CHAPTER 5

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STEAM NOZZLES 2024 _ CPUT
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 A steam nozzle is a passage of varying cross-sectional areas in
which thermal energy is converted to kinetic energy to drive the
turbine. The velocity of a fluid increases at the expense of
pressure drop.
COMPRESSIBLE
A duct which decreases the velocity of a fluid and causes a
FLOW corresponding increase in pressure is called a diffuser.
Depending on the end conditions, the same duct may be a
nozzle or a diffuser.

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 The nozzle’s main functions are:
• To do work by transforming part of the steam’s kinetic
energy to mechanical energy by driving turbine blades.
• In a reaction turbine, the work is done by the reactive force
that causes the nozzle to initiate the rotary motion.

COMPRESSIBLE
FLOW(continued…) A fluid is considered compressible if its density changes with
a change in pressure (or temperature). If the density does
not change or changes very little, the fluid is said to be
incompressible. Gases and vapour are compressible,
whereas liquids are incompressible.

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 Flow through the nozzle process can be approximated as
adiabatic since no heat is supplied or rejected. Only work
is done to the steam by increasing its kinetic energy which
equals the adiabatic heat drop.

NOZZLES

Convergent nozzle

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 Convergent-divergent nozzles produce comparatively higher
velocity than converging due to high steam expansion. The inlet
velocity is negligible compared to the exit velocity.

NOZZLES

Convergent-divergent nozzle

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 Mach number (M) is the ratio of the actual velocity to the
velocity of sound.

Velocity of sound

𝑉 M < 1: subsonic
𝑀𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 = M = 1: sonic or choked velocity
𝐶
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6 Hypersonic > 5 x Mach 1 6
 The nozzle efficiency is affected by the frictional losses in the
nozzle, which reduces the steam velocity for a given heat drop.
This is constituted by:
NOZZLE • Friction between the steam and the nozzle surface,
EFFICIENCY • Internal friction in the steam, and
• Shock losses.
&
STEAM
VELOCITY These losses occur predominantly in the throat and the
diverging section downstream. As a result:
• The steam expansion is no longer isentropic,
• The steam dryness fraction is increased as more heat is
absorbed, and
• Increased in specific volume as the steam dries by absorbing
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frictional heat.
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 Under ideal conditions and considering the unit mass of steam
flow.
The kinetic energy gained = The adiabatic enthalpy drop in the
nozzle.
NOZZLE
EFFICIENCY 𝑉2 2
& = ℎ1 − ℎ2 → 𝑉2 = 2ℎ𝑑 = 2 × 1000ℎ𝑑 = 44.72 ℎ𝑑
2
STEAM
VELOCITY However, there is approximately a 10 to 15 % loss under actual
(continued…)
conditions due to friction, represented by “k”. Thus, the actual
exit velocity becomes:

𝑉 = 44.72 𝑘ℎ𝑑

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 The actual curve
becomes 1-2-2’ for Sat.
steam and 4-5-5’ for
NOZZLE superheated steam.
EFFICIENCY
&
STEAM
VELOCITY For steam entering the nozzle as dry saturated:
(continued…)
2 − 2′ ℎ2 − ℎ2′
𝑘= =
2−3 ℎ2 − ℎ3

For superheated steam at entry:

5 − 5′ ℎ5 − ℎ5′
𝑘= =
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5−6 ℎ5 − ℎ6
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 The actual curve
becomes 1-2-2’ for Sat.
steam and 4-5-5’ for
NOZZLE superheated steam.
EFFICIENCY
&
STEAM
VELOCITY Scenario 1: For steam entering the nozzle as dry saturated:
(continued…)
1 − 2′ ℎ1 − ℎ2′
ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 = =
1−3 ℎ1 − ℎ3
Scenario 2: For superheated steam at entry:
4 − 5′ ℎ4 − ℎ5′
ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 = =
4−6 ℎ4 − ℎ6
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 Using scenario 1 as an example for an inlet and outlet under a steady flow
energy equation:

𝑉1 2 𝑉3 2 𝑉3 2
ℎ1 + = ℎ2′ + ,if 𝑉1 is negligible, then = ℎ1 − ℎ2′
2 2 2
NOZZLE
ℎ𝑑𝑎𝑐𝑡. ℎ1 − ℎ2′ In terms of velocities and when
EFFICIENCY ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 = =
ℎ𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑛. ℎ1 − ℎ3 the inlet velocity is considered,
& the efficiency becomes:
STEAM ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 × ℎ𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑛. = ℎ𝑑𝑎𝑐𝑡. ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 =
𝑉3′ − 𝑉1
𝑉3 − 𝑉1
VELOCITY 𝑉3 2
(continued…) With negligible inlet velocity, it is:
ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 × ℎ𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑛. =
2
𝑉3′
𝑉3 2 ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 =
ⴄ𝑛𝑜𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑒 = 𝑉3
2 ℎ1 − ℎ3

Note: A convergent nozzle's friction coefficient “k-value” and the nozzle's

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efficiency are equal.
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 The flow in the nozzles is guided by the equation

𝑝𝑣 𝑛 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑝1 𝑣1 𝑛 = 𝑝2 𝑣2 𝑛

𝑛 = 1.3, for superheated steam

𝑛 = 1.135, for saturated steam
Nozzle maximum 𝑛 = 1.035 + 0.1𝑥, for wet steam
discharge
𝑛+1
𝑝1 2 𝑛−1
𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑥 =A 𝑛
𝑣1 𝑛+1

𝑛
𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 2 𝑝 𝑣
𝑛+1 1 1

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 Work done per kg of steam
𝑛
𝑊𝐷 = 𝑝1 𝑣1 − 𝑝2 𝑣2
𝑛−1
𝑛
ℎ1 − ℎ2 = 𝑝1 𝑣1 − 𝑝2 𝑣2
𝑛−1

Steam mass flow rate.

Nozzle equations 𝑚ሶ = mass flow rate in kg/s
𝐴𝑉 𝐴 = throat area in 𝑚2
𝑚ሶ =
𝑣2 𝑉 = velocity of steam in m/s
𝑣 = steam specific volume in 𝑚3 /𝑘𝑔

The volumetric flow rate is given by:

𝑣ሶ = 𝑣 × 𝑚ሶ
𝑣ሶ = volumetric flow rate 𝑚3 /𝑠
𝑚ሶ = mass flow rate kg/s
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𝑣 = steam specific volume in 𝑚3 /𝑘𝑔
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 Critical pressure ratio and choked flow.

Nozzle maximum
discharge

Throat-to-inlet pressure ratio:

𝑛
𝑝2 2 𝑛−1 𝑝2 = throat pressure kPa
= 𝑝1 = inlet pressure kPa
𝑝1 𝑛+1
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 Consider a medium flowing in a horizontal nozzle brought to rest under
reversible conditions. The medium’s entire kinetic energy is converted to
heat energy, which increases the temperature and pressure of the medium.
This medium temperature and pressure are known as “stagnation”
temperature and pressure. And are denoted by subscript ‘0’. Static
conditions are denoted by the subscript “s”. The properties (pressure,
temperature and density) existing in the stagnation state are called stagnation
properties. The stagnation point is referred to as a reference point for
Stagnation analysis.

properties of
compressible flow

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 Stagnation state

Stagnation
properties of
compressible flow
(continued…)

𝑉2 𝑉2
𝐶𝑝𝑇0 = 𝐶𝑝𝑇𝑠 + ℎ0 = ℎ𝑠 +
2 2

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