Heriot-Watt University - Dubai Campus

The Pelton Wheel

1 Objectives
The Pelton Wheel is a machine used to convert energy to shaft power, which could
be used to drive an electric generator. The Pelton Wheel consists of a number
of a number of blades, sometimes called buckets, that are struck by a fluid jet to
create rotational motion. The purpose of this experimental programme is to obtain
power output data in terms of rotational speed for a fixed inlet condition. This
relationship should be compared on a graph with the experimental data obtained
showing where the maximum efficiency should occur.

2 General Description
This equipment demonstrates the Pelton Turbine (wheel) characteristics i.e. torque,
power and efficiency at different speed for various heads and flow rates of water.

The turbine nozzle directs water jet to the runner buckets. Nozzle pressure is
indicated by a pressure gauge. Torque by a prong brake with two spring balances.
Speed is indicated on a portable tachometer which is separately supplied. Flow rate
is measured by the Hydraulics bench measuring tank. The apparatus has a hose
with a quick male coupling for connection to the Hydraulics bench.

2.1 Technical Data

ˆ 160 mm diameter stainless steel runner.

ˆ Maximum speed approximately 1500 rpm.

ˆ Maximum power over 30 W for 0.37 kW pump

ˆ 0–3 kg/cm2 pressure gauge.

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3 Turbine Theory
The basic function of a Pelton turbine is to transform the fluid energy first in the
potential form of pressure head then into the kinetic form of velocity head by means
of a free water jet in one or more nozzles. The impact of the jet on the runner bucket
produces kinetic energy, which can be measured by a mechanical brake.

The energy of water may be in various forms commonly expressed in terms of head
of water. You need to show and explain these types of heads in your report.

The schematic diagram of a typical hydro power station is shown in Figure 1.

A reservoir above the hydropower dam stores water at a higher elevation hence
creating static head. If the water is allowed to flow to a lower elevation through
a pipe, normally a larger diameter steel pipe that is known as a “penstock”. This
static head is converted to a pressure head. When this water is discharged through
a turbine part of the energy in the water is converted into kinetic energy, which
in turn rotates the turbine shaft creating mechanical energy to drive the generator
and produces electric power. The discharge water pressure from the turbine will be
theoretically equal to the atmospheric pressure.

Figure 1: Schematic flow diagram of hydro power station.

The basic construction of the Pelton turbine is shown in Figure 2. The turbine
runner consists of buckets placed side by side. Each bucket has two identical and
adjacent spoons as shown in Figure 3.
When the jet of water at a certain velocity strikes the buckets the jet will be split
into two halves and reflect back as shown in the velocity diagram shown in Figure 4,
where:

u = rb × ω (1)

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 Figure 2: Pelton (impulse) turbine construction.

Figure 3: Schematic of the Pelton Wheel bucket.

u: Bucket velocity, m/s

ω: Bucket angular velocity, s−1
rb : runner pitch radius, m

If the jet velocity is V then the relative velocity Vr of the jet strike on the bucket
will be:

Vr = V − u (2)

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 Figure 4: Velocity diagram for the Pelton wheel.

After striking the bucket the jet is reflected at the same relative velocity but at an
angle θ to the direction of V . The component of this reflected velocity (Vr ) in the
direction of jet velocity is: Vr cosθ. The net velocity change is:

∆V = Vr − Vr cosθ (3)
and the force acting on the bucket will be:

F = ρQ∆V (4)
= ρQ(Vr − Vr cosθ) (5)
= ρQVr (1 − cosθ) (6)
F : Force acting on the bucket, N
ρ: density of water, kg/m3
Q = AV : water flow rate from the nozzle, m3 /s
Vr = V − u: relative velocity of water jet, m/s
A: cross section area of water jet, m2
θ: direction of Vr to V .

3.1 Turbine Input Power, Pinput

Turbine input power can be calculated by time from the flow rate, Q, through the
nozzle to the pressure at the nozzle, then:

Pinput = p × Q (7)
where,
Pinput : Turbine input power.
Q: Flow rate.
p: Nozzle pressure.

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3.2 Turbine Output Power, Poutput
Turbine output power or Brake power is normally measured by a mechanical dy-
namometer and is equal to:
2πn
Poutput = T ω = (F × R) × (8)
60
where,
Poutput,actual : Turbine actual output power or brake power, W.
T : Torque on dynamometer, N.m.
ω: Angular velocity of dynamometer, s−1 .
F : Net force on the dynamometer, N.
n: Speed of dynamometer, rpm.
R: Radius of dynamometer, m (To be measured).

