Design of Pelton turbine

When to use a Pelton turbine

Energy conversion in a Pelton
turbine
Main dimensions for Pelton runner
 The ideal Pelton runner
Absolute velocity from nozzle: v1  2  g  H n

Circumferential speed: v1 1
u1    2  g  H n
2 2

Euler`s turbine equation:   (u1  vu1  u2  vu 2 )

g  Hn
h

vu1  v1 vu 2  0 u1  u2  u
h  1
 The real Pelton runner
For a real Pelton runner there will always be losses. We will
therefore set the hydraulic efficiency to:
h  0.96
The absolute velocity from the nozzle will be:
v1  Cd  2  g  H n

Cd range from 0.97 to 0.98 u  u  u    D  N

1 2
60
Speed ratio  
u
 0.45  0.48
vspouting
 Pelton runner contd..
From continuity equation:   d s2
Q  z  v1
4

4Q
ds 
z    v1

Where:
Z =number of nozzles
Q = flow rate
v 1= 2  g  H n
 Pelton runner contd..
• The size of the bucket and number of nozzles
B Rules of thumb:
3.1   3.4 B = 3.1 · ds
B = 3.2 · ds
1 nozzle
2 nozzles
ds B = 3.3 · ds 4-5 nozzles
B > 3.3 · ds 6 nozzles
 Pelton runner contd..
Number of buckets:

z  17 empirical

z  0.5 m  15
Tygun formula
 Pelton runner contd..
Runner diameter (Jet ratio ‘m’)
Rules of thumb:
D = 10 · ds Hn < 500 m
D = 15 · ds Hn = 1300 m
D < 9.5 · ds must be avoided because water will be lost
D > 15 · ds is for very high head Pelton

By Interpolation,
D
 0.005  H n  8
ds
 Speed number
   Qz
Q   d s2
Q  area  u1 
v1
2  g  Hn 4 2

 2  u1 2  g  Hn 1
   
2  g  Hn D  2  g  Hn D  2  g  Hn D

1   d s2  z
   Q z   ds   z
D 4

D 4
 Pelton runner contd..
For the diameter: D = 10·ds and one nozzle: z = 1
d s   z 1  1
   0.09
D 4 10 4
The maximum speed number for a Pelton turbine
with one nozzle is 0.09
For the diameter: D = 10·ds and six nozzle: z = 6
ds   z 1   6
   0.22
D 4 10 4
The maximum speed number for a Pelton turbine
today is 0.22
 Selection of Speed:
For a given conditions, Pelton turbines have a wide range of speed. If
the speed of the turbine made higher, then,
a) Specific speed will increases
Advantages:
– The size of the turbine will become smaller and hence it will less costly
– The jet diameter will decrease. Reduction in jet diameter will raise the
jet ratio and enhance the runner efficiency
Disadvantages:
– Need multi-jets with which the governing becomes complicated and
more expensive
b) The speed of directly coupled generator will increase. This means
that smaller number of pair of poles are required and hence the
generator will also be costly
c) Material employed for high speed machines (turbine and generator)
will be costly, as high speed causes great stresses in revolving
parts
 Dimensioning of a Pelton turbine
1. The flow rate and head are given
*H = 1130 m
*Q = 28.5 m3/s
*P = 288 MW
2. Calculate actual velocity of jet and choose speed ratio 0.48 and
calculate U
v1  Cd  2  g  H n

3. Choose the number of nozzles, z = 5

4. Calculate ds from continuity for one nozzle

4Q
ds   0.22 m
z    v1
5. Choose the bucket width
B = 3.3 · ds= 0.73 m
L = 2.3 to 2.8 · ds
 Dimensioning contd..
6. Find the diameter by interpolation
D
 0.005  H n  8  13.65
ds

D  13.65  d s  3.0 m

D/ds
15

10

400 1400 Hn [m]

 Dimensioning contd..
7. Calculate the speed:
D 2   N D
u1     
2 60 2

u  60
n 1  452 rpm
 D
8. Choose the number of poles on the generator:
The speed of the runner is given by the generator and the net frequency:
3000
N [rpm] where Zp= pair of poles on the generator
Zp

The pair of poles will be: 3000

Zp   6.64  7
N
 Dimensioning contd..
9. Recalculate the speed:

