Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (JMET)

Volume 6, Issue 1, Jan-June 2018, pp. 17–24, Article ID: JMET_06_01_002

Available online at
http://www.iaeme.com/JMET/issues.asp?JType=JMET&VType=6&IType=1
ISSN Print: 2347-3924 and ISSN Online: 2347-3932
© IAEME Publication

PERFORMANCE PREDICTION OF AXIAL

STEAM TURBINE USING 3 D
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYANMICS
Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Visakha Technical Campus,
Narava, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

ABSTRACT
Steam Turbines are the main prime movers for electrical power generation.
Besides power generation these turbines find extensive applications for marine
propulsion with horsepower ratings in excess of 10000 HP. A single axial turbine
stage with 58 and 60 blades in the rotor and stator respectively is modelled and
analysed for performance using Ansys-CFX CFD software. Superheated steam at
temperatures 500 and 600 K at 2 @ 3 bar respectively was chosen as the working for
the turbine stage. The thermodynamic properties of the working fluid are taken from
IAPWS97 database. It is always mandatory to carry out extensive simulation studies
for turbo machinery problems prior to arriving at the optimum conditions for efficient
operation during design stage. The turbine is run at different speeds ranging from
6000 to 12000 rpm at both inlet conditions. The power output was found to increase
more than double at higher pressure of 3 bar and the efficiencies are more or less
same ,in excess of 90 % for both inlet conditions . However the speeds at which
maximum efficiencies occurred differed by 15 to 20 % i.e. 8000 rpm at 2 bar and
10000 rpm at 3 bar .Large kinetic energy increase in the stator blades is observed
indicating high nozzle efficiency. The temperatures and relative mach number are
found to decrease with increase in speed due to dependence of relative mach number
on rotor speed and simultaneous reduction in sonic velocity with fall in temperature.
Key words: Prime movers, Ansys, CFX, CFD, IAPWS97, Turbo Machinery, Nozzle
Efficiency, Kinetic Energy.
Cite this Article: Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati. Performance Prediction of
Axial Steam Turbine Using 3D Computational Fluid Dyanmics. Journal of
Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 6(1), 2018, pp. 17–24.
http://www.iaeme.com/JMET/issues.asp?JType=JMET&VType=6&IType=1

1. INTRODUCTION
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam
and converts it into rotary motion. Because, the turbine generates rotary motion, it is
particularly suited to be used to drive an electrical generator – about 80% of all electricity

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 Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati

generation in the world is by use of steam turbines. The efficiency of a turbine is largely
dependent on its aerodynamic performance. Hence, the design of blade profiles for stators and
rotors are continuously improved over the decades to achieve better overall efficiency for the
turbine. The available energy in the hot and high pressure steam is first converted into kinetic
energy by the expansion of steam in a suitably shaped passage known as nozzle from which it
issues as a high velocity jet having a high tangential component. • Then a part of this kinetic
energy and sometimes part of the pressure energy are converted into mechanical energy by
directing the jet at a proper angle, against curved blades mounted on a rotating disc. An ideal
steam turbine is considered to be an isentropic process or constant entropy process, in which
the entropy of the steam entering the turbine is equal to the entropy of the steam leaving the
turbine. The efficiency of the steam turbine is often described by the isentropic efficiency for
expansion process. No steam turbine is truly “isentropic”, however, typical isentropic
efficiencies ranging from 70%-90% can be realized based on the applications of the turbine.
The presence of water droplets in the steam will reduce the efficiency of the turbine and cause
physical erosion of the blades. Therefore the dryness fraction of the steam at the outlet of the
turbine should not be less than 0.9.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), is a branch of fluid dynamics which uses
numerical methods and algorithms to solve fluid flow problems. Reduction of time and cost to
predict the model behavior in real environment is key advantage of CFD analysis. However,
the CFD analysis results should be analyzed and validated before the model is accepted.
ANSYS CFX and ANSYS Fluent are the commercial CFD codes available. The main
difference between these is the way solvers integrate the flow equations and solution
strategies. CFX uses finite volume elements to discrete the domain. Contrarily, Fluent utilizes
finite volumes. They are both control volume based solvers, which ensures conservation of
flow quantities. The CFD analysis of Steam turbine stage in the paper is carried out using
ANSYS CFX. CFX is a highly user friendly software specially tailored for turbo machinery
problems. By default the stator and rotor interfaces are created in a turbine stage and a
comprehensive detailed turbine report is generated in post processing addressing the nozzle
and turbine performance in respect of power, efficiency, mass flow rate &mach number etc.

