basic mechanical engineering- hydraulic turbines 4 november 2010

Basic Mechanical Engineering-Hydraulic Turbines

4 November 2010

Hydraulic (Water) Turbines

• Basic working principle: Hydraulic turbines convert the potential energy of water into mechanical work.

• Three most popular hydraulic turbines are :

• Pelton wheel (Pelton turbine)• Kaplan turbine (Propeller turbine)• Francis turbine

4 November 2010

www.bookspar.com | Website for Students | VTU NOTES | QUESTION

PAPERS 3

Classification of Water TurbinesClassification of Water TurbinesBased on action of water:Based on action of water:

1. Impulse turbine – pelton wheel.2. Reaction turbine – francis and kaplan.

Based on name of originator:Based on name of originator:1. Pelton turbine or Pelton wheel2. Francis turbine3. Kaplan turbine

Based on head of water:Based on head of water:1. Low head turbine2. Medium head turbine3. High head turbine

Pelton Wheel (Pelton turbine)• This turbine is named after Lester A. Pelton (1829 – 1908) an

American Engineer who developed it in the year 1880.• Pelton wheel is a high head turbine. It is used with heads of more

than 500 metres. Note : A head is the distance the water falls before it strikes the turbine blades.

4 November 2010

Pelton Wheel (Pelton turbine)…• The flow of water is tangential

to the runner. So it is a tangential flow impulse turbine.

• A Pelton’s runner consists of a single wheel mounted on a horizontal shaft.

• Water falls towards the turbine through a pipe called penstock and flows through a nozzle.

• The high speed jet of water hits the buckets (vanes) on the wheel and causes the wheel to rotate.

• A spear rod which has a spear shaped end can be moved by a hand wheel.

4 November 2010

This movement controls the flow of water leaving the nozzle, before it strikes the bucket(vane)

Pelton Wheel (Pelton turbine)…

• The bucket or vane is so shaped that when the water strikes, it gets split into

two and gives it an impulse force in the centre of the bucket. This bucket is also known as splitter.

4 November 2010

4 November 2010



PAPERS 8

Pelton Turbine Runner

4 November 2010


Kaplan turbine (Propeller turbine)• Kaplan turbine is a type of propeller turbine which was developed

during 1900’s by the Austrian engineer Victor Kaplan (1876 – 1934)• Kaplan turbine is a low head turbine and used for heads of less than

80 metres.• The runner of a kaplan turbine resembles with propeller of a ship.

That is why, a Kaplan turbine is also called as propeller turbine.

4 November 2010

Kaplan turbine (Propeller turbine)…

• The turbine wheel, which is completely under water, is turned by the pressure of water against its blades.

• Guide vanes regulate the amount of water reaching the wheel.

4 November 2010

Kaplan turbine (Propeller turbine)…

4 November 2010


PAPERS

16

Francis turbine • It is named after James B. Francis (1815 – 1892) an English born

inventor who developed the turbine in the year 1849.• It is used when the head is between 80 to 500 metres. i.e. it is a

medium head turbine.• It is a mixed flow reaction turbine.

4 November 2010

Francis turbine… • A Francis turbine rotates in a

closed casing.• Its wheel has many curved

blades called runner vanes as many as 24.

• Its shaft is vertical. The wheel of a Francis turbine operates under water.

• The guide vanes and stay vanes control the amount of water flowing into the runner vanes.

• The runner is rotated mainly due to the weight or pressure of the flowing water.

4 November 2010


PAPERS 19


PAPERS 20

Hydraulic turbines…

Difference between Kaplan turbine and Francis turbine:

4 November 2010

Sl.No. Kaplan turbine Francis turbine1 Water enters the runner vanes

axially and leaves axially, hence it is called axial flow turbine.

Water enters the runner vanes radially and leaves axially, hence it is called a mixed flow turbine.

2 The number of blades in the runner is generally between 3 and 8.

The number of blades in the runner is generally between 16 and 24.

Hydraulic turbines…

Difference between Impulse and Reaction hydraulic turbines:

4 November 2010

Sl.No. Impulse turbinee.g. Pelton turbine

Reaction turbinee.g. Kaplan & Francis turbines

1 In an impulse turbine all the available energy of water is converted into kinetic energy as it passes through a nozzle.

In a reaction turbine, at the entrance to the runner, only a part of the available energy of water is converted into kinetic energy and a greater part remains in the form of pressure energy.

2 The water flowing through the nozzle impinges on the buckets which are fixed on the outer periphery of the wheel.

The water is guided by the guide blades to flow over the runner vanes.

Videos and Animations

1. Pelton Francis Kaplan turbine animation

4 November 2010

Thank You

4 November 2010


PAPERS 25

basic mechanical engineering- hydraulic turbines 4 november 2010

Documents

impulse turbine pelton

pelton wheel pelton

turbine blades

high head turbine

type of propeller turbine

head of water

reaction turbine francis

single wheel