversible case this would be (h
g1 - h 2s ).
The heat loss by heat transfer in the condenser is shown as B->C and results in a loss of enthalpy of
(h 2- h f2) or in the idealised reversible process it is shown by B'-> C with a loss of enthalpy of (h 2s- h
f2).
The work done on the water in extracting it from the condenser and feeding it to the boiler during
adiabetic compression C-> D is (h d - h f2 ) = length M
The energy added to the working agent by heat transfer across the heat transfer surfaces in the boiler
is (h g1 - h d ) which is approx.( h g1 - h f2 )