Question 580Steam Plants - Assistant Engineer

The correct answer is C) water carryover from the boilers. The main propulsion turbine can be damaged by water carryover from the boilers because water droplets entering the turbine can cause erosion and pitting of the turbine blades. This can lead to imbalance, vibration, and potential catastrophic failure of the turbine. The turbine is designed to operate with steam, not liquid water, so water carryover must be prevented to maintain the integrity of the turbine. The other answer choices are incorrect because: A) maintaining vacuum too high is not directly damaging to the turbine, B) using the jacking gear without vacuum is more of a safety concern, and D) operating at slow speeds, while potentially less efficient, does not directly damage the turbine.