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The Micro Steam Turbine generator makes it possible to generate electricity at a reasonable cost and with minimal energy and resource loss. With the Micro Steam Turbine Generator, low steam flows and pressure differences are sufficient to generate power. The Micro Steam Turbine is not only substantially smaller than traditional steam turbines, but it is also completely Lube Oil Free and can be easily integrated into existing processes and factories.

Food, pharmaceutical, chemical, and textile industries, as well as energy suppliers, all have small and medium-sized businesses that use lower-output steam systems. Using the Micro Steam Turbine Generator, they may save a significant amount of energy. The small steam turbine produces more electricity with the same fuel input as conventional steam turbines in the output range of up to 300 kW. Because of the turbine’s low life-cycle costs, electricity prices can be lowered even in single-shift operation.

When installed in process facilities, the micro steam turbine generator substitutes a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) in the steam system. Steam for the Process is typically generated at high pressure in a steam boiler and then mechanically reduced to the desired operating pressure by a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV). The Micro Steam turbine, which is situated between the steam boiler and the process, will continuously generate up to 300 kW of power.

The power generated from Micro Steam Turbines is green energy. The wasteful pressure energy of steam is converted into useful clean electrical power. A Micro Steam Turbine reduces carbon foot print of industries.

Steam Turbines need to be manufactured in a clean and controlled environment. Usually, Steam Turbines are subjected to Mechanical Run Test (MRT) in the factory after complete assembly. MRT is carried out by rotating the Steam Turbine to rated speed using an induction Motor. This Testing simulates the actual working condition of steam turbines only in a very limited way. The Turbine is rotated at the operating speed at room temperatures in an MRT and the blades running inside the casing experience only the ambient air. This type of MRT provides very limited understanding regarding how the same Steam Turbine will work at the site under actual conditions. 

Live Steam Testing (LST) of Steam Turbines is done using Steam instead of an Induction Motor. The Turbine is operated to full operating speed for about 4 hours. Various parameters such as Main Bearing Temperatures, Thrust Bearing Temperatures, Casing Temperatures, Lube Oil Inlet and Outlet Temperatures, Vibrations, etc are monitored under near real operating conditions of the steam turbine. Mechanical Overspeed settings are carried under near-real conditions. The Turbine is rotated at the operating speed at higher temperatures and the blades running inside the casing experience real steam instead of ambient air.

Live Steam Testing of Steam Turbines provides a better understanding of how the same Steam Turbine will work at site under actual conditions as compared to MRT. Live Steam Testing provides a deeper understanding. The onsite Commissioning time can be reduced to less than 50%. This saving of startup and commissioning time at site proves very valuable in Green Field Projects. Power becomes available for consumption at the site much faster thus reducing any dependency on local expensive power.

Turtle Turbines conducts Live Steam Testing of every Steam Turbine before it is dispatched to the site.  Lives Steam Turbine Test Rig has been developed by Turtle Turbines. A dedicated quick startup Diesel Fired Boiler is installed in the Factory. A Microprocessor is set up to capture and log all critical data during the Live Steam Testing.

Over the past decade, it has allowed Turtle Turbines to save several start-up and commissioning days at the site and resolve several possible corrections that become necessary at site.

Steam Turbines convert pressure energy (more specifically Heat Energy) into useful mechanical work. The mechanical work thus generated can be used either to drive equipment such as Pumps, Blowers, Fans etc. or to further generate electrical power. The amount of work converted depends on the difference in Inlet and Exhaust Enthalpy / Heat Content of the Steam and the Quantify of steam flowing through the Steam Turbine. Hence the work output from a Steam Turbine can be either increased by increasing the Enthalpy Drop or the Quantity of Steam Flow.

Single Stage Steam Turbines as used where the Enthalpy Drop is reasonably low. If the high enthalpy drop needs to be achieved, Multistage Steam Turbines are used. The Amount of Enthalpy that can be dropped in a stage is limited by the diameter of the turbine wheel and the speed of the Steam Turbine. Theoretically, a Single Stage Steam Turbine can drop any amount of Enthalpy of we can increase the turbine speed and the turbine wheel diameter. Owing to the cost and design constraints, it is not possible to increase either the Steam Turbine wheel diameter or the turbine speed beyond a value. The Multistage Steam Turbine was thus invented to drop a large amount of enthalpy in a practical way to achieve maximum possible power generation from any given quality of steam flow.

Multistage Steam Turbines got developed over a period of time with various configurations. The major being, Velocity Compounded, and Pressure Compounded. There is also combinations of Pressure and Velocity Compounded Multistage Steam Turbines. In Pressure Compounded Multistage Steam Turbines, the pressure energy of the steam is dropped over a series of stages. In Velocity Compound Steam Turbines the steam pressure is dropped in the first row of blades and the velocity thus gained is dropped over a series of stages.

Single Stage Steam Turbines are primarily used for Drive applications to drive Pumps, Blowers, Fans, etc., and sometimes for power generation where the desired enthalpy drop is limited. Multistage Steam Turbines are used primarily for power generation applications. There are four types of Multistage Steam Turbines. Back Pressure Multistage Steam Turbines, Extraction cum Back Pressure Multistage Steam Turbines, Extraction cum Condensing Multistage Steam Turbines and Condensing Multistage Steam Turbines.

