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How do condensing steam turbines extract more energy from steam?

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Condensing steam turbines extract more energy from steam by operating at pressures significantly below atmospheric pressure, typically 90 to 100 kilopascals lower.1

By maintaining this vacuum, the turbine allows for a much larger expansion of the steam as it passes through the device. This increased expansion results in a greater change in enthalpy, which directly translates into higher work output and improved overall efficiency compared to noncondensing turbines, which exhaust steam at or above atmospheric pressure.1

To achieve this, these systems utilize a condenser that removes heat from the exhaust steam, causing it to transition from a vapor to a liquid state. Because efficiency is a primary objective in power generation, this ability to maximize energy extraction makes condensing turbines the standard choice for central station power plants.12