How to buy Steam Turbines

Purchasing of capital equipment is considered as a fixed asset, thus steam turbine, to be capitalized and depreciated over the period of the economic life of the equipment. Since the steam turbine is such capital equipment that pays you back by generating power continuously, hence it’s should be bought cautiously to ensure it’s a long operation without much interruption.

Steam turbines are sandwiched between boiler and process on the steam side and between grid, DG power, and other sources on the electrical side. Its cost is not only limited to product cost but other investments on steam piping, its accessories, cabling, panels, and civil work are also associated with it. Hence success or failure of Steam Turbine also wins or fails the other investment which can be called a life cycle cost.

The operation and maintenance cost of the turbine needs to be taken into consideration while Purchasing a Steam Turbine. Cost of Spares and Services is a recurring cost and thus is very important over the entire life of the Steam Turbine. Some Steam Turbines require Turbine Operators or Attendants 24 X 7 and some are well designed to operate in an Automated Control System. It is always preferable to consider the cost of Operation while making decisions on a particular make of Steam Turbine. In absence of such wholistic considerations, the Purchase decision may result in short-term benefits but recurring losses over the life of the Steam Turbine.

Turtle Turbines considers not only the initial cost of the Steam Turbine but the entire Product Life Cost of the Turbine as its primary design criterion.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

Steam Turbines in Process Industry

Process Industries like Chemical, Distillery, Paper Mill and Dairy require low-pressure steam for heating applications. Hence low to medium pressure boilers are used in the process industry for generating steam.

“For heating always dry and saturated steam is required”. From a Medium or High-pressure boiler steam is passed through Pressure Reducing Valve and De-Superheater to provide at required process pressure. There is considerable heat or enthalpy loss that occurs at PRV in pressure reducing process.

A micro or a Back Pressure Steam Turbine can be installed to recover this loss happening in the PRV. Turtle Turbines has supplied many turbines which are generating power in 18 different types of the industry across many regions in the world.

For the successful installation of Steam Turbines, proper Application engineering, knowledge of the process, Turbine design for dry and saturated steam turbines, and study of steam and plant electrical load are the key points.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

DRIVE STEAM TURBINE

In general, compressors for plants are driven by steam turbines, which convert steam energy to rotational energy by means of rotor blades. Unlike the turbines used for power generation, which rotate at a constant speed, these turbines can be operated at variable speeds.
Steam Turbines are well suited as a prime mover for driving boiler feedback pumps, forced or induced-draft fans, blowers, air compressors, and other rotating equipment. This service generally goes with the back-pressure noncondensing steam turbines. The low-pressure steam turbine exhaust is available for Feedwater heating, preheating of deaerator makeup water, and/or process requirements. In operations where it is possible to reduce the steam pressure to a lower level, it may be advantageous to run the turbine in basic operation, thereby reducing the power consumption.
Drive Steam Turbines are equipped with throttling valves or nozzle governors to balance steam flow and achieve variable speed operation. Thus, the steam turbine is very much capable just like serving the same function as an induction motor coupled to an inverter or adjustable speed drive. Drive Steam Turbine does not fail when overloaded and can operate over a wide speed range. They also give high starting torque required for constant torque loads such as positive displacement pumps.
Steam Turbines are inherently rugged and reliable low-maintenance devices. They are easy to control and offer enclosed, non-sparking operations suitable for use in explosive atmospheres or highly corrosive environments. Steam turbine drives may be installed for continuous duty under severe operating conditions, or used for load shaping (eg. Demand limiting) , standby, or emergency service. Steam turbines provide fast, reliable starting capability and are particularly adaptable for direct connection to equipment that rotates at high speed.
Equipment redundancy and improved reliability can be obtained by mounting a steam turbine drive and electric motor on opposite ends of the driven-equipment shaft. You can then select either motor or turbine as the prime mover by increasing or decreasing the turbine speed relative to the synchronous speed of the motor.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

