Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of

Engineering Sciences and Technology

COMPARING THE PERFORMANCE OF PELTON WHEEL

WITH KAPLAN TURBINE AT CONSTANT FLOW AND AT
CONSTANT LOAD

PBL # 09
ME-346

Group Members:
➢ Hasham Ahmad Khawaja - 2021215
➢ Irtaza Ahamad – 2021245
➢ Jalal Ajmal Khan – 2021251
➢ Khadija Asim - 2021257

Faculty:

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

Course:

Thermo Fluids I Lab

Submission Date:
29th Nov 2023

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Abstract:

The aim of this experiment is to compare the performance of Kaplan turbine with Pelton Turbine
at constant load and at constant head. The importance of this experiment is to observe the operation
of the turbines in different scenarios like vary head and vary load conditions and how it impacts
the overall efficiency of the turbine.
Two different types of hydraulic turbines were studied in this report, a Kaplan turbine, and a Pelton
turbine. In the first condition, the load was kept constant and the flow rate or the head was varied.
It was found that the efficiency of both the turbines increased with the increase of flow rate but for
the Pelton turbine once an optimum value for the efficiency was reached the efficiency started to
decrease with an increase in the flow rate.
While secondly the turbines were analyzed for constant flow rate or constant head while varying
the load conditions on the turbine. Similar trend was shown where it was found that the efficiency
of both the turbines increased with the increase of load on the turbines but for the Pelton turbine
once an optimum value for the efficiency was reached the efficiency started to decrease with an
increase in the load.

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Contents
Abstract: ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction: ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Literature Review ....................................................................................................................................... 4
Pelton Turbine......................................................................................................................................... 4
Kaplan Turbine ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Formulae used ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Data Processing: ........................................................................................................................................ 10
Kaplan Turbine ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Performance of Kaplan Turbine at constant load ......................................................................... 10
Performance of Kaplan Turbine at constant flow: ........................................................................ 12
Pelton Turbine....................................................................................................................................... 14
Performance of Pelton Turbine at constant load ........................................................................... 14
Performance of Pelton Turbine at constant flow: .......................................................................... 15
Conclusion: ................................................................................................................................................ 17
Applications of Pelton and Kaplan Turbines: ........................................................................................ 17

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Introduction:
Energy comes in different forms, and one of them is hydraulic energy found in fluids. It can be in
the form of kinetic, pressure, stored energy, stretching, or heat. Machines that work with fluids can
either turn hydraulic energy into kinetic or the other way around. They are split into two groups:
machines that make power, like turbines and motors, and machines that use power, like pumps and
fans. Another way to classify them is by how their moving parts work: some move continuously
(rotodynamic), and others move in set amounts (positive displacement).
Turbines, a type of continuous-moving machine, are essential for turning hydraulic energy into
useful power. There are several kinds of turbines, like the impulse turbines and reaction turbines.
Steam turbines, gas turbines, wind turbines, and water turbines are named based on the fluid they
work with.

Literature Review
Hydraulic turbines generate electricity by converting the energy from flowing water into a
mechanical energy which is then converted to electrical energy. These turbines serve as essential
elements in hydroelectric power stations, facilitating the utilization of waterpower for renewable
energy generation. Different hydraulic turbines are engineered to suit specific water flow
conditions. Pelton and Kaplan turbines are both types of hydraulic turbines used for generating
electrical power from the energy of flowing water. Each type is designed for specific conditions
and characteristics of water flow.
Pelton Turbine
The Pelton turbine operates on the principle of impulse, converting the potential energy of high-
pressure water into kinetic energy to generate electricity. In this hydraulic turbine system, water
from a high-altitude source flow through a penstock and is directed through a nozzle, creating
high-velocity jets. These jets strike the carefully designed buckets of a Pelton wheel, causing it to
rotate due to the change in momentum. Unlike reaction turbines, the Pelton turbine's efficient
design ensures that the direction of the water leaving the buckets minimizes any backward reaction,
optimizing energy transfer. The rotating Pelton wheel is connected to a generator, converting the
mechanical energy into electrical power, making it a widely used choice for high-head, low-flow
hydroelectric applications, particularly in mountainous terrains.