Depending on the directly of the Steam Flow inside a Multistage Steam Turbine, these can be classified as Axial Flow Multistage Steam Turbines or Radial Flow Multistage Steam Turbines. Axial Flow Multistage Steam Turbines have gained popularity over the  Radial Flow Multistage Steam Turbines owing to the low manufacturing cost and scalability.

A Steam Turbine Generator is an energy-generating machine. The best way to understand Steam Turbine Generators, also known as “turbo generators,” is to understand a steam turbine and a generator separately. A steam turbine Generator is a type of steam-powered engine. Water is heated to a very high temperature in order to turn it into steam. The steam turbine generator converts the mechanical energy created by highly pressurised steam into rotational energy. On the other hand, a generator is a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The coiled wires of a generator spin inside a magnetic field, causing an electric current to flow.
          When a steam turbine is connected to a generator, the result is a steam turbine generator, which produces electricity. The built-in auxiliary systems allow them to operate safely and efficiently. Steam turbine generators are used in solar thermal electric power plants, coal, geothermal, nuclear, waste incineration, and natural gas power plants. Cement, sugar, steel, paper, chemicals, and other industries use them extensively. Steam Turbine Generators are high-speed machines in general. Steam turbine power plants generate the majority of the world’s electricity.

         

Working principle of a Steam Turbine Generator

Water is heated in a boiler to a temperature higher than the boiler temperature before being injected into it to produce steam. The water flow rate, pumping pressure, heat transfer area of the boiler, and heat of combustion used all have an impact on steam production. Steam pipelines transport steam from the boiler to the turbine. This steam is pushed through nozzles inside the turbine to achieve the desired level of steam velocity. The high-velocity stream passes over the steam turbine rotor’s blades. The rotational movement of the turbine shaft is converted from the velocity of steam. Couplings connect the Steam Turbine shaft to the Generator. A Gear Box or Speed Reducer is sometimes used between the Steam Turbine and the Generator. The gearbox, also known as a Speed reducer, reduces the turbine shaft speed to the desired generator shaft speed. Steam Turbine Generator is made up of a casing with stationary blades inside and a rotor with moving blades around the perimeter.

Efficiency of a Steam Turbine generator

Many factors influence the efficiency of a steam generator, including the type of steam turbine, its size, the inlet steam pressure and temperature, the exhaust steam pressure and temperature, and the steam flow rate.

Conclusion

Steam turbine generators are commonly used to generate electricity from a variety of energy sources such as renewable energy, coal, oil, and gas. Steam turbines are used in power generation plants as well as in the Process industry.

inventor Le Grand Skinner founded Skinner Engine Company in 1868. The first factory was built in Herkimer, New York. Skinner build Steam Engines,  converting steam energy into mechanical energy. High Pressure Steam expands in the Steam Engine cylinder to drive a piston back and forth. This was the core idea behind the Steam Engine. The mechanical power thus generated from the Steam Engine was used drive the machinery and drive ships and boats.

To support his business expansion plans Mr. Le Grand Skinner shifted the manufacturing facility to Erie, Pennsylvania in 1873. Erie provided easy access to rail and water ways which allowed the expansion of Skinner’s customer base. In land-based and marine applications, the Skinner “Unaflow” engine was most widely used. It had an unique design which worked very effectively.  Several US Navy Ships were fitted with Skinner’s Unaflow Engine during World War II.

Mr. Le Grand Skinner was a great business leader and the Skinner company expanded hugely until his death in 1922. The business continued continued under the leadership of Le Grand Skinner’s son Allen and then his son J. Le Grand Skinner. Since then the company ownership has changed hands but the Skinner’s legacy of supplying world-class Skinner Steam Turbine has continued even to this day.

Skinner manufactures Single Stage Steam Turbines up to 2000 HP. Various Steam Turbine models cover this power range. Skinner Steam Turbines are designed to operate up to inlet pressures of 900 PSIG and Temperatures to and 900 deg F. Steam Steam Turbine can deliver back pressure upto 150 PSIG. Skinner builds complete Turbine Generator Sets (TG sets) up to 1.25 MW. Skinner Steam Turbines are manufactured to the worlds best industry standards such as API 611, NEMA, etc.,

Turtle Turbines (P) Ltd, (formerly Biogreen Energy Systems Pvt Ltd.,) represents Skinner Steam Turbine in India, South East, and African Countries. Skinner Steam Turbine is imported into India and a complete system is manufactured in Turtle Turbines’ factory in India.

Many industrial plants produce steam at a higher pressure than is required by process requirements. To reduce the pressure of steam from boiler pressure to process pressure, pressure-reducing valves (PRV) are installed at various points throughout the steam distribution system. A Pressure Reducing Steam Turbine works are a rotary Pressure Reducing Valve and converts the pressure energy into electrical power.

Shaft power is generated in the Turbine by directing high-pressure steam jets against the turbine’s rotor blades. The rotor is connected to an electrical generator through a shaft. Steam is not consumed in the Pressure Reducing steam turbine, it merely lowers the steam pressure.

Pressure Reducing Turbine can be used in all the process industries that use low or medium-pressure steam. These industries include Vegetable Oil Refineries, Milk Processing Plants, Chemical Process Industries. Rice Mills, Dyeing and Textile, etc., The Pressure Reducing Turbine is installed parallel to the Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV). Besides generating free power, the Pressure Reducing Turbine controls the exhaust pressure more accurately than the PRV. This is known to provide more consistent process temperature thus improving the process plants’ product quality.