PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS BASED ON EXPERIMENTAL DATA OF BACKPRESSURE STEAM TURBINE FOR COGENERATION IN SATURATED STEAM APPLICATIONS

This paper aims to validate the performance capabilities of a Pressure Reducing Turbine (PRT) with respect to initial predictions based on analytic calculations. The designed equipment was installed in a beverage facility, located in Brazil. The validation procedure consists of analyzing the data collected in several periods of PRT's operation, accessed remotely via an online server. The analysis of empirical data identifies the behavior of two key variables: generated power and effective efficiency. However, the observed boundary conditions differed significantly from expected values, forcing the turbine to operate in off-design conditions. The turbine model was hence refined and used to predict the PRT's performance in such conditions. Results showed satisfactory accuracy for both power and efficiency predictions.