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of a Pelton Turbine

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Efficiency and Performance: Pelton turbines generally have high peak efficiencies, often
exceeding 90%, especially at their designed operating conditions. Their efficiency is optimized for
high-head scenarios, and they are known for stable performance within their specified head range.
The average efficiency of a Pelton turbine typically falls within the range of 85% to 92%.
Components of the Pelton turbine:
Runner with bucket: A runner (also named impeller) of Pelton turbine has a circular disc
surrounded by buckets that fill with the water and rotate.
Nozzle: To accelerate the water coming from the reservoir through the penstock, a nozzle is used.
It is basically a pipe with varying cross section and follows the principle of mass conservation.
Spear: The spear is a conical shaped needle that rotates in a certain axial direction and is operated
either by a hand wheel or automatically. The volume flow rate of the water entering the turbine
can be controlled by the spear in the nozzle.

Figure 2: Configuration of water flow in buckets

Casing: To prevent splashing and the spread of the water, the casing is used. It is made up of cast
iron or steel plate.
Breaking jet: After completely cutting off the water supply using the spear, the turbine wheel
still rotates due to inertia. The breaking jet basically blows air in the opposite direction to the wheel
to stop the wheel from rotating further. The breaking jet is the jet of water through a small nozzle,
directed to the back of buckets.
Governing mechanism: The speed of the turbine runner is required to be maintained constant so
that the electric generator can be coupled directly to the turbine. Therefore, a device called a
governor is used to measure and regulate the speed of the turbine runner.

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Kaplan Turbine
Kaplan turbines are a type of axial-flow water turbine that is widely used for hydroelectric power
generation, an evolution of the Francis Turbine. They are known for their adjustable blades,
allowing them to efficiently operate across a wide range of water flow and head conditions.
Design and Operation:
Kaplan turbines are characterized by their adjustable blades, which can be rotated to optimize
performance under varying flow and head conditions. This design flexibility makes Kaplan
turbines suitable for low to medium-head hydropower applications.

Figure 3: Schematic Diagram of a Kaplan Turbine

The Kaplan turbine is an inward flow reaction turbine, meaning the working fluid changes pressure
as it moves through the turbine, giving up energy on the way. Output power depends on the
hydrostatic head and from the kinetic energy of the flowing water. The design combines features
of radial and axial turbines.
Water enters through the inlet which is a scroll-shaped tube that wraps around the turbine's wicket
gate. It is directed tangentially through the wicket gate and spirals on to a propeller shaped runner,
causing it to spin.
The water exits the turbine at the outlet which is a specially shaped draft tube that helps decelerate
the water and recover kinetic energy.
The advantage of this turbine is that it does not need to be at the lowest point of water flow as long
as the draft tube stays full of water irrespective of time. A higher turbine location, however,
increases the suction that is imparted on the turbine blades by the draft tube. The resulting pressure
drop may lead to cavitation.

Efficiency and Performance: Kaplan turbines are known for their high efficiency and the ability
to operate effectively at partial load conditions. The adjustable blades allow for better control of
the flow, which contributes to the turbine's efficiency. A double-regulated Kaplan turbine offers a
full discharge at 15%–100% efficiency, whereas a single-regulated Kaplan turbine shows
maximum discharge at 30%–100% efficiency.

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Components of the Kaplan turbine:

The Kaplan turbine is made up of these main parts:

1. Scroll Casing
It is a spiral type of casing with decreasing cross-sectional area. The water from the penstocks
enters the scroll casing and then moves to the guide vanes where the water turns through 90° and
flows axially through the runner. It protects the runner, runner blades guide vanes and other
internal parts of the turbine from an external damage.

Figure 4: Main components of Kaplan turbine.

2. Guide Vane Mechanism

It is the only controlling part of the whole turbine, which opens and closes depending upon the
demand of power requirement. In case of more power output requirements, it opens wider to allow
more water to hit the blades of the rotor and when low power output requires it closes itself to
cease the flow of water. If guide vane is absent than the turbine can not work efficiently, and its
efficiency decreases.
3. Draft Tube
The pressure at the exit of the runner of Reaction Turbine is generally less than atmospheric
pressure. The water at exit cannot be directly discharged to the tail race. A tube or pipe of gradually
increasing area is used for discharging water from the exit of turbine to the tail race. This tube of
increasing area is called Draft Tube. One end of the tube is connected to the outlet of runner while
the other end is sub-merged below the level of water in the tailrace.
4. Runner Blades
The heart of the component in Kaplan turbine are its runner blades, as it the rotating part which
helps in production of electricity. Its shaft is connected to the shaft of the generator. The runner of
the this turbine has a large boss on which its blades are attached and the blades of the runner is
adjustable to an optimum angle of attack for maximum power output. The blades of the Kaplan
turbine have twist along its length.

