PELTON WHEEL TURBINE

• Pelton Wheel Turbine is a tangential flow type impulse hydraulic turbine, which is used for
high heads for the generation of power.
• This turbine can work under the high potential head of water (head > 300 m).
• It was developed by Lester Ella Pelton in the 1870S.
• In this, the jet after leaving the nozzle runs in the open air and strikes the bucket or vane
placed on the periphery of the runner. The energy available at the end of the turbine is
kinetic energy and the pressure of the water at the inlet and outlet is atmospheric.

CONSTRUCTION

The following are the construction parts of a Pelton wheel Turbine:

1. Nozzle and flow regulating spear.

2. Runner and the buckets
3. Casing
4. Breaking Jet

Nozzle and flow regulating spear: The nozzle is used to increase

the kinetic energy of water which is used to strike the buckets
attached to the runner. The amount of water striking the buckets is
regulated by using the spear in the nozzle. The spear is a conical
needle which is operated either by hand wheel or automatically in
an axial direction depending on the size of the unit. Forward
movement of the spear in the axial direction reduces the water flow,
while its movement in the backward direction increases the
waterflow.

Runner and Buckets: it consists of a circular disc on the periphery

of which several buckets are evenly spaced and fixed (milled). The
shape of the bucket is of a double hemispherical cup or bowl. Each
bucket is divided into two symmetrical parts by a dividing wall
known as splitter. The jet of water strikes on the splitter. The splitter
divides the jet of water into two equal parts and the jet comes out at
the outer edge of the bucket as shown in the figure. The buckets are
made of cast iron/cast steel/bronze depending on the head
available at the turbine inlet.
Casing: The case (outer cover) in which turbine is placed so that water cannot splash
outside(surroundings) called casing. It also safeguards and helps the water to discharge to the tail
race. To make the casing, cast iron or fabricated steel plates are used. The casing of the Pelton
wheel doesn’t perform any hydraulic function.

Breaking Jet: when the nozzle is completely closed by the forward movement of the spear head,
the amount of water striking the Pelton wheel reduces to zero, but the runner continues to rotate
due to inertia, to stop this rotation of the runner in a short time, a small nozzle is provided that
directs the water jet on the rear profile of the bucket. This jet is called breaking jet.

WORKING OF THE PELTON WHEEL:

• The water from the reservoir flows to the nozzle through the penstock.
• Water flows from the nozzle with high kinetic energy along the tangent to the path of the
runner and when the jet of water meets the bucket, it exerts a force on the bucket called as
Impulse force.
• In this process, the momentum of the water is transferred to the turbine. The impulse force
produced due to this momentum of water causes the turbine to rotate.
• The double Semi ellipsoidal buckets split the water jet into two halves which helps in
balancing the wheel(runner). This ensures a smooth transfer of the fluid jet to the turbine
wheel.
• For the maximum power and efficiency, the turbine is designed such that, the water Jet
velocity is twice the velocity of the bucket.
APPLICATION OF THE PELTON WHEEL:
• Pelton turbine is employed in hydro-power plants where the water head available is high,
from 150 m to 2000 m and the flow rate is low (4-15m3/s).

ADVANTAGES OF THE PELTON WHEEL:

a) Intake and exhaust of water takes place at atmospheric pressure hence no draft tube is
required.
b) No cavitation problem
c) It has simple construction.
d) It can work on high heads and low discharge.
e) The overhaul and inspection are much easier than another turbine.
f) The overall efficiency is quite high as compared to reaction turbine.
g) The water hammer effect is not there.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE PELTON WHEEL:

a) In the Pelton turbine, the variation in the operating head cannot be easily controlled
because it works at high heads.
b) The ratio of maximum and minimum operating heads can be even less.
c) The operating head cannot be utilized when the variation in the tailwater level is relatively
large when compared to the total head.
d) The mechanical efficiency of the Pelton wheel decreases faster compared to the Francis
turbine.
e) The size of the runner, generator, powerhouse required is large and not economical if the
Pelton turbine is used instead of the Francis turbine for the same power generation.
FRANCIS TURBINE

• Francis Turbine is a mixed flow reaction Turbine in which water enters radially at its outer
periphery and leaves axially at its center.
• The Francis Turbine is the most used Water turbine (nearly 60% of the power produced
by the hydropower plant is generated by Francis Turbine) and was developed by James B
Francis.
• The Francis turbine operates under medium heads (45-400 meters), and which are guiding
types and it is employed to have medium discharge (10-700 m3/s).

