Steam Turbine Oil Challenges

As the appetite for electricity by modern society continues to grow, so does the desire of power plant managers to increase the reliability of their plants. The main piece of equipment used by power plants to produce electricity is the turbine; if it does not run, the plant does not produce electricity.

The most common types of turbines used in power plants are gas turbines and steam turbines. Aside from turbine blade failures, the most common turbine reliability issues are bearing and control system failures, which often can be traced back to lubrication-related issues.

Therefore, a turbine lubrication reliability program should be an integral part of any power plant maintenance programme. In recent years, there has been significant attention given to varnish formation in power turbine lubricating systems.

This paper will focus on varnish and other problems seen in steam turbines and will offer suggestions for how operators can overcome them. Download it to find out more.