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The difference between Pelton and Kaplan turbine has been discussed below:

1. Design:
Pelton Turbine: The Pelton turbine, categorized as an impulse turbine, operates on impulse
principles, and features distinctive spoon-shaped buckets or cups attached to the wheel. Rotation
is induced as water is directed onto these buckets in a high-speed jet, harnessing the impulse of the
water.
Kaplan Turbine: Operating as a reaction turbine, the Kaplan turbine has a propeller-like design
with adjustable blades. Functioning on both impulse and reaction principles, water flows over the
blades, and their adjustability allows for optimized performance under varying flow conditions.

2. Operating Head:
Pelton Turbine: Excelling in high head applications, typically within the range of 300 to 1,800
meters (approximately 1,000 to 6,000 feet), Pelton turbines are particularly effective when a high-
velocity water jet can be directed onto the turbine blades.
Kaplan Turbine: Designed for low to medium-head applications, typically ranging from 3 to 70
meters (around 10 to 230 feet), Kaplan turbines are adaptable to variable flow conditions and find
utility in locations with a broad spectrum of water flow rates.

3. Flow Regulation:
Pelton Turbine: Pelton turbines exhibit less adaptability to varying flow conditions, often
operating at a constant speed, with efficiency optimized for specific flow rates.
Kaplan Turbine: Featuring adjustable blades, Kaplan turbines offer enhanced adaptability to
changes in flow conditions. The blade angle can be modified to optimize efficiency across a range
of flow rates.

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Formulae used

𝑃𝑖𝑛 = 𝜌𝑔𝑄𝐻
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑇𝜔
𝑃𝑖𝑛 = 𝑃𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 + 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
2𝜋𝑁
𝜔=
60
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑇𝜔
𝜂= =
𝑃𝑖𝑛 𝜌𝑔𝑄𝐻

Where:

𝑃𝑖𝑛 = 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑒

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑒
𝐻 → 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐴𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑
𝑘𝑔
𝜌 → 𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 [ 3 ]
𝑚
𝑚3
𝑄 → 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 [ ]
𝑠
𝑚
𝑔 → 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 [ 2 ]
𝑠
𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝜔 → 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 [ ]
𝑠
𝑁 → 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑
𝜂 → 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑇𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑖𝑛𝑒

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 Data Processing:

Kaplan Turbine
Performance of Kaplan Turbine at constant load
In the first experiment we analyzed the effect of increasing volume flow rate of the fluid on the
efficiency of the Kaplan turbine, whilst keeping the load constant. Increasing the pump's angular
speed, increased the volume flow rate of the turbine. The results for low, medium, and high loads
were recorded. The ranges for these loads were:
Low: 0.01 - 0.02 N
Medium: 0.2 - 0.5 N
High: 2.12 - 4.17 N
Below are the results from the experiment:
S. Pump Torque Q/ P1/ bar Head/ Load/ Shaft Power Power Efficiency/ %
No. Speed /rpm / N.m lit/min m N Speed/ rpm Input/ W Output/ W
1 1500 0.001 142.4 0.052 0.533 0.02 1032 12.4 0.1 0.7
2 1700 0.002 163.9 0.071 0.725 0.02 1416 19.4 0.3 1.3
3 1900 0.001 182.5 0.092 0.939 0.02 1800 28 0.5 1.8
4 2100 0.001 205.9 0.113 1.156 0.02 2136 38.9 1.1 2.8
Table 1: Kaplan Turbine, Low Constant Load Readings

S. Pump Torque Q/ P1/ bar Head/ Load/ Shaft Power Power Efficiency/
No. Speed /rpm / N.m lit/min m N Speed/ rpm Input/ W Output/ W %
1 1500 0.009 143.1 0.056 0.572 0.21 936 13.4 0.9 6.5
2 1700 0.014 169 0.072 0.732 0.32 1368 20.2 2 9.8
3 1900 0.017 191.4 0.093 0.95 0.4 1776 29.7 3.2 10.8
4 2100 0.02 197.1 0.113 1.156 0.46 2112 37.3 4.4 11.8
Table 2: Kaplin Turbine, Medium Constant Load Readings

