STEAM TURBINES - NUMERICAL PROBLEMS

Problem # 1
The velocity of steam leaving the nozzles of a single-stage, single-row impulse steam turbine
is 900 m/s and nozzle angle is 20o measured from the tangent in the direction of rotation. The
blade speed is 300 m/s. Calculate for mass flow of 1kg/s and symmetrical rotor blades:

a. The blade inlet angle

Solution:
Vr12 = V12 + U2 – 2UV1cosα1
Vr1 = [9002 + 3002 + 2(300)(900)cos20o]1/2 = 626.6 m/s
V1 / sin(180-β1) = Vr1 / sinα1
β1 = sin-1[900 sin200 / 626.6] = 29.4o

b. the driving force on the wheel

Solution:
Fθ = mΔVθ = m (Vr1cosβ1 + Vr2cosβ2) = m (2 Vr1cosβ1)
Fθ = 1 [2(626.6)(cos29.4o)] = 1091.8 N

c. The axial thrust

Solution:
Fa = mΔVa = m (Vr1sinβ1 - Vr2sinβ2) = 0

d. The diagram horse power

Solution:
W = mUΔVθ = m U (Vr1cosβ1 + Vr2cosβ2) = m U (2 Vr1cosβ1)
W = 1 (300) [2(626.6)(cos29.4o)] = 327.54 kW or 439 hp

e. The diagram efficiency

Solution:
ηd = W/(0.5mV12) = 327.54x103 / (0.5x1x9002) = 0.808
Problem # 2
A single-stage, single-row impulse steam turbine has a mean diameter of 1.5 m. and is
running at 3000 rpm The nozzle angle is 20o measured from the tangent in the direction of
rotation. Speed ratio is 0.45. Ratio of relative velocity at the rotor-outlet to that at rotor- inlet
is 0.9. The rotor-outlet angle of the blade is 3 less than rotor-inlet angle. Steam flow rate is 6
kg/s. Calculate the axial thrust, diagram work per kg and diagram efficiency for the turbine.
[Example 1 Steam and Gas turbine notes by Govinda Gawda]

Solution:

U = rω = (1.5/2)(2πx3000/60) = 236 rad/s

V1 = U/0.45 = 524 m/s
Vr1 = [V12 + U2 – 2UV1 cosα1]1/2 = 313 m/s (using cosine law)
β1 = sin-1 [V1sinα1/Vr1] = 35o (using sine law)
Vr2 = 0.9Vr1 = 282 m/s
β2 = β1 – 3 = 31o

Faxial = mΔVa = m(Vr1sin β1 – Vr2sin β2) = 181 N

wd = U(Vr1cos β1 + Vr2cos β2) = 2UVr1cos β1 (as Vr1=Vr2 and β1 =β2)
= 117 kJ/kg

ηd = wd/0.5V12 = 0.85

Problem # 3
The velocity of steam leaving the nozzle of a single-stage, single-row impulse steam turbine
is 1200 m/s at an angle of 20o measured from the tangent in the direction of rotation.
Calculate the diagram work per kg and diagram efficiency for the turbine. Assume that rotor
blade outlet angle is equal to rotor blade inlet angle and relative velocity at rotor blade outlet
is equal to relative velocity at rotor blade inlet. Use optimum blade velocity ratio.

Solution:

V1 = 1200 m/s
U/V1 = 0.5 cosα1 = 0.5 cos20o = 0.47 (optimum blade speed ratio)
U = (1200)(0.47) = 564 m/s

Vr1 = [V12 + U2 – 2UV1 cosα1]1/2 = 697 m/s (using cosine law)

β1 = sin-1 [V1sinα1/Vr1] = 36o (using sine law)

wd = U(Vr1cos β1 + Vr2cos β2) = 2UVr1cos β1 (as Vr1=Vr2 and β1 =β2)

