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Roger
02-23-2004 15:19:01
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Re: Re: Re: How can steam be dry? in reply to Joe Evans, 02-23-2004 10:51:36
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I used to do some compressor maintenance at a few generating stations a few years ago. In orientation, we read some of the specs of the system : steam pressure 3000psi @ 1300F. It took a week for the turbines to cool down enough to be taken apart for service. The flue gases were 600F, and would cook your lungs if you inhaled any leaking gas. The flame was actually in mid-air, as it was kept aloft by huge blowers feeding in pulverized coal and fresh air. The boiler feed pumps were 1000hp apiece. The boilers were about 8 stories high, and floated in their own feedwater, like ships. It was kind of a spooky place to work, since it seemed like everything was on the ragged edge of blowing to pieces. It was also so loud in there thet we had to wear plugs and muffs, and we communicated by handsignals a lot of the time. The generator windings were cooled with hydrogen (don't ask me how that kept from going BOOM!). There was also a small matter of 240,000V. There were six turbines in there, at 500MW each, which is over 3 million horsepower. We used to think a 100hp compressor screw was kinda large, till we took one apart one day and had it lifted out by the crane. By the time it had lifted it to the top of the station, we couldn't see it anymore. We worked on their compressors and blowers, which were used for dust collection. There must have been about 30 compressors per station, with none smaller then 75hp, and the blowers were run in groups of three, through a chain drive, with a 4160V, 350hp motor. It is something to see a 4" diameter shaft twisted off like a piece of wet spaghetti. We joked that it was amazing that they had any electrons left over to send down the line, once they had powered up all their own machinery. Overall, it was probably the most interesting place I visited.
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