S. Pump Torque Q/ P1/ Head/ Load/ Shaft Power Power Efficiency/

No. Speed/rpm / N.m lit/min bar m N Speed/ rpm Input/ W Output/ W %

1 1500 0.091 145.6 0.083 0.85 2.12 288 20.2 2.7 13.6
2 1700 1.083 165.9 0.106 1.083 3 428 29.4 5.8 19.7
3 1900 0.18 183.3 0.133 1.358 4.17 556 40.7 10.4 25.7
4 2100 0.222 196.9 0.162 1.648 5.15 720 53.1 16.7 31.5
Table 3: Kaplan Turbine, High Constant Load Readings

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 Efficiency Vs Flow rate
35
30

Efficiency/% 25
20
15
10
5
0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Q/𝑚^3/s

Low Load Medium Load High Load

Figure 5: Graph of Efficiency v/s Flow Rate for Kaplan Turbine at Constant Load

Figure [5] shows a general increase in the efficiency of the turbine with the increase in the volume
flow rate. The highest efficiency of 31.5% was observed when the pump's angular speed was 2100
rpm, and the volume flow rate was 196.9 m3/s. When the applied load was high, the efficiency
increased with a higher rate, as compared to medium and low loads. This is clearly reflected in the
comparison of the gradients of the graphs of different loads. Thus, maximum efficiency will be
observed in a Kaplan turbine when both the load on the shaft as well as the volume flow rate is
high.
There are various reasons for this increase in efficiency of the Kaplan turbine:
1) The potential energy of the fluid increases with an increase of fluid head, thus increasing
the angular speed of the output shaft. More potential energy is converted to mechanical
energy, making the turbine more efficient.
2) The torque produced by the turbine is proportional to the head. A higher torque resulting
from high angular speed means that the turbine generates more power thus becoming more
efficient.
3) The amount of power generated by the turbine depends upon the amount of energy losses.
A higher head will result in a more streamlined water flow, thus reducing hydraulic losses
through turbulence and friction. Since more power is generated, the turbine will be more
efficient.

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 Performance of Kaplan Turbine at constant flow:
In the second experiment we analyzed the effect of increasing the load of the shaft on the efficiency
of the Kaplan turbine, whilst keeping Q constant. This was recorded at two different angular speeds
of the pump, 2000 and 2700 rpm.

Below are the results of the experiment:

S. Pump Torque Q/ P1/ Head/ Load/ Shaft Power Power Efficiency/ %

No. Speed /rpm / N.m lit/min bar m N Speed/ rpm Input/ W Output/ W
1 2000 0.012 185.4 0.097 0.993 0.27 2064 30.1 2.6 8.5
2 2000 0.044 202.3 0.103 1.05 1.02 1848 34.7 8.5 24.4
3 2000 0.144 185.4 0.128 1.304 3.34 936 39.5 14.1 35.6
Table 4: Kaplan Turbine, Constant rpm (2000) of the pump

S. Pump Torque Q/ P1/ Head/ Load/ Shaft Power Power Efficiency/ %

No. Speed /rpm / N.m lit/min bar m N Speed/ rpm Input/ W Output/ W
1 2700 0.015 268.9 0.184 1.875 0.35 2976 82.4 4.7 5.7
2 2700 0.085 261.7 0.199 2.026 1.97 2616 86.7 23.2 26.8
3 2700 0.358 258.9 0.25 2.547 8.33 1248 107.8 46.8 43.4
Table 5: Kaplan Turbine, Constant rpm (2700) of the pump

Efficiency Vs Load
50

40
Efficiency/%

30

20

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Load/N

2000 RPM 2700 RPM

Figure 6: Efficiency v/s Load for Kaplan Turbine with constant rpm of the pump

Figure[6] shows a general exponential increase in the efficiency of the turbine with the increase in the
load on the output shaft. The highest efficiency recorded at 8.33N was 43.4%, when the angular speed
of the pump was 2700 rpm.

