Steam Turbine & Power Plant
Engineering Exam Q&A (Impulse,
Reaction Turbines, Cooling
Towers, Steam Engines),2026
Updated
What is the purpose of a turbine thrust bearing?
CORRECT ANSWER To transfer turbine thrust to the load.
Shaft sealing carbon glands are:
CORRECT ANSWER Self-lubricating.
In a turbine with a pressure lubrication system, the high-pressure oil generally
goes to the governor system. Where is the low-pressure oil led?
CORRECT ANSWER To the bearings.
For what purpose is lubricating oil required on a turbine besides lubrication?
CORRECT ANSWER To carry heat away from the bearings.
In an impulse turbine:
CORRECT ANSWER The steam pressure is reduced in the nozzles.
Reaction turbines:
CORRECT ANSWER Have a pressure drop through both the moving and stationary
blades.
A steam turbine should trip or shut down when normal operating speed is
exceeded by:
CORRECT ANSWER 10–15%.
The handwheel used to adjust turbine speed on the governor is known as the:
CORRECT ANSWER Speeder.
How many basic types of turbines are there?
CORRECT ANSWER Two.
A large reaction turbine will have:
CORRECT ANSWER Steam pressure dropping through moving and stationary
sections.
,Impulse turbines:
CORRECT ANSWER Have no pressure drop through the moving blades.
What do the stationary nozzles of an impulse turbine convert the thermal
energy of steam into?
CORRECT ANSWER Kinetic energy.
The steam engine will have the steam supply to the cylinder shut off once the
piston has travelled:
CORRECT ANSWER 25–35% of its stroke.
A single device which converts an energy source into mechanical motion is
called:
CORRECT ANSWER A prime mover.
Advantages of a steam engine include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Direction of rotation can be changed without gearing
• Simple and rugged construction
• Slow rotational speed without reduction gearing
Routine daily maintenance of an operating steam engine should first focus on:
CORRECT ANSWER The lubricators.
One of the first ways to detect a fault in a reciprocating engine is:
CORRECT ANSWER By sound.
In steam engine construction, what does eccentric mean?
CORRECT ANSWER Out of center.
A steam engine piston:
CORRECT ANSWER Has greater driving force at the beginning of its stroke.
Large power production plants tend to be thermal because:
CORRECT ANSWER The heat cycle they use is the most efficient.
What is the purpose of a flywheel in a steam engine?
CORRECT ANSWER
• Dampens speed fluctuations
• Carries the engine over dead center
What is the main advantage of using the properties of steam?
CORRECT ANSWER Economy.
A gasoline engine is a heat engine. What is its working fluid?
CORRECT ANSWER Combustion gases and air mixture.
,The steam turbine exhaust can often supply the process with steam because:
CORRECT ANSWER It is free of oil.
When the steam pressure drop occurs only in the stationary members of a
turbine, the turbine is known as:
CORRECT ANSWER An impulse unit.
Most turbine overspeed trips operate by:
CORRECT ANSWER Centrifugal force.
The great majority of turbine governors are of the:
CORRECT ANSWER Mechanical centrifugal type.
Turbine overspeed trip:
CORRECT ANSWER Will close the steam stop valve to the turbine.
Turbine lubricating oil:
CORRECT ANSWER Can be used to operate the turbine governor.
The turbine overspeed trip prevents:
CORRECT ANSWER The turbine from exceeding the maximum rated speed and
will close the steam stop valve.
What is the purpose of the nozzles in the turbine?
CORRECT ANSWER To increase steam velocities.
For water temperatures up to 70°C, increasing temperature by 15–30°C will
cause corrosion rates in cooling towers:
CORRECT ANSWER To double.
Microorganisms require carbon to develop. Where would they obtain this
carbon in a cooling tower?
CORRECT ANSWER From the cellulose in the wood.
Methods used to circulate air in cooling towers include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Induced draft fans
• Natural draft
• Convection currents
If the initial treatment of film-forming chemicals in a cooling tower is too weak:
CORRECT ANSWER Severe corrosion in unprotected areas may occur.
The average amount of water evaporated in a cooling tower is:
CORRECT ANSWER About 5%.
, Steel corrosion in cooling towers is mainly due to:
CORRECT ANSWER Dissolved oxygen.
Delignification in cooling tower wood is caused by:
CORRECT ANSWER Chemicals such as chlorine.
Advantages of Venturi towers include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• No fan required
• Quiet operation
• No fill required
• Reduced maintenance
Corrosion rates in cooling towers are relatively unaffected at about:
CORRECT ANSWER 70°C.
The two classifications of mechanical draft cooling towers are:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Forced draft
• Induced draft
"What makes cooling tower such a good environment for biological growth? -
CORRECT ANSWER -An oxygen-rich atmosphere.
Warm water."
"In cold climates, ice formation in a cooling tower may be dealt with by: - CORRECT
ANSWER -Slowing the fans down.
Reversing the fans."
"Compared to a crossflow tower, a counterflow tower: - CORRECT ANSWER
-Occupies less floorspace."
"What are splash bars and different chemical methods used to protect the cooling
tower against? - CORRECT ANSWER -Biological fouling."
"How many general methods are there to circulate air in the cooling tower? -
CORRECT ANSWER -There are four."
"Excessive water drift in the cooling tower could be the result of a drift eliminators
being out of place or: - CORRECT ANSWER -The water flow rate is too high."
Engineering Exam Q&A (Impulse,
Reaction Turbines, Cooling
Towers, Steam Engines),2026
Updated
What is the purpose of a turbine thrust bearing?
CORRECT ANSWER To transfer turbine thrust to the load.
Shaft sealing carbon glands are:
CORRECT ANSWER Self-lubricating.
In a turbine with a pressure lubrication system, the high-pressure oil generally
goes to the governor system. Where is the low-pressure oil led?
CORRECT ANSWER To the bearings.
For what purpose is lubricating oil required on a turbine besides lubrication?
CORRECT ANSWER To carry heat away from the bearings.
In an impulse turbine:
CORRECT ANSWER The steam pressure is reduced in the nozzles.
Reaction turbines:
CORRECT ANSWER Have a pressure drop through both the moving and stationary
blades.
A steam turbine should trip or shut down when normal operating speed is
exceeded by:
CORRECT ANSWER 10–15%.
The handwheel used to adjust turbine speed on the governor is known as the:
CORRECT ANSWER Speeder.
How many basic types of turbines are there?
CORRECT ANSWER Two.
A large reaction turbine will have:
CORRECT ANSWER Steam pressure dropping through moving and stationary
sections.
,Impulse turbines:
CORRECT ANSWER Have no pressure drop through the moving blades.
What do the stationary nozzles of an impulse turbine convert the thermal
energy of steam into?
CORRECT ANSWER Kinetic energy.
The steam engine will have the steam supply to the cylinder shut off once the
piston has travelled:
CORRECT ANSWER 25–35% of its stroke.
A single device which converts an energy source into mechanical motion is
called:
CORRECT ANSWER A prime mover.
Advantages of a steam engine include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Direction of rotation can be changed without gearing
• Simple and rugged construction
• Slow rotational speed without reduction gearing
Routine daily maintenance of an operating steam engine should first focus on:
CORRECT ANSWER The lubricators.
One of the first ways to detect a fault in a reciprocating engine is:
CORRECT ANSWER By sound.
In steam engine construction, what does eccentric mean?
CORRECT ANSWER Out of center.
A steam engine piston:
CORRECT ANSWER Has greater driving force at the beginning of its stroke.
Large power production plants tend to be thermal because:
CORRECT ANSWER The heat cycle they use is the most efficient.
What is the purpose of a flywheel in a steam engine?
CORRECT ANSWER
• Dampens speed fluctuations
• Carries the engine over dead center
What is the main advantage of using the properties of steam?
CORRECT ANSWER Economy.
A gasoline engine is a heat engine. What is its working fluid?
CORRECT ANSWER Combustion gases and air mixture.
,The steam turbine exhaust can often supply the process with steam because:
CORRECT ANSWER It is free of oil.
When the steam pressure drop occurs only in the stationary members of a
turbine, the turbine is known as:
CORRECT ANSWER An impulse unit.
Most turbine overspeed trips operate by:
CORRECT ANSWER Centrifugal force.
The great majority of turbine governors are of the:
CORRECT ANSWER Mechanical centrifugal type.
Turbine overspeed trip:
CORRECT ANSWER Will close the steam stop valve to the turbine.
Turbine lubricating oil:
CORRECT ANSWER Can be used to operate the turbine governor.
The turbine overspeed trip prevents:
CORRECT ANSWER The turbine from exceeding the maximum rated speed and
will close the steam stop valve.
What is the purpose of the nozzles in the turbine?
CORRECT ANSWER To increase steam velocities.
For water temperatures up to 70°C, increasing temperature by 15–30°C will
cause corrosion rates in cooling towers:
CORRECT ANSWER To double.
Microorganisms require carbon to develop. Where would they obtain this
carbon in a cooling tower?
CORRECT ANSWER From the cellulose in the wood.
Methods used to circulate air in cooling towers include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Induced draft fans
• Natural draft
• Convection currents
If the initial treatment of film-forming chemicals in a cooling tower is too weak:
CORRECT ANSWER Severe corrosion in unprotected areas may occur.
The average amount of water evaporated in a cooling tower is:
CORRECT ANSWER About 5%.
, Steel corrosion in cooling towers is mainly due to:
CORRECT ANSWER Dissolved oxygen.
Delignification in cooling tower wood is caused by:
CORRECT ANSWER Chemicals such as chlorine.
Advantages of Venturi towers include:
CORRECT ANSWER
• No fan required
• Quiet operation
• No fill required
• Reduced maintenance
Corrosion rates in cooling towers are relatively unaffected at about:
CORRECT ANSWER 70°C.
The two classifications of mechanical draft cooling towers are:
CORRECT ANSWER
• Forced draft
• Induced draft
"What makes cooling tower such a good environment for biological growth? -
CORRECT ANSWER -An oxygen-rich atmosphere.
Warm water."
"In cold climates, ice formation in a cooling tower may be dealt with by: - CORRECT
ANSWER -Slowing the fans down.
Reversing the fans."
"Compared to a crossflow tower, a counterflow tower: - CORRECT ANSWER
-Occupies less floorspace."
"What are splash bars and different chemical methods used to protect the cooling
tower against? - CORRECT ANSWER -Biological fouling."
"How many general methods are there to circulate air in the cooling tower? -
CORRECT ANSWER -There are four."
"Excessive water drift in the cooling tower could be the result of a drift eliminators
being out of place or: - CORRECT ANSWER -The water flow rate is too high."
