What is the impact of impurities in steam on the safe operation of boiler and turbine equipment?

Thread Content

What is the impact of impurities in steam on the safe operation of boiler and turbine equipment? Answer: Excessive amounts of impurities in steam can cause salt deposits to form on the heating surfaces of the superheaters, in the flow passages of the turbines, or within the steam pipes. If scale deposits on the tubes of the heater’s heating surface, it will reduce the heat transfer efficiency ； At the least, it reduces heat absorption, increases the flue gas temperature, and lowers the boiler efficiency ； In severe cases, it can cause the wall temperature of the tube to exceed the allowable limit for the metal, resulting in the tube being damaged due to overheating. When salt deposits accumulate in the flow passages of a turbine, they reduce the cross-sectional area through which steam flows, increase the roughness of the blades, and even alter the shape of these blades. This leads to increased resistance within the turbine, reduced output and efficiency. It also causes increased stress on the blades as well as axial thrust, along with heightened vibration in the turbine, potentially resulting in turbine failures. Salt scale deposited at the valves of steam pipes can cause the valves to stick, fail to operate properly, and leak steam.