CONSTRUCTION:

The major Components or Parts of Francis Turbine are as follows:

a) Scroll Casing (spiral casing)
b) Speed ring (stay ring)
c) Guide vanes
d) Runner
e) Draft tube

Scroll Casing (Spiral Casing): In Francis Turbine, Water from the Penstock enter a scroll casing
(spiral casing) that surrounds the runner. The casing has a passage that is the closed type and has
a cross-sectional area gradually decreasing along the direction of the flow area and it becomes
maximum at the inlet and zeroes at the exit.

Speed ring (stay ring): From the scroll casing, water passes through a speed ring or stay ring
which consists of a series of fixed vanes called stay vanes. The number of stay vanes is usually
taken as half the number of guide vanes. The function of the speed ring is to direct the water from
casing to the guide vanes or wicket gates and further resist the load imposed upon it.

Guide Vanes: From the speed ring, water passes through a series of guide vanes provided around
the periphery (aero foil shaped) of the runner. Their function is to regulate the quantity supplied
to the runner and direct the water on to the runner at an angle appropriate to the design. These
vanes direct the water onto the runner at an angle appropriate to the design. The motion to them
is given by means of a handwheel or automatically by a governor.

Runner: Francis Turbine blades are specially shaped that it has thin aero foil cross-section, so
when water flows over it, low pressure will be produced on one side and high pressure will be on
another side. This will result in a lift force. The number of runner blades will be around 16 to 24.
Draft tube: A draft tube is a large pipe with an increasing cross-section area that connects the
runner exit to the tailrace. The main function of the tube is to reduce the velocity of (water flowing)
at the time of discharge.

Installation of the Francis Turbine,

Wicket Gates are the ones in Yellow in
along with the Draft Tube
Color, Runner is the one in Red.
WORKING OF THE FRANCIS TURBINE:

• Firstly, water enters the penstock and surrounds the casing. The purpose of the casing is to
provide an even distribution of water around the circumference of the runner, maintaining
constant velocity for the water by gradually reducing the cross-sectional area of the casing.
• From the scroll casing, water passes through a stay ring which consists of a series of fixed
vanes called stay vanes. From the stay ring, water passes through a series of guide vanes
provided around the periphery of the runner.
• The vanes are so shaped that water enters the runner radially at the outer periphery and
leaves it axially at the inner periphery.
• The most important part of Francis Turbine is the runner. It is fitted with a collection of
complex-shaped blades. In runner, water enters radially and leaves axially. One more
peculiar thing about the blade is it is having a bucket type of shape towards the outlet so
water will hit and produce impulse force before leaving the runner.
• Both Impulse force and lift force will make the runner rotate. So, Francis Turbine is not a
pure reaction turbine, as a portion of force comes from the Impulse action also. Therefore,
it is a combination of Impulse and Reaction forces and thereby Francis turbine is also called
a Mixed Flow turbine.
• From the Runner, water enters the Draft tube which converts a large portion of velocity
energy into useful pressure energy that is rejected from the runner. Finally, water moves
out through the Tailrace after passing from the draft tube. In this way, by the usage of
Francis Turbine, electricity is generated.
 • Flow of water in the components of the Francis turbine, in the order of inlet to outlet is
given as: Scroll casing> speed ring>Guide vanes>Runner>Draft tube>Tailrace.

APPLICATION OF THE FRANCIS TURBINE:

a) This is the most efficient hydro turbine and used for the generation of electricity.
b) It can be used for a wide range of water head and flow rates.

ADVANTAGES OF FRANCIS TURBINE:

a) The operating head can be utilized even when the variation in the tailwater level is
relatively large when compared to the total head.
b) The variation in the operating head can be more easily controlled.
c) The size of the runner, generator, and powerhouse required is small and economical if the
Francis turbine is used instead of a big Pelton wheel for the same power generation.
d) Very little change in efficiency with time.