1.1. Modelling Turbine Stage in CFX

In general all turbo machinery problems are solved using rotational periodicity and hence a
single or double blade passage in the stator and rotor are only modeled to reduce the overall
computing time. In this paper single axial turbine stage is modeled . The stator has 60 blades
and rotor has 58 blades .The stator or rotor fluid domain consists of various boundaries for
inlet, outlet, hub, shroud and other periodic surfaces. Initially CAD drawings for both the
fluid domains are imported into Ansys Turbo grid software and meshing compatible with
CFX solver is generated.

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 Performance Prediction of Axial Steam Turbine Using 3D Computational Fluid Dyanmics

The working fluid used in the paper is superheated steam at 2 bar and 3 bar pressure at
temperatures 500 and 600K respectively. CFX derives all the thermodynamic properties
between inlet and exit pressures through the IAPWS97 database provided as default in the
software. Both the fluid domains are imported into the Ansys CFX- pre and the rotational
speed is given as input for the rotor. With regard to inlet and outlet boundary conditions CFX
has different options, static pressure or velocities and temperature of the fluid at inlet and
mass flow rate or average static pressure at outlet. In the present case of the axial turbine the
pressure at inlet as well as at outlet are given as boundary conditions. Inlet pressure is 2 bar
@500K/ 3 bar @600K and outlet pressure is 1 bar. Thermodynamic properties at inlet as are
given below
Inlet condition 2 bar @500K 3 bar @ 600K
Enthalpy, KJ/Kg 2930 3130
Saturation temperature 393K 406K
Degree of superheat 107K 194K
Specific volume, Meter cube/Kg 1.15 0.887

1.2. Turbulence Modelling

Turbulent flows are characterized by fluctuating velocity fields. These fluctuations mix
transported quantities such as momentum, energy, and species concentration, and cause the
transported quantities to fluctuate as well. Since these fluctuations can be of small scale and
high frequency, they are too computationally expensive to simulate directly in practical
engineering calculations. Instead, the instantaneous (exact) governing equations can be time-
averaged, ensemble-averaged, or otherwise manipulated to remove the small scales, resulting
in a modified set of equations that are computationally less expensive to solve. The strong
channeled curvature’s and intensive rotations prevalent in turbo machinery resulting in high
swirling and secondary flow nictitates choosing appropriate turbulence model for accurate
performance prediction. CFX offers many turbulence models and in the present case of axial
turbine stage, SST model was chosen as this turbulence model as this model is strongly
recommended for turbo machinery problems.

2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The efficiency and power output strongly depend on the inlet conditions of the steam turbine
and it is essential to predict the performance in the initial stages of design so as to run the
turbine at optimum conditions of maximum efficiency and power output. The turbine at both
inlet conditions i.e. 3 bar 600K and 2 bar 500 K is simulated at different speeds i.e. from 6000
to 12000 rpm to obtain optimum conditions.
Speed vs eff at 2 Bar & 3 Bar
95

90
Efficiency

85
2 Bar,500K
3 Bar,500K
80

75

70
5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000
Speed,Rpm

Figure 1.1 Speed vs. Efficiency at 2 Bar & 3 Bar

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 Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati

Figure 1.2 Speed vs. Efficiency at 2 Bar

It is seen from above figures 1.1 and 1.2 that both isentropic and polytrophic efficiencies
show increasing trend initially and there after drops off after reaching maximum value.
However at both inlet conditions the maximum efficiencies are above 90% but they do not
occur at the same speed i.e. 91% at 8000 rpm for 2 bar while 93% at 10000 rpm at 3 bar. Both
polytrophic and isentropic efficiencies show similar trend and are almost equal at all speeds as
seen in fig 1.2.
Speed vs Power at 2 Bar
2.1

1.9
Power,Megawatts

1.8

1.7
2 Bar,500K
1.6

1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1
5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000
Speed,Rpm

Figure 1.3 Speed vs. Power at 2 Bar

Speed vs Power at 2 Bar & 3 Bar
5.5

4.5
Power,Megawatts

4
2 Bar,500K
3.5
3 Bar,500K

2.5

1.5

1
5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000
Speed,Rpm

Figure 1.4 Speed vs. Power at 2 Bar & 3 Bar

Power output of the turbine stage depends on the enthalpy drop in the rotor which in turn
depends on the rotor speed. As observed in figs 1.3 to 1.4 power output variation with speed
shows more or less similar trend with efficiency variation at both inlet conditions. Maximum
power produced is more than double at 3 bar i.e. 5 Megawatts at 3 bar and 2 Megawatts at
2bar.

