Advantages of Francis

Turbines
●
Francis turbines work best
for medium to
high range heads
●
Easily controlled operating
head
●
Francis turbines operate
over the largest
range for both flow and
head parameters
●
Large range in size to
meet different
power requirements
○
Range from 0.25 MW to
1000 MW
●
High efficiency
○
Generally around 94%
●
Francis turbines are mixed
flow designs
●
Francis turbines have the
highest
maximum power for
turbines
●
Francis vs. Pelton
○
Smaller and more
economical than a
Pelton wheel capable of
the same
power generation
○
More resistant to wear
than the
Pelton wheel
○
Francis turbines have
higher levels
of efficiency
Disadvantages
●
Unclean water can cause
rapid wear in
Francis turbines
●
Cavitation is always a
possibility
○
Runner erosion
○
Losses in efficiency
●
Difficult to maintain and
clean
●
Low acceptance of head
variation
●
Constant adjustment of
guide vanes and
runners
●
Francis turbines are
generally limited to
large hydroelectric
systems