Overview for Improving Steam Turbine Power Generation Efficiency

Abstract

Electricity is an integral part of every society for which demand is growing continuously, whereas the production is still based on limited sources of energy derived mainly from steam and gas turbines, the turbomachinery. This paper presents an overview for preliminary study on the optimization of the design of the steam turbine. This was done with a special focus on the last stage low pressure turbine blades, for the reason that the design parameters of this component exhibit influence on the efficiency of power generation from the steam turbine electric power generating system. For supporting the study, a practical overview of the Egbin thermal power station, Nigeria, was included in the study with the parameters from the last stage low pressure turbine blade for this energy generation installation. By these, suggestions that could be undertaken for improving efficiency of the steam power plant for enhancing sustainability of electric power generation were also detailed in the paper.