Extraction Back Pressure Steam Turbine

Extraction Back Pressure Steam turbines are used when steam at two different process pressures is required. In Extraction Back Pressure Steam Turbines the required Steam for the process at required pressures is supplied through Extraction openings and turbine exhaust while generating power in the process.
Electric output is dependent on the demand for process steam. If required double or multiple steam extraction at different temperatures and pressures for plant processes can be supplied through extraction openings, however, such turbines are complex and rarely used. An Extraction Back Pressure turbine has opened in its casing for extraction of steam at the desired pressure. The extracted steam may be used for process purposes. Automatically regulated depends on the steam turbine design. Regulated Extraction allows for better steam flow adjustments through the steam turbine to generate additional mechanical power depending on the operating system. In special applications of special steam turbines, several Extraction points may be included, each at a different pressure corresponding to a different temperature at which heating service is needed in a plant. However such turbines are very complex and are normally not used. Specific needs for steam and power over time determines the extent of steam extraction. In large plants, additional steam may be admitted to the steam turbine. This happens when multiple boilers and steam generation systems are used at different Pressures because of the plant’s complexity and the need to reach thermal efficiency.
Extraction Back Pressure Steam turbines are used in refineries, district heating units, and pulp, and paper industries where large amounts of low-pressure process steam are needed. The electrical power generated by extraction back pressure turbines is directly proportional to the amount of process Steam required. Turtle Turbines supplies extraction back pressure turbines within India and abroad. For more information please visit www.turtleturbines.com

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

STEAM TURBINE BLADE MANUFACTURING

Blades are the heart of a steam turbine, as they are the principal elements that convert thermal energy into kinetic energy. The efficiency and reliability of a turbine depend on the proper design of the blades and its design factors. The blade design is a multi-disciplinary task. It involves the thermodynamic, aerodynamic, mechanical, and material science disciplines. Total development of a new blade is, therefore, possible only when experts in all these fields come together as a team.
One of the key factors influencing the efficiency of turbines is the design of the turbine blades. Almost all the blading used in modern mechanical drive steam turbines is either of drawn or milled type construction. Drawn blades are machined from extruded airfoil-shaped pieces of material stock, while milled blades are machined from a rectangular piece of bar stock.
The efficiency of the turbine depends on the following blade parameters :
1) Inlet and outlet angle of the blade.
2) Blade materials.
3) Profile of the blade.
4) Surface finishing of the blade.

The modern design of turbine blades maximizes efficiency through complicated surface geometries. Machining these surfaces, therefore, requires a careful machining strategy. Well-worked machining strategy with continuous improvement is crucial to productivity and subsequent processes. Innovative tooling and qualified applications are the only way to meet the challenges involved especially the rotating blades. Semi-finishing and finishing of the blades also require the best tool and method solutions to achieve quality at high efficiency.
An improved blade design focused on resisting the effects of stresses, corrosive agents, and creeping inducing temperatures will elevate the turbine efficiency, consequently leading to an increase in the power plan’s overall efficiency. Improving efficient blade design will serve to reduce operating costs even further and lessen the environmental impacts of steam turbines. Overall, such a combination of technologies would benefit society by providing an efficient, viable, and sustainable means of generating electrical energy.

                        

Difference between Back Pressure Turbine and Condensing Turbine

Back Pressure Turbine :

A Back Pressure Steam Turbine is utilized in industrial applications which require low or medium pressure steam for process heating. When high-pressure steam enters a back-pressure steam turbine, some of its thermal energy is turned into mechanical energy when the steam expands.
The mechanical energy is utilized to power an electric generator or mechanical equipment like pumps, fans, and compressors, among other things. The needed pressure outlet steam leaves the back pressure steam turbine, and the steam flows to the plant for process steam applications such as heating or drying.

Condensing Steam Turbines :

The steam expands below atmospheric pressure within a condensing turbine and then “condenses” while heating the cooling water in a condenser. The power plant is an ideal application for Condensing Turbines. The primary goal is to generate electricity using steam.
The pressure of steam after it exits the outlet of the condensing turbine is usually under a vacuum. The Condensate is returned to the Boiler for generation of steam. Thus the cycle continues. Condensing Turbines are used in industries with Waste Heat Recovery Boilers or the factory intends to generate its own power for various reasons.

Top 10 Steam Turbine Manufacturers in the World

Manufacturers have categorized steam turbines by a different variety of flexible design features. They set them up in a configuration optimized for special process requirements. This keeps delivery time and cost at a minimum level. They combine proven technology with convincing operating reliability.
Most of the common features which lie under every manufacturer for the steam turbine, they should be compact, powerful, efficient, reliable turbine and capable of meeting a wide range of steam cycles, site conditions, and operating modes. Frequent power cuts, blackouts, and load shedding have contributed to the increased demand for steam turbines for power generation.
Steam turbine manufacturers consider and apply in the fields such as Power Generation, Cogeneration, Waste-Heat Utilization, Pressure-Difference Utilization, Waste-to-Energy Generation, Biomass Power Generation, and Industrial Driving.
Following are the top 10 Steam Turbine manufacturers in the world :

  1. Ansaldo Energia
  2. General Electric
  3. Man-Energy Solutions
  4. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
  5. Siemens Energy
  6. Doosan Skoda Power
  7. Elliott company
  8. Peter Brotherhood
  9. Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.
  10. Shin Nippon

The most renowned Steam Turbine Manufacturers in the World rely on stringent design and manufacturing processes. Steam Turbines are technologically very complex equipment involving various fields of Engineering being brought together. Turtle Turbines aspires to be one of the best Steam Turbine manufacturers in the World by continuously striving to strengthen and perfect its design and manufacturing processes.

