Condensing turbine

A typical turbine set with a condensation turbine (HP, MD and 3 LP turbine sections [yellow] and generator [red])

A condensing turbine is a low pressure - steam turbine in which the steam to the saturated steam condition, or even into the wet steam is -region in relaxed, so that condensation in the exhaust steam enters.

The condensation turbine thus represents the counterpart to the back pressure turbine , in which exhaust steam is extracted in the overpressure range and is superheated , for example in order to use it as process steam ( combined heat and power ).

The condensation turbine is the usual design of steam turbines in steam power plants for generating electricity. A condenser is connected downstream of the turbine, which generates the lowest possible temperature and thus the lowest possible back pressure ( negative pressure ). In this way, maximum energy yield and maximum efficiency are achieved.

Since the steam has a very high specific volume at the low pressures in the vacuum range, condensation turbines have very large exhaust steam volume flows and thus very large exhaust steam cross-sections and very long end blades . The high peripheral speed of the blades in connection with the condensate droplets in the steam can lead to droplet erosion . The surface of the end vanes is therefore usually hardened or coated .