ME307

Energy Conversion Devices

Assignment – 4
Topic – Pelton Turbines

Name – Awantika Singh

Roll No. – B18163
Question:

• Why are bucket used in Pelton turbine and what

will happen if splitter angle is kept zero i.e. Water
hits the Pelton buckets without splitter?
Answer:
• The buckets are important part of Pelton turbine. The
buckets are mounted with equal spacing on the
periphery of the runner. The buckets mounted are either
double hemispherical or double ellipsoidal shaped. There
is a dividing edge called splitter which separates the
bucket into two equal parts.
Use of buckets in Pelton turbine:
• The split edge of the buckets splits the jet into 2 halves. This
causes Pelton turbine to rotate with more velocity. Hence
momentum changes and the whole system moves. The special
shape of bucket makes the jet turn almost 180 degrees which
produces an impulsive force on bucket. These buckets
balances the side load forces on the wheel and helps to
ensure smooth, efficient transfer of momentum of the fluid jet
of water to the turbine wheel. This is the reason why buckets
are used in Pelton turbines. The number of buckets used will
depend on the diameter of the runner and jet.
If splitter angle is zero:

• If the water hits the Pelton buckets without the splitter

(splitter angle is zero) than less amount of water energy will be
converted for wheel rotation. Also the contact point of water
on the bucket area will be too less. It is only because of the
splitter present at the mid of bucket that the water is evenly
and highly distributed on the buckets for efficiently converting
the water for the rotation. This causes the Pelton turbine to
rotate with more velocity. Also the efficiency of the turbine
will increase.