Micro Steam Turbine Manufacturers in the World

Micro Steam turbines make it possible to generate power at a reasonable cost and with minimal energy and resource loss. With the Micro Steam Turbine, low Steam flows and pressure differences are sufficient to generate power. The Micro Steam Turbine is not only substantially smaller than traditional Steam turbines, and can be easily integrated into existing processes and factories. Micro Steam Turbines are used in food, pharmaceutical, and textile industries as well as energy suppliers.
Micro Steam Turbine Manufacturers can help their customers find optimal and efficient paths toward 100% renewable energy while balancing and futureproofing their power systems as demanded by the flexible grids of the future. Micro Steam Turbine Manufactures support their customers over the life cycle of their installations ensuring power plant performance.
The rising demand for efficient Micro Steam Turbines around the world is encouraging steam turbine Manufacturers to invest heavily in the development of high efficient Micro Steam Turbines. There are many numbers of Micro Steam Turbine Manufacturers in the World.
Following are the top Micro Turbine Manufacturers in the World.

  1. Turtle Turbines Pvt. Ltd.
  2. Doosan Skoda Power,
  3. Biotechnology engineers, 4. Shri Indtex boiler private limited,
    5. Turbotech precision engineers private limited,
  4. Reliant lab,
    7. Chola Turbo machinery international Pvt Ltd,
  5. Biotech engineers,
  6. Turbotech precision engineers,
  7. Turbo engineering,

Turtle Turbines has been manufacturing Micro Turbines for the Steam Application. vapor power manufactured by Turtle Turbines is a unique one of its kind Micro Steam Turbine housed in a weatherproof and soundproof enclosure for plug-and-play installations.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

Types of Turbine Governor:

Steam Turbines are used to Drive equipment such as Generators, Blowers, Pumps, etc. To Start the Turbine in a specific manner by bringing it to its operating Speed, Maintaining the Rated Speed on varying load conditions, and operating the Turbine at different Process Conditions e.g. Power Generation by Turbine, Exhaust Steam Pressure, Inlet Steam Pressure, Mains Power Exchange; a Control Device is used- Turbine Governor.

These Turbine Governors are categorized based on the Application such as:

  1. Mechanical Governors
  2. Electronic Governors

Based on the Specific Application. A Turbine used to Drive a Pump Blower can employ a Simple Mechanical Governor which is coupled to the Turbine Shaft to measure the Operating Speed. The Flyball mechanisms and the linkages together control the Steam Inlet to the Turbine to maintain the Speed at Varying Load Conditions.

When there is more than one parameter to be controlled and Turbine Start-Up is more complex, such as in the case of Multistage Turbines which drive Electrical Generators, Electronic Governors are employed. Electronic Governors use Sensors to measure Turbine Speed, Steam Pressure, Power, etc. These governors can be programmed to carry out Controlled Start-Up of the Turbine in predefined Ramp rates, Carry out synchronization of Generator with Local Grid, Maintain the Process Steam demands and Power generation Demands. An electronic Governor uses in conjunction with Electro-Hydraulic Actuators to Contro the Inlet steam of the Turbine.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.

Steam Turbine & HMBD

The heat and Mass Balance Diagram (HMBD) is the graphical representation of the heat and mass balance of a steam turbine-based power plant system. The use of HMBD is for knowing steam quantity during a power cycle, Turbine power output, sizing of the de-superheater, and quantity of steam going into the process. Usually, HMBD is prepared and submitted by a Steam Turbine Manufacturer and sometimes by a boiler manufacturer too.

In the case of a Back Pressure Steam Turbine, if the steam at the inlet of the Turbine is superheated then the quality of steam getting at the outlet of a Steam Turbine is also usually superheated. On the other hand, the steam quality required in the process is dry and saturated. So HMBD always helps in deciding the quantity of spray water required in the de-superheater to supply saturated steam to the process at the desired rate. In the case of Condensing Steam Turbines, HMBD plays a vital role in sizing the Boiler and Vacuum Condenser, besides other system design parameters.

By using HMBD the deaerator steam and water quantity, condensate return quantity, and make-up water quantity can be easily mapped.

Turtle Turbines is one of the most reputed Steam Turbine Manufacturers In India.