An impulse turbine uses fixed nozzles to create high-velocity jets of steam, water, or other gases to rotate the turbine shaft. The most common type is the impulse steam turbine, while the Pelton wheel is an impulse water turbine. Impulse turbines range in size from less than one horsepower to over 2 million horsepower and are used in a variety of applications, including steam power plants and hydroelectric power plants.
An impulse turbine is a type of turbine often found in steam power plants. The pulse turbine was invented in the late 19th century by Swedish inventor Gustaf de Laval and has since been greatly improved and employed in a variety of ways. Turbines are not unique to steam, however; An impulse turbine is a turbine whose rotation is created by fixed nozzles, where jets of the working fluid – be it steam, water or other gases – push the buckets onto a rotor. This is very different from a jet turbine, whose nozzles rotate with the rotor itself. A good example of a jet turbine would be an automatic garden sprinkler, and a pulse turbine is more like a toy pinwheel.
The most common type of impulse turbine is the impulse steam turbine, in which fixed nozzles help create high-velocity jets of steam. The kinetic energy of the steam velocity is then used to rotate the steam turbine shaft at very high speeds. The fixed nozzles in front of the rotating blades help to increase the speed of the steam at the expense of a decrease in pressure. This is a very important part of the process, because speed and pressure both play equally important roles in turbine efficiency. This is very different from a reciprocating steam engine, where engine revolutions per minute depend primarily on steam pressure alone.
Another type of impulse turbine is the impulse water turbine, which is used in hydroelectric power plants around the world. These types of turbines are known as Pelton wheels and the rotor consists of many buckets to collect flowing water. Pelton wheels, however, are very different from a typical water wheel; water wheels rely on the weight of the water for rotation, but the Pelton wheel relies on flow. Pelton wheels are incredibly efficient, because they use almost all the energy from the speed of the water.
Impulse turbines come in a wide variety of types and sizes. Sizes range from small devices of less than one horsepower to large industrial turbines capable of delivering more than 2 million horsepower. Smaller turbines are a rarity, having only been used for smaller jobs, such as generating electricity on steam locomotives. The largest turbines, however, are responsible for around 80% of the world’s electricity. These turbines are often a combination of both impulse and reaction turbines.
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