3.3 Turbine Efficiency, η

Turbine efficiency is the ratio between power output to power input of the turbine,
then:
Poutput
η= (9)
Pinput

4 Test Procedure
The flow rate is measured by a Hydraulics bench measuring tank as well as a rotame-
ter, the pressure by a pressure gauge, the turbine speed by a portable tachometer
and the forces on the Prony brake are measured by spring balances. Figure 5 shows
a schematic of these measuring systems.
The students are expected to prepare and write their own test procedures
after the explanation of your lecturer.

5 Report Requirements:
1. Measure the explained parameters for a given nozzle pressure and then list
them in the tables provided.

2. Measure the explained parameters for the nozzle pressures of 1, 1.1, 1.2 and
1.3 bar.

3. In your report’s background section describe different types of turbines with

at least one example for each category.

4. Plot the following parameters and discuss their variations:

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 Figure 5: Schematic of the Pelton Wheel Apparatus.

ˆ Torque vs. speed at given flow rates and nozzle pressures.

ˆ Flow rate vs. nozzle pressure.
ˆ Turbine output power vs. speed at given flow rates and nozzle pressures.
ˆ Turbine efficiency vs. speed at given flow rates and nozzle pressure.

5. The analysis should also contain the following parts:

ˆ A derivation of the Pelton Wheel relationship:

ωR ωR
η=2 (1 − )(1 − cosθ) (10)
V V
ˆ Why is this lab exercise useful? Where can the results be used in engi-
neering design/industry?
ˆ From your experimental setup what will be the maximum output power?
ˆ Give some recommendations to improve maximum obtainable power
from the Wheel?
ˆ What can you conclude from this lab exercise? How do your findings
relate to engineering design?

6. Provide your detailed sample calculation in an appendix section.

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Date:  ____________________________  
Diameter  of  mechanical  dynamometer:  _____________________  cm  
Flow  Volume  from  measuring  tank:  _________________litre      _____________________  sec  
 
Dynamometer   Results  
Force  
Test   Pressure   Input   Output  
Spring   Spring   Net   Speed   Torque   Efficiency  
No.   (kg/cm2)   Power   Power  
Balance1   Balance2   Force   (rpm)   (N.m)   (%)  
(W)   (W)  
(gr)   (gr)   (gr)  
1                    
2                    
3                    
4                    
5                    
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7                    
8                    
9                    
10                    
 
 
Diameter  of  mechanical  dynamometer:  _____________________  cm  
Flow  Volume  from  measuring  tank:  _________________litre      _____________________  sec  
 
Dynamometer   Results  
Force  
Test   Pressure   Input   Output  
Spring   Spring   Net   Speed   Torque   Efficiency  
No.   (kg/cm )  
2 Power   Power  
Balance1   Balance2   Force   (rpm)   (N.m)   (%)  
(W)   (W)  
(gr)   (gr)   (gr)  
1                    
2                    
3                    
4                    
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Date:  ____________________________  
Diameter  of  mechanical  dynamometer:  _____________________  cm  
Flow  Volume  from  measuring  tank:  _________________litre      _____________________  sec  
 
Dynamometer   Results  
Force  
Test   Pressure   Input   Output  
Spring   Spring   Net   Speed   Torque   Efficiency  
No.   (kg/cm2)   Power   Power  
Balance1   Balance2   Force   (rpm)   (N.m)   (%)  
(W)   (W)  
(gr)   (gr)   (gr)  
1                    
2                    
3                    
4                    
5                    
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8                    
9                    
10                    
 
 
Diameter  of  mechanical  dynamometer:  _____________________  cm  
Flow  Volume  from  measuring  tank:  _________________litre      _____________________  sec  
 
Dynamometer   Results  
Force  
Test   Pressure   Input   Output  
Spring   Spring   Net   Speed   Torque   Efficiency  
No.   (kg/cm )  
2 Power   Power  
Balance1   Balance2   Force   (rpm)   (N.m)   (%)  
(W)   (W)  
(gr)   (gr)   (gr)  
1                    
2                    
3                    
4                    
5                    
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