INTRODUCTION

Fluid is sent through the nozzle so that most of its available mechanical energy is
converted into kinetic energy in an impulse turbine. The bucket-shape vane is
impinged by the high speed jet that transfers the energy to the turbine shaft. Lester A.
Pelton has invented the modern and most efficient type of impulse turbine in 1878 and
the rotating wheel is now called a Pelton wheel in his honor.

The buckets of a Pelton wheel are designed so as to split the flow in half and turn the
flow nearly 180  around (with respect to a frame of reference moving with the
bucket). the splitter ridge shape has been modelled by Pelton after the nostrils of a
cow’s nose. A portion of the outermost part of each bucket is cut out so that the
majority of the jet can pass through the bucket that is not aligned with jet ( bucket) to
reach the most aligned bucket. In this way, the maximum amount of momentum from
the jet is utilized.
METHODOLOGY

The general start-up procedures was performed . The throttle valve was fully open and
allowed the water to circulate until all air bubble dispersed. The spear valve was
opened and adjusted for a particular nozzle opening. The tensioning screw was tighten
up on the pulley wheel until the turbine is almost stalled(rotor just turning). Suitable
increments in force was decided to give adequate sample points and the value of the
pulley brake was noted. The tensioning screw was slacken off so no force is being
applied to the turbine. The screw is tighten to give the first incement in force for the
brake. All the readings was recorded again when the readings are steady enough. Step
above was repeated for a gradually increasing set of f6 values. The final sample point
was correspond to the turbine stalling. The data used for analysis and the pelton
characteristics curve was plotted. The volume flow rate was decrease to a new setting
by changing the throttle valve position and at the same time , the spear valve position
was changed to maintain the pressure at 1.0 kgf/cm.
EQUATION

Mechanical Power, Pm (watt)  Torque( , Nm)  AngularVelocity(, rad / s)

2radius / min
Where  ( Nm)  Force( N )  Radius (m) and   (rad / s )
60 sec/ min
Where 1 revolution is equal to 2radius

Meanwhile, Water Power, Pw (watt)  gQ where  is water density (1000kg/

m 3 ) , g is gravity constant (9.81m/ s 2 ),  is head at inlet point (m) and Q is flowrate

( m3 / s ) .

Pm
Turbine efficiency,  %   100
Pw
DATA AND RESULTS

Drum Radius, r = 0.0261m

Specific Weight of Water, ɣ = 9800 N/m3

NO Load(N) Pressur Wheel Angular Water

 0 .5 e Speed ,N Velocity , 
(rpm) ( s 1 )
W1 W2 W Volume Time
(s)

1 0 0 0 14 8313.6 870.598 10 41.01

2 0.25 0.75 0.50 13.5 7993.3 837.056 10 39.04

3 0.50 1.00 0.50 12.5 7676.4 803.871 10 38.97

4 0.75 1.50 0.75 12 7402.5 775.188 10 37.58

5 1.00 2.00 1.00 11.5 7081.8 741.604 10 36.01

6 1.50 2.50 1.00 11 6747.8 706.628 10 35.98

7 2.50 4.25 1.75 10 5864.2 614.098 10 34.19

8 3.50 5.75 2.25 9 5094.3 533.474 10 33.27

NO Load Torque, Wheel Speed, Mechanical
(N)  N Power, Pm
 0 .5 (Nm) (rpm) (W)
3
 10
W1 W2 W
1 0 0 0 0 8313.6 0
2 0.25 0.75 0.50 6.525 7993.3 5.462
3 0.50 1.00 0.50 6.525 7676.4 5.245
4 0.75 1.50 0.75 9.788 7402.5 7.588
5 1.00 2.00 1.00 13.050 7081.8 9.678
6 1.50 2.50 1.00 13.050 6747.8 9.222
7 2.50 4.25 1.75 22.838 5864.2 14.025
8 3.50 5.75 2.25 29.363 5094.3 15.664

No Volume Flow Volume Flow Hydraulic Efficiency,

Rate, Q Rate, Q Power, 

( / min) (10 4 m3 / s) Ph (%)

(W)