3000
N  428.6 [rpm]
Zp

10. Recalculate the diameter:

D 2   N D u1  60
u1       D  3.16 m
2 60 2  N

11. Choose the number of buckets

z = 22
 Dimensioning contd..
12. Diameter of the turbine housing (for vertical turbines)

DHousin g  D  K  B  9.4 m
K
9

1 4 6 z

13. Calculate the height from the runner to the water level at the outlet
(for vertical turbines)
Height  3.5  B  D  3.1 m
Dimensioning contd..
Jostedal, Sogn og Fjordane

GE Hydro
Jostedal, Sogn og Fjordane

GE Hydro
 Example: Khimti Power Plant
1. The flow rate and head are given
*H = 660 m
*Q = 2.15 m3/s
*P = 12 MW
2. Calculate actual velocity of jet and assumed
speed ratio 0.48 and calculate u1
3. Choose the number of nozzles
z=1
 Example contd..
4. Calculate ds from continuity for one nozzle
4Q
ds   0.15 m
z    v1
5. Choose the bucket width
B = 3.2 · ds= 0.5 m
 Example contd..
6. Find the diameter by interpolation
D
 0.005  H n  8  11.3
ds

D  11.3  d s  1.7 m
D/ds
15

10

400 1400 Hn [m]

 Example contd..
7. Calculate the speed: D 2   N D
u1     
2 60 2

u  60
N 1  613 rpm
 D
8. Choose the number of poles on the generator:

The speed of the runner is given by the generator and the net frequency:
3000
N [rpm]
Zp
Where, Zp= pair of poles on the generator

The number of poles will be: 3000

Zp   4.9  5
N
 Example contd..
9. Recalculate the speed:

3000
N  600 [rpm]
Zp
10. Recalculate the diameter:
D 2   N D u1  60
u1       D  1.74 m
2 60 2  N

11. Choose the number of buckets

z = 22
 Problem: 1
A hydro company already owns a Pelton Wheel turbine rotor in excellent condition which they wish to
use on a new contract. In terms of disc and shaft strength this rotor is capable of transmitting up to
15MW of mechanical power. It has a mean bucket diameter of 1.65 m.The new contract is to harness
a mountain flow of water having a net head at the turbine of 460.5m. Hydrologists have advised
designing for annual flow rates as follows:-
Design standard 4.750 m3/s for 150 days
Winter 2.375 m3/s for 211 days
No-flow, repair, maintenance for 4 days
The company will install an alternator with p=5, 6 or 7 pairs of poles but no more than 7. The company
is prepared to install j = 1, 2 or 3 Pelton jets. Take jet nozzle CD=0.970, g = 9.807m/s2, hh=0.93,
hmech=0.98, hvol=0.99, helec=0.92.
a) Estimate jet speed v, jet diam d, ratio D/d, and determine the best number of jets j, explain your
logic.
b) Consider the data and check whether the speed number at design conditions appears to fall in a
suitable range.
c) For values of p determine speed n, blade speed U and u/v. Select the speed you consider will
prove most satisfactory and hence recommend the number of poles for synchronous running on the
national grid.
d) Determine the hydraulic, mechanical shaft and electrical power output at both design and
recommended winter conditions.
e) Determine the Load Factor.
 Problem: 2
A single jet Pelton turbine is required to drive a generator to develop 10,000 KW. The available head at
the nozzle is 760m. Assuming electric generator efficiency 95 %. Pelton wheel efficiency 87 %, co
efficient of velocity for nozzle 0.97. , mean bucket velocity 0.46 of jet velocity, outlet angle of the
buckets 15 degrees and the relative velocity of the water leaving the buckets 0.85 of that at inlet, find
a) The diameter of the jet
b) The flow in cumecs and
c) The force exerted by the jet on the buckets.
If the ratio of the mean bucket circle diameter to the jet diameter is not to be less than 10,
find the best synchronous speed for generation at 50 cycles per second
and the corresponding mean diameter of the runner.
Solution clue:
• First calculate output of the turbine
• Divide this by turbine efficiency and get available power
• Calculate flow rate,
• Apply continuity equation to calculate jet diameter,
• 
Use force equation to calculate force: F    Q  vu1  vu 2 
• Here, vu1 is v1 and to calculate vu2 use velocity triangles,
• Use jet ration to calculate diameter and then N, check does
• this speed is synchronous or not ….if not then made it
• synchronous speed and accordingly revised diameter