EPJ Web of Conferences 114, 0 2 0 80 (2016 )

DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/ 2016 11 4 0 2 0 80


C Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2016

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Lukáš Mrózek , Ladislav Tajč , Michal Hoznedl and Martin Miczán
1
Doosan Škoda Power, Experimental Research of Flow, Tylova 1/57 Pilsen 301 28, Czech Republic
2
Univerzity of West Bohemia, Department of Power System Engineering, Univerzitní 22 Pilsen 306 14, Czech Republic
3
Czech Technical University in Prague, Department of Fluid Dynamics and Thermodynamics, Technická 4, Prague 6, Czech Republic

$EVWUDFW The influence of the flow area of balancing holes in the discs of a steam turbine on its
thermodynamic efficiency is examined for turbine stages operating in the increased root reaction regime.
The interstage seal flooding with steam is modelled. The impact is given on stage reaction changes, on
mass flow adjustments, and on overpressure operating in the rotor disc.

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The balancing holes on the discs are used at the turbine Basic geometrical and operational parameters of the
stages of the impulse pressure type. The holes enable tested stage are given in table 1. Blades adjustment and
minimization of the differences between the pressures on profiles implementation is evident from figure 1.
both sides of the disc and thus keeping the axial force
acting on the rotor at the acceptable level. With the onset Table 1. Geometrical and operational parameters of the tested
stage
stages with the higher root reaction a question arises
whether it is still acceptable to use the balancing holes of Stage VT 5 Units
the original arrangement in the given number and
Chord 120 mm
diameter, or if it is necessary to modify suitably their
flow area considering the root reaction of the stages and Aspect ratio 0.528 –
the amount of the steam leaked through shaft seal. It is Tip seal clearance 0.4 mm
also desirable to assess the possible leakage of the steam Pitch to chord ratio 0.99 –
from the blade space to the balancing holes and to Root diameter 930 mm
evaluate the impact on the performance deterioration. Velocity ratio u/c 0.48 –
Therefore, the efficiency of the stage with the root RPM 3611 1/min
reaction at a 13% - stage and with three different areas of
Inlet temperature 152.6 °C
the balancing holes was tested on the experimental
turbine. The original arrangement with fully closed holes Inlet pressure 0.775 bar
was considered as well as the arrangement with half the Pressure ratio 0.697 –
diameter of the holes and the variant with fully open Root reaction 0.15 –
holes. At the same time the influence of the seal steam on
the change of the root and the velocity data, at the
original level. Reaction was tested. Since the mass flow
through the shaft seal is in comparison with the main
flow insignificant, the decrease of the efficiency is caused
mainly by the leakage of the steam through the balancing
holes. The quantity of the leaked steam cannot be defined
by using experiments. Thus, it is impossible to evaluate
the quantity of the steam leaked through the nozzle blade
cascade. In order to enable to compare the results from
individual experiments there is the effort to keep all key
aerodynamic parameters such as the input pressure and
the steam temperature, as well as the pressure ratio at the
stage. Figure 1. Tested stage blades
a
Corresponding author: lukas.mrozek@doosan.com

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits   
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 EPJ Web of Conferences

Figure 2. Variants of balancing holes

used and in variant C the openings have the original
The stage is, for the experiment purposes, made in the dimension, i.e. d = 40 mm.
1.27 : 1 scale. This corresponds with rotation speed Marking of all measured and calculated data in the
n = 3600 1 / min and root diameter Dp = 0.93 m. It is a observed stage is depicted in figure 3. Using controlled
stage of HP turbine part with designed root reaction steam suction Gx1 it is possible to adjust the chamber
ρp = 0.15. pressure puc0 and thus the influence the mass flow through
Implementations of individual variants of balancing the interstage seal Gur. The experimental turbine is
holes are shown in figure 2. The openings are placed designed above all to define the thermodynamical
under the knife-edge seal. It should limit possible steam efficiency, i.e. for operations with minimal influence of
leak from the blades to the holes. In the picture places are the interstage seal steam. In common stage tests the mass
marked for pressure measurements and mass flows flow is Gur = 0 and balancing holes are covered. Turbine
through stator blade Grl and interstage seal Gur. Variant A arrangement enables flooding and suction of steam from
is without holes. In variant B half diameter d = 20 mm is the interstage steal, but only in a very limit scope.

stator rotor
blade blade

Figure 3. Scheme of measured parameters on the tested stage

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The course of temperatures and pressures on the stage in
relation to the velocity ratio u/c is given in figure 4 and 5.
The pressure drop on stage is permanent for all variants
of balancing holes adjustments with ε = 0.697. The Mach
and Reynolds numbers on stage are kept at the same
level.
In figure 4 steam temperatures are given before and
behind the stage with the covered holes variant.
Temperature t2 is measured immediately behind the rotor
blade. Temperature t3 is recorded in the output casing
near the regulator sieve above the condenser.
Figure 6. Steam mass flow through the stage

The scope of steam leak through the rotor seal and

controlled steam flow through the interstage seal is
shown in figure 7. Technical arrangement of the
experimental turbine does not allow to change the steam
flow in interstage seal in the scope higher than
± Gur = 40 kg / hour. This corresponds with proportional
flow Gur / Gul ≈ ± 0.002. It is less than in the real
implementation of the turbine stage, where the flow
through the interstage seal could be comparable with the
steam leak in the rotor seal.

Figure 4. Steam temperature on the stage

The mean values on the stage are dependent on the

velocity ratio u / c is given in figure 5. Dividing pressure
p1mean is already influenced by the stage reaction course
and also by the size of the balancing holes area. The mass
flow through the stator blades is related to the pressure
change p1mean.

