What are the basic fundamentals of steam powered electrical generators?

Answer 1

It is the steam turbine that is powered by steam of course, the generator is mechanically coupled and driven by it. Steam at the maximum pressure and temperature produced by the steam raising plant is admitted at the HP end of the turbine, and it travels through the turbine to the LP end. The turbine has blades arranged radially on its shaft and the steam impinges on these and turns the assembly. As the steam progresses down the length of the turbine it loses energy and its pressure is reduced, so the blades have to be made progressively longer, being the maximum at the LP end. To obtain the maximum energy from the steam the LP end is run under vacuum, with the steam exhausting into a large water cooled condenser under the turbine, from where the condensed water is returned to the steam raising plant.

The generator is electrically synchronised to the grid system, which is a large interconnected system of multiple units in different locations, all synchronised to each other and running at a fixed frequency (60 Hz or 50 Hz). Each steam turbine has its own governor controlled steam inlet valves. The principle is that if additional load comes onto the system, or drops off for that matter, the system frequency will drop or rise, and the turbine governors will see this because it is reflected back to the turbine rotational speed, and adjust the steam inlet valves to admit more or less steam.

Answer 2

Steam powered electrical generators work by using steam to turn a turbine connected to an electrical generator. The steam can be produced by heating water using various methods such as fossil fuels, nuclear energy, or renewable sources like solar energy. The rotating turbine then generates electricity through electromagnetic induction.