= 636 kJ/kg

ηd = wd/0.5V12 = 0.88
Problem # 4
Dry saturated steam at 10 atmospheres is supplied to single rotor impulse wheel, the
condenser pressure being 0.5 atmosphere with nozzle efficiency of 0.94 and nozzle angle at
the rotor inlet is 18o to the wheel plane. The rotor blades which move with the speed of 450
m/s are symmetrical. If coefficient of velocity for rotor blades is 0.92, find the power output,
the diagram efficiency, axial thrust, direction of exit steam and leaving loss. The isentropic
enthalpy drop across nozzle is 510 kJ/kg, and mass flow rate through stage is 10 kg/s.

Solution:

V1 = [2Δh + V02]1/2 = [2ηnΔhs + V02]1/2 = [2(0.94)(510000) + 02]1/2 = 979 m/s

Vr1 = [V12 + U2 – 2UV1cosα1]1/2 = [9792 + 4502 – 2(450)(979)cos18o]1/2 = 568 m/s
β1 = sin-1 [V1sinα1/Vr1] = sin-1 [979sin18o/568] = 32o
Vr2 = 0.92 Vr1 = 523 m/s
β2 = β1 = 32o
V2 = [Vr22 + U2 – 2UVr2cos β2]1/2 = [5232 + 4502 – 2(450)(523)cos32o]1/2 = 279 m/s
α2 = sin-1 [Vr2sinβ2/V2] = sin-1 [523sin32o/279] = 87o

Wd = mUΔVθ = mU(Vr1cosβ1+Vr2cosβ2) = (10)(450)[(568cos32o+523cos32o) = 4.2 MW

ηd = Wd / 0.5mV12 = 4.2x106 / (0.5x10x9792) = 0.87
Fthrust = mΔVa = m (Vr1sinβ1 - Vr2sinβ2) = 10 (568sin32o-523cos32o) = 240 N
Leaving loss = 0.5mV22 = (0.5)(10)(279)2 = 0.39 MW [8.1% of input energy]
Problem # 5
Following data is available for a twelve stage Parson turbine that is designed with constant
axial velocity through all stages:

Power output = 7500 kW

Rotational speed = 3000 rpm
Mean blade diameter = 1.2 m
Blade inlet angle= 80o
Blade outlet angle= 20o
Reheat factor = 1.04
Steam pressure at inlet = 10 bar, 250oC
Steam temperature at inlet = 250oC
Enthalpy at inlet conditions = 2944 kJ/kg
Steam pressure at exit = 0.2 bar
Isentropic enthalpy at exit pressure= 2281 kJ/kg

a. Estimate enthalpy drop per stage.

Solution:

Δh = W/m = UΔVθ = U(Vr1cosβ1 + Vr2cosβ2)

= U(Vr1cosβ1 + U + V2cosα2) = U(2Vr1cosβ1 + U)
U = 2πrmN/60 = π(1.2)(3000)/60 = 188.5 m/s
Vr1 = U sin[180o-{20o +(180o - 80o)}] / sin20o = 74.4 m/s
Δh = 188.5[2(74.4)cos80o + 188.5] = 40.4 kJ/kg

b. Estimate stage efficiency.

Solution:

Enthalpy at turbine inlet = 2944 kJ/kg

Isentropic enthalpy at turbine outlet = 2281 kJ/kg
Actual enthalpy at turbine outlet = 2944 – 12(40.4) = 2459.2 kJ/kg

ηo = (2944 – 2459.2)/(2944-2281) = 0.731

ηs = ηo / R = 0.703

c. Calculate the approximate blade height at outlet to sixth stage. Enthalpy at end of
sixth stage is estimated to be 2702 kJ/kg and specific volume 1.02 m3/kg.

Solution:

lb = A/(2πrm) = m v / (2πrmVa) = (W/Δh) v / (2πrmVa)

= [7500 / (12 x 40.4)] (1.02) [1 / (74.4 sin80o)] / (1.2 π) = 0.057 m