Figure 7. Mass steam flow through the rotor and interstage

seals.

Comparison of proportional steam flows through both

seals can be found in figure 8.

Figure 5. Pressures on stage

The mass flow through the stator blades is recorded in

figure 6. With the increase of velocity ratio u / c, under
the influence of increasing pressure p1mean, mass flow Grl
is decreasing. For variant A it is possible to calculate the
steam flow through the seals and thus the mass flow
through the rotor blades Gol. As it is impossible from the
experiments to define the steam leak through the
uncovered balancing holes, the steam flow through the Figure 8. Proportional steam flows on seals.
rotor blades cannot be calculated.
It is evident that a relatively small steam leak from the
interstage seal won´t have a major impact on the change
of root reaction or on efficiency. Possible changes of their

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values rather may be related to disc openings and the only while there is suction of steam. This phenomenon
steam leak from the blade area. The effect of interstage does not occur in common turbine stages. Efficiency can
seal steam flow adjustment on the reaction course in be calculated using temperatures measured before and
variant A is shown in figure 9. The dispersion of values behind the stage. This calculation of efficiency for variant
on the root and tip of the stage is in both cases A is shown in figure. 12.
insignificant.

Figure 12. Stage efficiency calculated from temperatures

Figure 9. Root and tip stage reaction It is obvious that efficiency calculated from
temperature t3 is better than efficiency from temperature
Figure 10 shows how the root reaction changes are measured directly behind the rotor blades. Temperature t 3
dependent on the amount the balancing holes are can be influenced by heat transfer to the turbine body and
uncovered. Uncovering the holes causes drop in root to the condenser. Efficiency from temperature t2
reaction by as much as 4%. corresponds with efficiency defined using torque-meter.
Influence of covering and uncovering the balancing
holes on efficiency is shown in Figure 13 and 14. In
figure 13 efficiency calculated from temperature t 2 is
shown.

Figure 10. The influence of balancing holes area on the root

reaction change for u/c2is=0.49
Figure 11 shows how the steam flow through the
interstage seal influences the thermodynamic efficiency
Figure 13. Influence of uncovering balancing holes on
of the stage. efficiency changes calculated from temperatures

Calculation of efficiency from torquemeter is shown

in figure 14.

Figure 11. Turbine stage efficiency

Interstage seal flooding does not have any effect on Figure 14. Influence of uncovering the balancing holes on
change in efficiency. The decrease in efficiency occurs changes in efficiency

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Partial uncovering of holes slightly increased the Balancing holes are supposed above all to lower the
efficiency. But the changes do not exceed Δη = 0.5%. In overpressure and the size of axial force influencing the
comparison with the covered holes variant, total hole rotor. It is possible to derive an estimate of the axial force
opening reduced the efficiency by only 1%. It represents from the pressure differences operating on the disc and
only a negligible drop in efficiency. When increasing the rotor blades. The pressures before and behind the disc are
designed root reaction to the level around 15% it is not recorded above and below the sealing fin and at the
necessary to adjust the dimensions of the balancing holes, interstage seal level. Unfortunately while assessing the
as no distinctive steam leak from the blade area to the results leakage from the pressure pipes for the section
holes on the disc occurs. A positive effect of the sealing around the sealing fin appeared. In figure 16 proportional
fin under the blade root is applied here. pressure differences for individual variants of the
Efficiency appears to be more sensitive to the Mach experiment are calculated only from pressures on the
number level than to root reaction changes and interstage seal level and pressures at the tip and the root
adjustment of balancing holes. As it is evident from of the stage. Despite distorted data on pressures before
figure 15, with decreasing Mach number efficiency and after the fin it is obvious that balancing holes perform
increases even by several percent. The converse effect of their function and contribute to considerable drop in
the loss dependent on Mach number known from overpressure on the disc.
experiments with blade cascades can be observed in the A more specific idea of pressure distribution on the
stage. disc surface can be obtained from the numerical study
calculated for the stage of the same root reaction as
expected in the experimentally measured stage [2].
Results of the numerical study are processed in figure 17.
Variants are considered with or without the sealing fin
and also the stage with or without balancing holes. The
influence of holes and the sealing fin is confirmed on the
pressure distribution on the disc. Both the holes and the
sealing fin contribute to lowering the axial force
operating on the rotor. Placing the fin nearer to the root
radius of the stage can lower the final axial force even
more.

Figure 15. Influence of Mach number on efficiency

Figure 16. Pressure ratios in operational parameters

Figure 17. Numerical study of overpressure on disc with and without holes

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&RQFOXVLRQV 5HIHUHQFHV
• In stages with increased root reaction ρp ≈ 0.15 for 1. L. Tajč, M. Hoznedl, L. Bednář, L. Mrózek: Turbine
standard version with disc wheels it is not necessary to Stage HP5 – Stage with Higher Root Reaction
adjust the amount or size of balancing holes. (Turbínový stupeň VT5 – stupeň se zvýšenou reakcí
• Using the holes does not have crucial influence on the na patě), Výzkumná zpráva Doosan Škoda Power,
efficiency drop, but a drop in root reaction occurs. VZTP 1087, 2015
• The size of the holes does not need adjustment for the 2. V. Sláma: Numerical study Lovisa VTZ – Force
amount of steam leak through the interstage seal. Effects and the Pressure Distribution on the Rotor
• The influence of Mach number in the subsonic flow Disc (Výpočtový studie Lovisa VTZ – působení sil a
area on efficiency is confirmed. rozložení tlaků na disku oběžného kola), Doosan
• Holes in the disc contribute to lowering axial force Škoda Power, 2013
operating on the rotor. Application of sealing fin is
necessary. Also proper placing of the sealing fin is
important.

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