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 Performance Prediction of Axial Steam Turbine Using 3D Computational Fluid Dyanmics

2.1. Velocity distribution in the axial turbine stage

Figure 1.5 Velocity distribution across the Stator

Figure 1.6 Velocity distribution across the rotor

Speed Vs Velocity @ 3 Bar

6000 RPM 8000 RPM,

10000 RPM 12000 RPM

Figure 1.7 Velocity distribution across the Stator &Rotor at different speeds

Figs 1.5 to 1.7 indicate the velocity variation across the stator and rotor. The Kinetic
energy increase through the stator is clearly seen in the stator guide vanes since these vanes
acts as steam nozzles. The velocity at exit is 650 m/sec while at inlet it is only 100 m/sec.
thought the exit stator velocity is very high; the rotor inlet velocity is only 300 m/sec and

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 Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati

gradually increases to 430 m/sec due to conversion of part of pressure energy into kinetic
energy in the rotor.
Speed Vs Temperature at Rotor Outlet
482

480

478
Temperature,K

476

474

472

470
6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000
Speed,RPM

Figure 1.8 Speed vs. Temperature at Rotor Outlet at 3 bar

Speed vs Machnumber at Rotor Outlet
0.85

0.84

0.83
Machnumber

0.82

0.81

0.8

0.79

0.78

0.77
6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 11000 12000
Speed,RPM

Figure 1.8 Stream wise plot of Relative Mach Numbers at 3 bar, 12000 rpm

Figure 1.9 Speed vs. Local Speed of Sound @3 Bar

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 Performance Prediction of Axial Steam Turbine Using 3D Computational Fluid Dyanmics

Figs 1.7 to 1.9 shows variation of temperature and relative mach number and local sound
speed in the rotor when speed is increased from 6000 to 12000 rpm. .Relative Mach number
not only depends on the velocity and sonic velocity at the corresponding point, but also on the
speed of the rotor. The sonic velocity in turn depends on the temperature and ratio of specific
heat at the corresponding point. Fig 1.9 clearly shows that the local speed of sound in the
stator fluid domain mostly remains the same at all speeds investigated i.e. from 6000 to 12000
rpm where as the region near rotor out let is different at each speed as evident from different
color contours .The temperature plot shows decreasing trend with respect to the rotor speed
which in turn cause reduction in sonic velocity and consequently the mach number. The rotor
exit temperature is 470K at 3 bar which is more than the saturation temperature corresponding
to 3 bar indicating the condition of steam remains superheated with degree of superheat equal
to 64 K as against 194K at turbine inlet.

3. CONCLUSIONS
Steam turbines find extensive applications in power generation sector and marine propulsion.
It is essential to carry out detailed simulation studies for performance evaluation of the turbine
prior to freezing the final design. Ansys CFX and Fluent CFD software offers efficient
performance evaluation and especially CFX is considered more user-friendly for turbo
machinery simulation problems. In the present case a single turbine stage is considered with
superheated steam at 2 bar 500 K and 3 bar 600K as working fluid at different speeds ranging
from 6000 to 12000 rpm. IAPWS 97 database has been used for working fluid. Maximum
power output is found to occur at different speeds for the two inlet conditions considered i.e. 5
Megawatts @ 10000 rpm at 3 bar and 2 Megawatts @ 8000 rpm. Large kinetic energy
increase is observed in the stator blade passage resulting nozzle in efficiency of
94%.Temparatures and relative mach number showed decreasing trend with increasing speed
.Maximum efficiency in excess of 90 % was realized at both inlet conditions. The rotor exit
temperature is 470K at 3 bar which is more than the saturation temperature corresponding to 3
bar indicating the condition of steam remains superheated with degree of superheat equal to
64 K as against 194K at turbine inlet.

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[3] Juri Bellucci Federica Sazzini Filippo Rubechini Andrea Arnone, Using CFD to Enhance
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[4] John D. Anderson. Jr, "Computational Fluid Dynamics, the basics with applications", Inc.
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[5] Dr. R. K. Bansal, "Fluid Mechanics and hydraulic machines", Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2006

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 Yalamanchili Rajesh and Mohan Angati

[6] C.W. Haldeman, R.M. Mathison; Aerodynamic and Heat Flux Measurements in a Single-
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