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Question no. 27632

Contemporary steam power stations typically operate with steam pressures on the order of____________?

Select your answer for: Contemporary steam power stations typically operate with steam pressures on the order of____________?
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Answer: D. 150 kgf/cm2

Explanation

Modern high pressure thermal power stations typically operate with main steam pressures around 150 kgf/cm2 or higher. Operating at elevated pressures improves the average temperature of heat addition raising overall Rankine cycle efficiency. Advanced supercritical units push operating pressures even further above the critical point of water to maximize performance. High pressure steam generation requires heavy walled boiler tubes and robust alloy steel turbine casing materials. One kilogram force per square centimeter is approximately equal to ninety eight point zero six kilopascals. Raising steam pressure reduces specific steam consumption and decreases the physical size of required turbine rotors.

Pressures around 20 kgf/cm2 are obsolete and only characteristic of very old low pressure industrial steam engines. Operating at 50 kgf/cm2 represents outdated power plant technology far below modern utility standards. 100 kgf/cm2 is typical for intermediate subcritical power plants but lower than contemporary high pressure utility designs.

Subject
Engineering
Topic
—
Difficulty
medium

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