DESCRIPTION

Technical Description

In a steam power plant, thermal energy is converted into mechanical energy, and ultimately into electrical energy. A steam power plant consists of a heat source for generating steam, a turbine or steam engine with generator, and a cooling device for condensing. The steam engine is used to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy.

The ET 813 steam engine, together with the brake unit HM 365 as a consumer of the electrical energy and the steam generator ET 813.01, forms a complete steam power plant. 

The trainer includes a steam engine, a condenser and a condensate tank, and comprehensive instrumentation. 

The steam engine is a sealed two-cylinder steam engine with 180° crank offset and single-acting plunger. It can be used to show the operating properties and functioning of a piston steam engine. Since the exhaust steam  in piston steam engines contains entrained lubricating oil, an oil separator and a cascade tank ensure the condensate is cleaned as necessary, so that clean water can be fed back into the feedwater tank of the steam generator ET 813.01. 

Sensors record the temperature, pressure, speed, and flow rate at all relevant points. The measured values can be read on digital displays. At the same time, the measured values can also be transmitted directly to a PC via USB. The data acquisition software is included.

The well-structured instructional material sets out the fundamentals and provides a step-by-step guide through the experiments.

Learning Objectives / Experiments

Together with HM 365 and ET 813.01
- determining the amount of steam generated, the mechanical power and the power consumption
- calculating the overall efficiency
- determining the heat dissipated in the condenser
- recording the vapour pressure curve
- effective output
- specific steam consumption by the steam engine
- thermal capacity of the boiler
- energy gradient across the steam engine