Steam and Gas Turbines Practice Test: The Basics — Flashcards

Steam and Gas Turbines Basics and Classification topics includes: Types and nomenclature of steam turbines, flow passage and flow arrangement classification, types of engines and their components, application, cycle and fuel classification, basics and advantages of turbine and combined power plant.

Steam and gas turbines are both used to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy, which is then converted into electrical energy. The main difference between the two is how they create the mechanical energy:
Steam turbines: Use the expansion of high-pressure steam to create rotational motion.
Gas turbines: Use the combustion of fuel and air to create a high-velocity flow of hot gases through the turbine. 

Steam turbines are a key piece of equipment for energy conversion, which is a major requirement for almost all industries. 

Combined cycle power plants use both gas and steam turbines to increase electricity generation by almost 50%. In these plants, the steam from the production well is used to run the steam turbine. The steam after expansion still has heat content, which is recaptured in the heat exchanger. The gas turbine's exhaust heat then produces additional electricity.