TURBINE SEAL-STEAM SYSTEM (Figure.

12)

When a condensing steam turbine is first started up and in a low-load

condition, steam from the inlet (H.P.) end will leak from the outboard
gland - even though carbon-ring seals and labyrinth seals are installed to
minimise the leakage. Superheated steam is invisible and, due to its high
temperature, is very dangerous. Leakage of steam is also a waste and is
not desirable. Conversely, under the same low-load conditions, the L.P
end of the turbine will be under the vacuum of the surface condenser.
The vacuum will tend to pull in cold atmospheric air through the seals
along the shaft. Cold air will have a detrimental effect on the hot metal
of the shaft which can lead to damage. In order to minimise these
problems, a manually controlled supply of low pressure SEAL steam
(about 2 Psi), is piped to a common line feeding the glands of the
machine. This pressure will prevent the ingress of air at the L.P. end and
ensure a positive pressure at the H.P. end during start-up. (The ejector
units are started and vacuum pulled before starting the turbine). When
the turbine load is increased, the leakage of steam into the Seal-steam
header will cause greater pressure than the Seal steam supply and will
begin to flow to the L.P. end seal. At this point, the Seal steam supply
can be shut down and the Seal-steam taken from the H.P. end and
manually maintained at 2 Psi by venting excess into the surface
condenser. Even when the seal pressures are maintained at 2 Psi, some
leakage occurs from both seals. This is taken care of by the LEAK steam
recovery system.

TURBINE LEAK-STEAM SYSTEM (Figure. 13)

Leakage of steam from turbine glands to atmosphere (in both types of
turbine), as already mentioned, is dangerous and a waste of steam. The
turbine inboard and outboard glands are fitted with carbon ring seals and
labyrinth seals to help prevent leakage. These seals do not completely
stop the escape of steam. In order to completely prevent it, a turbine will
also be fitted with a LEAK-steam system which pipes the leakage into a
water cooled condenser. The condensate from the condenser is drained
away to a 'Hot-well' from where it is returned to the steam generation
plant. The leak steam condenser is fitted with an ejector system to
remove non-condensable from the steam and discharge them to
atmosphere with the ejector exhaust steam. This, in the case of the
condensing turbine, is to prevent non-condensable from re-entering the
surface condenser.

SEAL STEAM SYSTEM

Figure. 12
TURBINE LEAK STEAM SYSTEM

Figure. 13