🔍 Key Concepts

• Axial thrust in turbines and what causes it • How steam flow direction affects forces on the rotor • The basic idea of a double-flow reaction turbine compared with single-flow

💭 Think About

• In a turbine, what happens to the rotor if steam flows only in one axial direction? How would that change if steam is arranged to flow in two opposite axial directions? • Which of the options describes a condition that would actually reduce or balance the net force along the shaft, instead of just changing pressure or efficiency? • Think about which components (blades, wheels, casings) actually experience and balance the axial force created by steam flow.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice deals directly with forces acting in opposite axial directions on the rotor. • Eliminate choices that mainly concern pressure equalization without clearly creating opposing thrust directions. • Verify which option describes a feature that is inherent to the double-flow design itself, not something that could exist in many other turbine types.