Patent ID: 8197182

Claim:
An opposed flow steam turbine comprising: a high pressure steam turbine; a low pressure steam turbine; a rotor shaft common to the high pressure steam turbine and the low pressure steam turbine; a first steam flow path in a first direction through the high pressure steam turbine; a second steam flow path in an opposing direction through the low pressure steam turbine; and means for directing the first steam flow path from the high pressure steam turbine to the second steam flow path in an opposing direction through the low pressure steam turbine, wherein the means comprises: an inner shell on the high pressure steam turbine, adapted for providing a first steam flow path in a first direction through the high pressure steam turbine; the first steam flow path in the first direction through the inner shell of the high pressure steam turbine; an outer shell on the high pressure steam turbine; a cross-over steam flow through the outer shell on the high pressure steam turbine to the low pressure steam turbine; and a casing joint between the high pressure steam turbine and the low pressure steam turbine, adapted to receive the cross-over steam flow from the outer shell of the high pressure steam turbine.