CFD Analysis For Estimation of Efficiency of Low Pressure Steam Turbine
CFD Analysis For Estimation of Efficiency of Low Pressure Steam Turbine
CFD Analysis For Estimation of Efficiency of Low Pressure Steam Turbine
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CFD Analysis for Estimation of Efficiency of Low Pressure Steam Turbine
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International Journal of Recent Technology and Engineering (IJRTE)
ISSN: 2277-3878, Volume-1, Issue-3, August 2012
Inlet and exit boundaries are established at points upstream
and downstream, where the necessary flow conditions are
assumed to be known. Within this region, a three dimensional
computational grid is applied, such that the governing
equations will be solved at every point on the grid, or within
every cell formed by the grid. The grid imposed on the
physical domain must conform to the boundaries of that
domain and must provide adequate resolution in all areas of
the flow field to permit accurate prediction of the flow
behavior. The mesh was generated as shown in Fig.02. And
the grid independence check was done and the optimum
number of elements found for stator or rotor is around
4,50,000. The typical mesh pattern around blade profile is
Fig 04: Inlet Pressure boundary condition-Stator blade
shown. Sufficient number of nodes is taken around the blade
profile and wall boundaries to capture wall boundary layer
effect.
Analysis
CFD-CFX post processer tool is used to carry out the
analysis on the meshed models. Significant percentage of the
total time spent on a CFD analysis is involved in pre and post
processing activities. Both the setup for an analysis and the
evaluation of results require considerable effort on the part of
the component designer. Therefore, the use of software tools
to automate or facilitate these activities has the potential to
substantially reduce the time required for the analysis and
improve the overall efficiency of the process. Preprocessing Fig 05: Outlet Mass flow rate boundary condition-Rotor
involves the definition of the boundaries of mesh elements blade
and interfaces between rotor and stator etc. The basic
boundary conditions used for an element are shown in Fig 03, V. RESULTS AND DISCUSIONS
04, 05. And for inflow boundary condition total temperature,
total pressure and flow angle are given. For outlet flow The simulation and post processing was carried out using
boundary condition static pressure outlet model was selected. CFD-CFX and the above problem was run for the
The basic boundaries and inputs given in CFD model are convergence level in 450 iterations. Post processing function
given in below. for a CFD analysis provides the necessary information of
variables such as pressure, temperature, velocity and enthalpy
Boundary conditions etc.
Simulation Type : steady
Heat Transfer Model : Total Energy
Turbulence Model : K Epsilon
Inlet : total pressure total temperature
turbulence level wetness fraction
Outlet : static pressure
Material : steam
Speed : in rpm
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CFD Analysis for Estimation of Efficiency of Low Pressure Steam Turbine
VI. CONCLUSION
Computational Fluid Dynamics is becoming a very
important tool for engineers. Although currently CFD is
mainly being used in the design office by the steam turbines
manufacturer, it can also be employed by power plant
engineers to predict and improve the efficiency of the turbo
machines. The data obtained from the prediction may then be
used to aid in decision making whether to replace the blade
row with the more efficient one.
Fig 07 Contours of temperature distribution across the last
The overall efficiency of turbine was predicted using CFD
stage of LP steam turbine
approach and compared with the model testing results
From the above contours shown in figure 07, we can
obtained from the manufacturer and very good agreement was
conclude that temperature is maximum at the being i.e.at inlet
found. It can be concluded that CFD approach complements
to stator blade and is around 880c and the temperature at the
the other approaches, as CFD approach helps in reduction in
exit of the stage is 59.50c.
cost of model testing and saving in time which leads to
cost-effective design of the system. CFD approach may be
helpful in improvement of the existing efficiency measuring
techniques and evaluation of the performance of hydro
turbines to enhance the viability of hydropower development.
REFERENCES
1. Zamri, M.Y., “ An Improved Treatment of Two-Dimensional
Two-Phase Flows of Steam by a Runge-Kutta Method”, Ph.D. Thesis,
Fig 08: Contours of velocity distribution across the last Department of Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, The
University of Birmingham, U.K., 1997
stage of LP steam turbine 2. Bakhtar, F., So, K.S., “ A Study of Nucleating Flow of Steam in a
From the above contours shown in figure 08, we can Cascade of Supersonic Blading by the Time-Marching Method”,
conclude that velocity is maximum at inlet to rotor blade and International Journal oh Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 12, pp: 52-64., 1991
the velocity increases as the steam passes through the stator 3. Deckers, M., Simon, V., Scheuerer, G., “The Application of CFD to
Advanced Steam Turbine Design”, International Journal of Computer
blades and the velocity is maximum at the exit of the stator Applications Technology, 1997.
blade and the velocity of the steam decreases as the steam 4. Bakhtar, F., Shojaee-Fard, M.H., Siraj, M. A., “An Experimental
impinges over the moving blade (rotor blade), and thus Facility for Studies of Nucleating and Wet Steam Flows in Turbine
satisfies condition of Impulse-reaction turbine. The maximum Blading”, IMechE Paper No. C423/003, 1991.
5. Edwin Krämer, Hans Huber and Dr.Brendon Scarlin, ABB Power
the velocity at the inlet of the moving blade is 456 m/s and the Generation, Low-pressure steam turbine retrofits.
velocity of steam at the exit of stage is 242 m/s. 6. Paul Albert, Steam Turbine Thermal Evaluation and Assessment.
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