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There are various explanations for the trend observed in Figure[6]:

1) The output torque is proportional to the load applied on the output shaft of the Kaplan turbine.
With an increase in load, the torque would increase thus increasing the power output, making
the turbine more efficient.
2) Turbines are often designed to achieve peak efficiency at specific operating conditions, and
adjusting the load to align with these conditions enhances the overall efficiency.

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Pelton Turbine
Performance of Pelton Turbine at constant load
In this experiment we analyzed the effect of increasing the head or the flow rate for a constant load
on the efficiency of the Pelton turbine. In this case, the load was kept constant having F1 = 2.75 N
and F2 = 1.25 N giving a net force of 1.5 N.

Below are the results of the experiment:

Head (m) Time (s) Volume (m3) rpm F1 (N) F2 (N)

2 5.82 0.003 691.5 2.75 1.25
2.9 9.6 0.003 865.7 2.75 1.25
5.9 11.2 0.003 1311 2.75 1.25
15.5 22.19 0.003 165 2.75 1.25
Table 6: Pelton Turbine, Constant Load Readings

F1 - F2 Flow Rate, Q Ang. Torque, T Pin Pout Efficiency Efficiency

(N) (m3/s) Velocity (N.m) (W) (W) %
𝜔(rad/s)
1.5 0.000515 72.377 0.045 10.1134 3.256965 0.322044 32.20444
1.5 0.000313 90.66765 0.045 8.890313 4.080044 0.458931 45.89315
1.5 0.000268 137.3054 0.045 15.5033 6.178743 0.398544 39.85436
1.5 0.000135 17.281 0.045 20.55723 0.777645 0.037828 3.782829
Table 7: Pelton Turbine, Constant Load Readings (from Table 1)

Efficiency v/s Flow Rate

50
45
40
35
Efficiency %

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0 0.0001 0.0002 0.0003 0.0004 0.0005 0.0006
Flow Rate (m^3/s)

Figure 7: Pelton Turbine, Graph of Flow Rate v/s Efficiency for Constant Load

When the load was kept constant for a Pelton turbine and the flow rate was varied, the efficiency
of the Pelton turbine increased with the increase in the flow rate and reached a maximum efficiency
of 45.9% and after the maximum value the efficiency of the turbine began to decrease with the
increase in the flow rate of water.

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This could be due to several reasons as initially the flow rate is small; the jet velocity would be
small which would produce a less power output resulting in lower efficiency. Once the flow rate
is increased, the jet velocity increases which in turn increases the power output, hence resulting in
increase in the efficiency of the turbine. But the decrease after the maximum value could be due
to the higher jet velocities which causes turbulence and inefficient energy transfer resulting in a
net decrease in the efficiency of the turbine.
The efficiency also depends on the bucket fill factor, higher the bucket fill factor, higher the
efficiency. However, increasing the flow rate would make the bucket fill factor reach an optimum
value beyond which the water from bucket would spill and reduce the efficiency. Turbines are also
designed in such a way that they are to operate in a certain region of flow rates and heads, moving
away from these regions may result in efficiency losses.
Performance of Pelton Turbine at constant flow:
Here we have analyzed the effect of keeping the head or the flow rate constant for a varying load
on the efficiency of the Pelton turbine. The head was first kept constant at spear position 3 and the
load was varied (Table [8]) and then the head was kept constant at the spear position 6 (Table [10])

Below are the results of the experiment:

Head (m) Time (s) Volume (m3) rpm F1 (N) F2 (N)

2.9 8.97 0.003 704 4.5 2.25
2.9 8.81 0.003 531 5.5 2.25
2.9 8.81 0.003 305 6.5 2.25
2.9 8.81 0.003 132 7.25 2.75
Table 8: Pelton Turbine, Constant Head Readings at Spear Position 3

F1 - F2 (N) Flow Rate, Ang. Velocity Torque, T Pin Pout Efficiency Efficiency
Q (m3/s) 𝜔(rad/s) (N.m) (W) (W) %
2.25 0.000341 73.68533 0.0675 9.514716 4.97376 0.522744 52.27439
3.25 0.000341 55.578 0.0975 9.687514 5.418855 0.559365 55.93649
4.25 0.000341 31.92333 0.1275 9.687514 4.070225 0.420152 42.01516
4.5 0.000341 13.816 0.135 9.687514 1.86516 0.192532 19.25324
Table 9: Pelton Turbine, Constant Head Readings at Spear Position 3 (from Table 8)

