Working out steam velocity with only pressure difference

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the velocity of steam transitioning between two pressure levels in a turbine, specifically from 6 MPa to 0.008 MPa. The context is related to nuclear power and the operation of steam turbines.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between pressure differential and steam velocity, questioning how internal resistance in the turbine affects this relationship. There is also a consideration of a hypothetical scenario with no resistance to flow to determine a theoretical maximum velocity.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing insights into the effects of pressure changes and internal resistance on steam velocity. Some guidance has been offered regarding the factors influencing steam flow, but multiple interpretations and scenarios are being explored without a clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of specific volume and the conditions of steam at different sections of the turbine, indicating a complexity in the assumptions being made about the system's behavior.

jacob1
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I am currently doing an assignment on nuclear power and in the turbine, the steam is moving from pressure of 6Mpa to 0.008 Mpa. is there any way to work out the velocity of the steam when moving between these pressure differences?
 
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Welcome! :)
The main reason you have that pressure differential is the blades and rotors of the steam turbine, which are stealing energy from the steam flow: therefore, that steam velocity at each section depends on that internal resistance to the flow.
 
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Lnewqban said:
Welcome! :)
The main reason you have that pressure differential is the blades and rotors of the steam turbine, which are stealing energy from the steam flow: therefore, that steam velocity at each section depends on that internal resistance to the flow.
Thanks for your response!
How about if the system was treated as having no resistance to flow to work out a theoretical maximum velocity would there be a way to do this?
 
A change of pressure is involved for the mass of steam going through certain cross section; therefore, the specific volume at each section should be considered.
The conditions of steam could go from over-heated steam (turbine inlet) to sub-cooled condensate (turbine outlet) in a real turbine.
In your hypotetic case, the sudden pressure reduction could imply a sudden adiabatic increase of volume; resulting in a variable speed of steam for each cross-section of what would now be a duct rather than a entalphy degrading machine.
 

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