Determination of frequency of overhaul of a turbine plant

Abstract

Availability plays a major role in a machinery's lifetime. Today this is not enough as it may lead to drastic replacements which may lead to unnecessary expenses. The aim of this project. is to lead to a technique which can give an insight to when it is economically best to overhaul a plant in this case a condensing type turbine plant at the Malta Electricity Board. The technique is flexible and lands itself to easy manipulation to arrange for changes be they small or great. The project is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the steam turbine mainly the internal parts. The next part then mentions the main causes that reduce the efficiency of the turbine. It also outlines possible measures of prevention of deterioration of efficiency and ultimately to its restoration. The last part explains the technique to obtain the optimum frequency of an overhaul. A hypothetical model is given as an illustration and then a real example shows what is to be expected in practice.