Head (m) Time (s) Volume (m3) rpm F1 (N) F2 (N)

6.5 10.13 0.003 1240 4.5 1.75
6.5 10.13 0.003 1054 5.5 2.25
6.5 10.13 0.003 850 6.75 2.75
6.5 10.13 0.003 390 8.75 3.75
Table 10: Pelton Turbine, Constant Head Readings at Spear Position 6

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 F1 - F2 (N) Flow Rate, Ang. Velocity Torque, T Pin Pout Efficiency Efficiency
Q (m3/s) 𝜔(rad/s) (N.m) (W) (W) %
2.75 0.000296 129.7867 0.0825 18.88401 10.7074 0.567009 56.70089
3.25 0.000296 110.3187 0.0975 18.88401 10.75607 0.569586 56.95862
4 0.000296 88.96667 0.12 18.88401 10.676 0.565346 56.53461
5 0.000296 40.82 0.15 18.88401 6.123 0.324243 32.42426
Table 11: Pelton Turbine, Constant Head Readings at Spear Position 6 (from Table 10)

Load v/s Efficiency

70

60

50
Efficiency %

40

30 Spear Position 3

20 Spear Postion 6

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Load

Figure 8: Pelton Turbine, Graph of Load v/s Efficiency at spear position 3 and 6

When the head was kept constant for a Pelton turbine and the load was varied, the efficiency of the
Pelton turbine increased with the increase in the load applied and reached a maximum efficiency of
55.9% at a spear position 3 of head 2.9m and 56.9% at a spear position 6 of head 6.5m and after the
maximum value the efficiency of the turbine began to decrease with the increase in the load. Also,
Pelton turbine has higher efficiencies at higher head values.

When the load is increased, the water jet may deviate from the optimal angle for energy transfer which
can lead to energy losses and reduced efficiency. Also, when the load is increased, the rotor speed may
decrease due to the increased resistance. This would result in lower rotor speeds which would lead to
higher friction losses and reduce the efficiency of the turbine. The turbine may not be designed to
support higher loads which could lead to decrease in efficiency of the turbine since it is moving away
from its optimal conditions.

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Conclusion:
The experiment was designed to calculate the efficiency of the Pelton and Kaplan turbine by
manipulating the flow rate and load. The efficiency of the Pelton and Kaplan turbine increases
with the variation of load and flow rate but there is an optimal point beyond which further increases
in flow rate may not proportionally improve efficiency thus this could increase the turbulence and
reduce the life of the turbine. Higher loads can lead to a reduction in efficiency due to increased
frictional losses, lower rotational speed, and changes in the balance between kinetic energy
extraction and power delivery.
A comparative analysis revealed the complementary strengths of Pelton and Kaplan turbines.
Pelton turbines excelled in scenarios of high head and low flow, while Kaplan turbines showcased
versatility in applications with variable flow rates.

Applications of Pelton and Kaplan Turbines:

Pelton turbines find valuable applications in hydropower projects characterized by high-head,

low-flow conditions. Their efficiency and performance shine in mountainous regions where steep
elevation drops in rivers or streams create substantial hydraulic heads. Small-scale hydropower
installations, such as micro-hydro or mini-hydro projects, benefit from Pelton turbines, harnessing
the kinetic energy of high-velocity water jets to generate mechanical power. These turbines are
particularly well-suited for off-grid and remote areas, providing sustainable and reliable energy
solutions. Additionally, Pelton turbines are employed in water supply systems, irrigation, and
industrial processes where the combination of their high efficiency and adaptability to varying
water flows makes them a suitable choice for decentralized power generation.
Kaplan turbines are generally utilized across the world for power generation. These turbines are
used for low-head and high-flow conditions. The cost-effective, small Kaplan turbines are
fabricated for individual uses. These micro-level turbines can work for the range of 3 to 0.3 m head
with sufficient water stream. Enormous Kaplan turbines are separately intended for each site to
work at the most elevated conceivable productivity, ordinarily over 90%. Kaplan turbines are
commonly used in hydropower plants where the available head is moderate, and the flow rates can
vary. They are often employed in river and tidal power installations.

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