Experiment No.

6
Title:
Draw the performance/ characteristics curve H(Q), N(Q) and Efficiency(Q) of an impulse
turbine (Pelton wheel) at different flow rates and also calculate its specific speed.

Apparatus:
 Pelton Wheel
 Hydraulic Bench
 electricity
 Tachometer
 Chronometer.
 Supply of water
Apparatus Fig:

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Theory:
Water Turbines
Water turbines are machines that convert the kinetic energy of flowing water into
mechanical energy, which can be used to generate electricity. One type of water
turbine is the Pelton wheel, which is commonly used for high-head applications.

Power Output
The power output of a Pelton wheel turbine is determined by the flow rate and the
head (the height difference between the water source and the turbine). The power
output is given by the equation:

Pout = ( 2 πNT
60 )

Power Input
The power input to the turbine is determined by the pressure and flow rate of the water
entering the turbine.
The power input is given by the equation:
Pin = ρgHQ
Efficiency Relation.
The efficiency of the turbine is the ratio of the power output to the power input:
Power output Shaft Power
Efficiency= =
Power Input Water Power

η=
( 60 )
2 πNT

ρgHQ

Specific speed of the turbine.

The specific speed of a turbine is a dimensionless number that represents the speed at
which a geometrically similar turbine would operate if it were scaled to different sizes.
The specific speed is given by the equation:
N √P
N = s 5
H4

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 where N is the rotational speed of the turbine (in revolutions per minute), P is the
Pressure output (in Pascal), and H is the head (in meters). The specific speed is useful
for comparing the performance of different turbines and for designing new turbines.

Procedure:
 First, we have to place the Pelton wheel apparatus in the Hydraulic Bench
 Then we have to connect the Pelton wheel apparatus with hydraulic bench, and
chronometer
 Then we have to supply the water
 Then we get reading of Flow Rate from Chronometer after that we can calculate
speed with the help of Tachometer and after that we measure the pressure from
pressure Gauge
 After that we can calculate Pin and Pout using formula and Efficiency
 At the end we can calculate the Specific Speed
 In the Same way we repeat this (5) Time

Results and Discussion:

Sr N Forc Torqu Q Pressur H Pin Pout Efficienc Ns
. (rpm e (N) e m3/sec e (bar) (m) (W) (W) y rpm
N ) (Nm) %
o
1 189 6 0.18 0.0004 0.4 4.0 18.3 3.56 19.3 61.67
6 7 6
2 558 6 0.18 0.0005 0.45 4.5 22.4 10.2 46.8 270.12
0 8 5
3 770 6 0.18 0.0005 0.50 5.6 29.8 14.6 48.6 339.7
4 1 2 1
4 851 6 0.18 0.0005 0.59 6.0 33.4 16.0 48 362.41
6 1 5 8 7
5 866 6 0.18 0.0005 0.60 6.1 34.9 16.3 46.71 364.18
8 2 4 2
Specimen Calculation
r=30mm Radius of Pully
Number of Blade=16

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Graph:

Graph Between H & Q

0.0007

0.0006
Flow Rate (Q) m3/sec

0.0005

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5
Head (m)

Graph Between N & Q

0.0007

0.0006
Flow Rate (Q) m3/sec

0.0005

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
N(rpm)

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 Graph Between Efficiency & Q
0.0007

0.0006
Flow Rate (Q) m3/sec
0.0005

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
Efficiency

Comments:
 The experiment provided valuable information on the performance characteristics of
the Pelton wheel turbine at different flow rates.
 The calculation of specific speed is an important parameter for comparing and
designing different turbines.
Conclusion:
 The experiment requires specialized equipment and a controlled environment to
ensure accurate measurements and analysis.
 The obtained data and analysis can be used to improve turbine design and efficiency,
leading to advancements in renewable energy and power generation technologies.
Reference:
 "Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines" by R.K. Bansal, Laxmi Publications,
2016.
 "Hydraulic Machines: Turbines and Pumps" by Jagdish Lal, Metropolitan Book Co.
Pvt. Ltd., 2011.
 "Experimental Performance Study of Pelton Turbine" by B. Dhandayuthapani and R.
Karthikeyan, Journal of Engineering Science and Technology Review, Vol. 11, No. 3,
2018.
 "Performance and Flow Characteristics of Pelton Turbine at Different Jet Angles" by
T. Senthil Kumar and K. Srinivasan, Journal of Engineering Science and Technology
Review, Vol. 10, No. 3, 2017.

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