HYDRAULIC MACHINES III

Turbines
Similarity Laws
Specific Speed
Unit Speed
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• Many turbines are physically large and therefore
expensive to build. Therefore to build and test
one full size would be prohibitively expensive.
Hence smaller models need to be built and
tested.
• However, to do this they must be similar. There
are five variables that are common throughout,
whether they are large or small.
• These are flow rate, Q, pressure head, H, power,
P, speed, N, and diameter, D.
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• For turbines to be similar these variables must be
in comparable ratios.
• For machines to be geometrically similar the
dimensions of the machines must be in the same
ratio to each other.
• For two machines to be dynamically similar their
forces must be in proportional ratios to each
other. For this to happen their velocities must be
in proportion and hence the triangles would be
the same shape (i.e. similar triangles).
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• Lets start by using f/U for two similar
turbines.
• Now f = Q/A, where A=equals the area
perpendicular to the flow velocity. So A=πDb,
or A α Db.
• For dimensional similarity b and D must be in
proportion to each other. Hence A α D2.
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• Next consider U = πND/60, or U α ND.
• Thus f /U α Q/D2ND =constant.
• Hence
Q = constant [similarity law 1]
ND3
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• Next consider the pressure head through a
turbine. It determines the velocity through the
turbine.
• The total head is proportional to the Euler head,
giving H α HE α wU/g.
• Also U and w must be in a certain proportion to
each other (similar triangles), thus H α U2 α N2D2.
• Hence
H = constant [similarity law 2]
N2D2
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• Now consider the power output of a turbine.
• The equation is generally of the form P = ηρgQH,
or P α ρgQH.
• Substituting similarity laws 1 and 2 into the above
equation gives P α ρg x ND3 x N2D2.
• Hence
P = constant [similarity law 3]
N3D5
 Turbines – Similarity Laws
• These similarity laws are also called the affinity laws. They
are valid for all geometrically and dynamically similar
machines as well as one machine operating at different
running conditions.
• Applying these three laws the efficiency of the machine
stays the same as long as Re, Ma and relative roughness
(ϵ/D) remain constant. It is not always possible to keep Re
and Ma constant, but does not usually have a great effect.
It is however, often difficult to keep the relative roughness
the same, as surface roughness, ϵ, may be similar for a
model and full-scale version if manufactured in a similar
way. Thus the effect of friction can be greater for a model
with the result that the efficiency can be less than the full-
scale version.
 Turbines – Specific Speed
• Another important parameter to consider is the specific speed, Ns.
• Eliminating D from similarity laws 2 and 3 produces :
D = H1/2
N
and D = P1/5
N3/5
• Combining the above two equations and simplifying gives :
Ns = NP1/2 = constant, and is usually used for turbines
H5/4
• This ratio is called the specific speed, Ns, of a turbine (Note that it does not have
units of speed!).
• By combining similarity laws 1 and 2 and eliminating D again another equation for
specific speed can be formed. This is
Ns = NQ1/2 = constant, and is usually used for pumps
H3/4
• This last equation will be referred to later on in pumps.
 Turbines – Specific Speed
• The specific speed, Ns, can be considered as the speed with which a
turbine that has been decreased in size must rotate in order to
develop 1kW under a pressure head of 1m.
• It can also be considered as the “characteristic of the machine
which relates the power of the machine to the pressure head and
the rotational speed” (Meyer, C. F., 1995, p.47). Hence the larger
the number the more power it develops for a given pressure head
and speed.
• One needs to be careful when using this parameter as the units
used in substitution can change the value of it and there is no
common system in use yet (the following units are used in Meyer,
C., F. (1995, p.47) :N[rpm], P[kW], Q[m3/s]).
 Turbines – Dimensionless Specific
Speed
• A further development of specific speed, Ns, can be considered by keeping ρ and g in the Euler head
(HE=wU/g) and turbine power (P=ηρgQh) equations that were used to develop the original three
affinity laws. If this is done a dimensionless specific speed is generated by again eliminating the
diameter D in the affinity law equations, as done previously.
• This then gives rise to the following specific speed equations for turbines and pumps.

ns = ω(P/ρ)1/2 for turbines

(gH)5/4
and ns = ω Q1/2 for pumps.
(gH)3/4

• Again, one needs to be careful when considering the units used in this parameter, and the following
units are used in Meyer : ω[radian/s], P[W], ρ [kg/m3], g[m/s2], H[m] and Q[m3/s].
• As these units are standard SI units it can be preferable to use these equations. The term type
number is also used when referring to the dimensionless specific speed.
• It is usually obtained from values at the maximum efficiency of a machine.
 Turbines – Unit Speed and Flow
• Another method that can be used to compare turbines is the unit speed.
• If one assumes that the head is unit quantity, i.e. 1m, then one can compare the
speed, flow rate and power developed for various heads applied. From affinity law
2 seen earlier, rearranged gives
N = H1/2
D
where D is constant for a given turbine, so
Nu = N = constant, and is called the unit speed
H1/2
• This is the speed at which it will run for a head of 1m.

• Similarly if one considers the head H, where H α U2 α f2 α (Q/A)2 α (Q/D2)2 α Q2/D4

, giving Q α H1/2, then we get a unit flow rate, Qu, where :
Qu = Q = constant, and is called the unit flow rate
H1/2
where D is again constant for a given turbine.
 Turbines – Unit Power
• Finally, considering power, P, where P = ρgQH α QH α H1/2H α H3/2

Pu = P = constant, and is called the unit power.

H3/2
• When performing tests on a model these unit quantities are calculated for various
guide vane settings for a turbine and nozzle openings for a Pelton wheel. Graphs of
these unit quantities can then be plotted together giving a family of curves for
various operating conditions as seen below.

(see Fig 1.19 in Meyer, C. F., 1995, p. 50) (see Fig 1.20 in Meyer, C. F., 1995, p. 51)

Turbine Pelton wheel