×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Expander sealing

Expander sealing

Expander sealing

(OP)
Hi all,
    I need some advise on the sealing of a steam expander.
This expander is used in a power generation unit and it runs contiuously. It was running in a fair condition before and now suddenly there was a time when there was a sudden incerase in temperature of incoming steam cos of which the performance has deteriorated. I cannot stop the expander as it has to be running continuously and there is no backup unit for this one. After analyzing the flow rates and pressure buildups I have come to a conclusion that the performance drop is due to the gaps formed inside the expander. From my calculation the gaps cannot be more than 0.002-0.003". Is there any way to put some kind of sealant downstream with the steam and let it fill the gaps.
Operating conditions are
Temperature -250 F
Pressure -250 psi
RPM 3000
Any help in suggesting sealants that can work in the above operating conditions is greatly appreciated

RE: Expander sealing

You are saying that you want to inject some type of sealant into the steam to fill the gaps of .002-.003" in an expander turning how fast???  I'm thinking a scheme like this will solve your problem, because when whatever material anyone might suggest to do this hits the tight clearances in a machine turning this fast, after the wreck, and the subsequent overhaul, you will have your original clearances restored, and hence, be back to your original performance.

My vote is "not a good idea."

rmw

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources