What happens to steam after it passes through the moving blades of an impulse turbine?

Study for the Massachusetts 3rd Class Engineer Exam. Access flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Prepare for success on your exam!

After steam passes through the moving blades of an impulse turbine, the velocity drops while the pressure remains relatively constant. This is due to the nature of the impulse turbine operation, which converts the kinetic energy of the steam into mechanical energy to drive the turbine.

In an impulse turbine, the steam is directed onto the blades at high velocity, which imparts a change in momentum to the turbine blades. As the steam strikes the blades, it loses some of its kinetic energy, resulting in a reduction of velocity after passing through the blades. However, the pressure of the steam does not change drastically during this process because, in an impulse turbine, the steam expands in a controlled manner, and any pressure drop associated with this expansion occurs primarily in the nozzles before the steam reaches the blades.

Understanding the behavior of steam in an impulse turbine is essential for efficient turbine operation and performance analysis, as it indicates how effectively the turbine converts steam energy into work. While some options describe changes that might occur, they do not accurately characterize the specific behavior of steam in an impulse turbine context.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy