Turbine and Condenser

A Parsons turbine and its associated condenser shell at White Bay Power Station sit at the turbine hall floor level, the turbine casing a large forged-steel cylinder with the exhaust volute facing downward into the condenser below. The condenser shell is a horizontal steel vessel with the waterbox inlet and outlet covers on either end. The conduit runs and the steam seal piping connect the turbine exhaust to the top of the condenser along a short flanged section. Copper condenser tubes are visible through the open waterbox cover on one end. The turbine casing carries an identification plate with the unit number and the rated output. The base frame is bolted to the turbine hall floor with heavy foundation bolts.

Parsons turbines and their condensers were the main generating plant at White Bay Power Station from the B Station expansion onwards. Steam from the Babcock and Wilcox boilers drove the turbine rotors, which were directly coupled to the alternators. Exhaust steam from the turbine passed into the condenser shells, where harbour water circulated through copper tubes cooled it back to water for return to the boiler feedwater circuit. White Bay's later Parsons units were rated at 50 MW each. The station reached its peak capacity of 186 MW across the C Station phase completed in 1948. White Bay ran from 1917 to Christmas Day 1983. After the 1990s decontamination most of the turbine plant was removed; the surviving structural components remain in the turbine hall.