1 14.631 2.439 35.85 0

2 15.369 2.562 37.66 14.503

3 15.396 2.562 37.66 13.928

4 15.966 2.661 39.12 19.396

5 16.662 2.777 40.82 23.709

6 16.676 2.779 40.85 22.574

7 17.549 2.925 43.00 32.616

8 18.034 3.006 44.19 35.448

Sample calculation

Radius of drum brake, r = 0.0261m

Specific weight of water ,  = 9800 N / m 3

Weight of load 1, W1  0.25

Weight of load 2, W2  0.75

W  W2  W1
Net load,  0.75  0.25
 0.50

  W  r
Torque,  0.50  0.5  0.02611
 6.525 10 3
Rotational speed of turbine,   7993.3rpm

2  

60
2    7993.3
Angular velocity, 
60
 837.056

m    
Mechanical power,  6.525  10 3  837.056
 5.462W

15.369 10 3
Q
Volume flow rate, 60
 2.562 10 4

h  QH
Hydraulic power,  9800  2.562  10  4 15
 37.66
 m

h
5.462
Turbine efficiency, 
37.66
 14.50%

Rotation power vs motor speed

18
16
14
Rotation Power

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Motor speed

Graph of Rotation Power, m (W ) against Motor Speed,  (rpm )

Efficiency vs Motor Speed

40
35
30
25
Efficiency

20
15
10
5
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Motor speed

Graph of Efficiency,  (%) against Motor Speed,  (rpm )

 Volume Flow Rate vs Motor Speed
3.5

3
Volume Flow Rate

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000
Motor Speed

Graph of Volume Flow Rate, Q( 10 4 m 3 / s ) against Motor Speed,  (rpm )

DISCUSSION
Based on the graph that has been constructed, rotation power, efficiency and volume
flow rate decreased against motor speed. Supposed to be the results besides efficiency
are increased against motor speed as expected results or theory. The result that
obtained from this experimental are different from expected results may due to errors
in the experiments. Experimental errors occur in the experiment leads to the deviation
of the readings obtained as compared to the expected results. The first error is the
fluctuation of the machine’s readings whereby when taking the readings of loads, the
readings fluctuate and the exact value of the loads’ readings are hard to obtain. This
may be caused by the vibration of the operating motor and water flow through the
pipe. These vibration will affect the sensors and cause the instruments’ readings to
fluctuate. This leads to less accurate net weight of load, torque and mechanical power
readings. Besides, there is also pipe leakage which may also contribute to the
deviation of the experimental readings. The zero errors also contribute to the
experimental errors whereby the measuring instrument show negative readings at the
beginning of the experiment before the readings are taken. The frictional force
between the wheel and the wheel shaft also causes the readings obtained to be less
accurate. The old brake band unable to give a constant friction with the wheel drum.
ERRORS AND PRECAUTION
There are some errors in the experiment and precaution steps are required to improve
the experimental results. First, the experiment should be carried out for a few more
times and the average readings are taken to improve the experimental result. The
readings should only be taken when they are stable to give more accurate
experimental results. The installation of the damper in motor and pump will minimise
the system vibration. Furthermore, new piping system should be designed with no
leakages, smooth inner piping and less bending, valves or other factors which will
contribute to the minor head losses and affect the hydraulic power obtained. Besides,
the measuring instruments should also be set zero before the readings are taken to
avoid the zero errors. Furthermore, the contact area between the wheel and its shaft
should be lubricated frequently to ensure the minimum amount of friction subjected
which affect the experimental readings. The brake band should be replaced to
improve the experimental result. The adjusting knob used for adjusting the turbine
speed is loose and this will cause the value of impeller speed can’t be set accurately.
The adjusting knob can be replaced by using a digital control system to control the
speed which can improve the accuracy of the readings.
CONCLUSION
The Pelton Turbine will show different operational characteristics when the machine
pump is operating at different frequencies and different hydraulic pressure. At higher
frequency, it will have higher wheel rotational speed, torque, volume flow rate and
power output but lower efficiency. At lower frequency, it will have lower wheel
rotational speed, torque, volume flow rate and power output but higher efficiency.
Graph of volume flow rate, rotational power and efficiency against wheel rotational
speed are drawn.