DISADVANTAGES OF FRANCIS TURBINE:

a) Water that is not clean can cause very rapid wear in high head Francis turbines.
b) There can be difficulty in the overhauling of the turbine and difficulties contained in the
inspection.
c) Cavitation is an ever-present danger.
d) Chances of water hammer can be there.
KAPLAN TURBINE

• Kaplan Turbine was developed in 1913 by Viktor Kaplan, an Austrian Professor. In his design,
he combined automatically adjusted propeller blades and guided vanes to obtain efficiency
over a wide range of water flow.
• Since it is a reaction turbine, the reaction force of leaving the water is used to turn the runner
of the Kaplan turbine.
• As the water flows through the twisted blades, a lift force is generated in the opposite direction
of the leaving water and that lift force causes the blades to rotate.
• It is employed to produce electrical energy at high discharge and low heads conditions.

CONSTRUCTION:

Kaplan Turbine consists of following main parts:

a) Turbine Shaft
b) Guide Vane
c) Runner Vanes
d) Scroll Casing
e) Draft Tube

Turbine Shaft: This is an important component that is used for rotating the motor to generated
electricity. In the runner blades, the turbine shafts are attached. Turbine Shaft must have heat-
resistant properties because it rotates at a high speed of 1800-3600 rpm. The turbine shaft
material is structural steel and others.

Guide Vane: Guide vanes act as a control gate that means It is regulating the flow of water
depending on the requirement. When guide vanes open full then there is a maximum flow of
water, and it strikes the turbine blades hence more energy can be generated. When guide vanes
open half therefore the flow rate of water is low comparatively. So, less water strikes with low
force on the turbine blades hence less generation of electricity.

Runner Vanes: The blades are attached to the runner. From the runner, the shaft is attached and
connected with the generator. When the runner rotates, the shaft also rotates. The axial flow of
water acting on the runner vanes causes the runner to rotate.

Scroll Casing: The inlet is through the scroll casing which is in the form of a spiral. This ensures
constant velocity of water flows along the path after entering the casing. The water is entered into
the scroll casing via penstock and then the water flows to the guide vanes. Now from here, the
water comes at the runner.

Draft Tube: Finally, water is discharged to the tailrace through a gradually expanding tube called
the Draught tube. A Kaplan Turbine runner has 4 to 6 blades.

WORKING OF THE KAPLAN TURBINE:

• The water from the penstock is to be allowed into the scroll casing of the Kaplan Turbine.
The scroll casing is designed in such a way that the pressure flow is maintained.
• The Guide vanes are fixed along with the spiral casing which makes the water to flow on to
the runner whereas the runner blades are fixed to the Hub or Boss(runner) which rotates
due to the reaction force of water hitting the blades of the runner.
• The guide vanes are adjustable w.r.t the flow rate. The water takes a 90-degrees turn so
that the direction of the water is axial to that of runner blades.
• From the runner blades, the water enters the draft tube where its pressure energy and
kinetic energy decreases. Kinetic energy is gets converted into pressure energy results in
increased pressure of the water.
• Due to the rotation of the runner, the shaft of the turbine rotates which thereby generates
electricity.

APPLICATION OF THE KAPLAN TURBINE:

a) It can work more efficiently at low heads and high flow rates.
b) At low water heads, the Kaplan turbine works more efficiently and with high flow
rates compared to other types of turbines.

ADVANTAGES OF KAPLAN TURBINE:

a) The Kaplan Turbine is used for the low head.

b) The size of this turbine is not large. Therefore, Space requirement is also low because of
limited size.
c) It can be used for high discharge applications.
d) A very high specific speed can be obtained.
e) There can be less loss of efficiency at part loads.
f) It is easy in construction as it consists of 5-6 blades.
DISADVANTAGES OF KAPLAN TURBINE:

a) The maintenance cost is high.

b) There is cavitation that occurs when the pressure drops at the draft tube.
c) The generator chamber got water leakage and there can be troublesome due to
condensation.