Gland steam is used to seal which part of a steam turbine?

• A. The rotor carbon rings
• B. The turbine bearings
• C. The casing joints
• D. The exhaust

Answer: (B)

Gland steam is used to seal the bearing area around the shaft. The shaft passes through the bearing housing at the gland, and you want to prevent high-pressure steam from leaking down the shaft into the bearing oil space or drawing in air. Feeding a small amount of steam into the gland packing creates a barrier with a slight positive pressure, which keeps lubrication contained, reduces oil leakage, and prevents contaminants from entering the bearing region. The sealing around the rotor itself is handled by rotor carbon rings, while casing joints and exhaust use different sealing methods, so gland steam’s purpose is specifically to protect and seal the bearing-gland area.