Steam Turbine Parts – Know Your Turbine!

Steam turbines are machines that are used to generate mechanical (rotational motion) power from the pressure energy of steam. Steam turbines are the most popular power generating devices used in the power plant industry primarily because of the high availability of water, moderate boiling point, cheap nature and mild reacting properties. The most widely used and powerful turbines of today are those that run on steam. From nuclear reactors to thermal power plants, the role of the steam turbine is both pivotal and result determining.

Why You Should Read This Article

Whether you are someone looking to purchase a steam turbine, or an engineering student looking for researching for a class assignment, this article will introduce you to the various parts that go into the setup of a steam turbine and their individual uses and purposes in the machine. Before you can have anything to do with a technically profound device such as a turbine, you ought to know the ins and outs of what they are made of.

Well, what are the parts that go in to the construction of a Steam Turbine?

To make a list of ALL the parts that go into a turbine would be impossible here – a turbine is not your average Lego Set of building blocks! You will, however, find some of the most important steam turbine parts in the contents this article.

Blades

For starters, a simple turbine works just like a windmill. Only, in the steam turbines of today, rather than striking the blades directly, the blades are designed in such a way as to produce maximum rotational energy by directing the flow of the steam along its surface. So the primary component that goes into a steam turbine is its blades. The blades of a steam turbine are designed to behave like nozzles, thus effectively tapping both the impulse and reaction force of the steam for higher efficiency. Nozzle design itself is a complex process, and the nozzle shaped blade of the turbine is probably one of the most important parts in its construction. The blades are made at specific angles in order to incorporate the net flow of steam over it in its favor. The blades may be of stationary and moving types.

Shafts

The shaft is a power transmitting device and is used to transmit the rotational movement of the blades connected to it at one end via the rotor to the coupling, speed reducer or gear at the other end.

Outer Casing

The steam turbine is surrounded by housing or an outer casing which contains the turbine and protects the device components from external influence and damage. It may also support the bearings on which the shafts rest to provide rigidity to the shaft. Usually split at the center horizontally, the casing parts are often bolted together for easy opening, checking and steam turbine maintenance, and are extremely sturdy and strong.

Governor

The governor is a device used to regulate and control or govern the output of the steam turbine. This is done by means of control valves which control the steam flow into the turbine in the first place.

Oil System

A steam turbine has thousands of moving parts and all these parts not only have to move in high velocities, but also need to be protected from wear and tear over the years. This is done by effective lubrication by the oil system, which governs the pressure, flow and temperature of the turbine oil, the bearing oil and lubrication of other moving parts.

Pipes

The pipe is an all important steam turbine component that brings the steam from the boiler to the turbine. This has to be done without an appreciable loss in pressure, and at the same time, must be able to withstand all these pressures safely. The pipes should be easy to clean and are prone to deposits on their inner surfaces. Deposits on the inner surface of the steam pipe reduce the net steam flow area, throwing forth a negative effect on the efficiency.