Hydraulic Turbine

Turbines are energy developing machines that convert

fluid energy (potential) into mechanical energy
The mechanical energy developed by a turbine is used
to run a generator
Classification of Hydraulic Turbines
According to head and quantity of water available
According to name of the originator
According to action of water on the moving blades
According to the direction of flow of water in the
runner
According to the disposition of the turbine shaft
According to the specific speed Ns
1. According to Head
a. Impulse Turbine
Requires high head and small quantity of flow
The entire pressure of water is converted into kinetic
energy in a nozzle and the velocity of the jet drives the
wheel.
The example of this type of turbine is the Pelton wheel
 It consists of a wheel fitted with elliptical buckets along
its periphery
The force of water jet striking the buckets on the wheel drives
the turbine
The quantity of water jet falling on the turbine is controlled by
means of a needle or spear placed in the tip of the nozzle
The movement of the needle is controlled by the governor
If the load on the turbine decreases, the governor
pushes the needle into the nozzle, thereby
reducing the quantity of water striking the
buckets
Reverse action takes place if the load on the
turbine increases
b. Reaction Turbine
Reaction turbines are used for low and medium heads
In a reaction turbine, water enters the runner partly with
pressure energy and partly with velocity head.
The important types of reaction turbines are : i. Francis
turbines ii Kaplan turbines
i. Francis Turbine
A Francis turbine is used for low to medium heads.
It consists of an outer ring of stationary guide blades
fixed to the turbine casing and an inner ring of rotating
blades forming the runner.
The guide blades control the flow of water to the turbine.
Water flows radially inwards and changes to a downward
direction while passing through the runner.
As the water passes over the “rotating blades” of the
runner, both pressure and velocity of water are reduced.
This causes a reaction force which drives the turbine
ii. Kaplan Turbine
A Kaplan turbine is used for low heads and large quantities of
water.
It is similar to Francis turbine except that the runner of Kaplan
turbine receives water axially.
 Water flows radially inwards through regulating gates all
around the sides, changing direction in the runner to axial
flow.
This causes a reaction force which drives the turbine.
2. According to Originator
a. Pelton Turbine
 Named after Lester Pelton
 It is an impulse type of turbine
 Is used for high head and low discharge
b. Francis Turbine
 Named after James Francis
 It is a reaction type of turbine
 Used in medium head and medium quantities of water
c. Kaplan Turbine
 Named after Victor Kaplan
 It is a reaction type turbine used in low head and large
quantities of flow
3. According to Direction of Flow
a. Tangential Flow
 Pelton Turbine
b. Radial Flow
 No more used
c. Axial Flow
 Kaplan turbine
d. Mixed flow (radial and axial)
 Francis turbine
Turbine Specific Speed
The specific speed of a turbine is defined as the speed at
which the turbine runs developing one B.H.P. under a
head of one meter.
The equation for the specific speed of a turbine can be
obtained as;
Efficiencies of the Turbine
They are categorized in the following
 Volumetric efficiency
Hydraulic efficiency
Mechanical efficiency
Overall efficiency
Volumetric Efficiency
Some of the water flowing in the turbine may leak
through the joints.
The leakage of the water reduces efficiency of the
turbine
Hydraulic Efficiency
Loss of head takes place in the turbine due to
incomplete conversion head over the blade into useful
work
Mechanical Efficiency
This takes into account the power loss due to friction
Overall Efficiency (ɲ)
The overall efficiency of hydraulic turbine is about
90%
Factors to be Considered When Selecting
Water Turbines
Rotational speed of the turbine
 Turbines are used to produce mechanical energy which is
again converted into electrical energy by coupling the
generator through the shaft.
 Here, the speed of the generator is assumed to be the same
speed of turbine speed by considering negligible
transmission losses. Usually, generators are run at its
synchronous speed (Ns)
 These generators are always preferred to use high
synchronous speed because the number of poles required is
less. Thus, the generator size is reduced. Therefore, the
constructional cost of the power house is also reduced.
Specific speed
Specific speed is the speed of a geometrically similar
turbine, (a turbine identical in shape, dimensions, blade
angles and gate openings etc.) which will develop unit
power when working under a unit head.
The specific speed is used in comparing with the
different types of turbines as every type of turbine has
different specific speed.
Specific speed plays an important role in the selection of
a type of turbine. By knowing the specific speed of the
turbine, the performance of the turbine can be predicted
The following points are worthwhile for noting
 Specific speed is proportional to the speed of rotation.
Evidently, the high speed Kaplan turbine is expected to have
high specific speed than Pelton wheel.
 Specific speed is inversely proportional to head. Obviously,
the high head Pelton wheel has a low value of specific
speed than Kaplan turbine
 Specific speed is related with turbine speed. High specific
speed is always suggested because the turbine speed will be
too low for less head and more power output. It will finally
increase the cost of turbo generator thereby increasing the
cost of power house installation
Maximum efficiency
 The efficiency of any turbine is calculated based on the power
output developed. The turbine which can give maximum power
output for the given input will give the maximum efficiency.
The maximum output of the turbine depends on the type of
turbine used.
 The maximum specific speed of impulse turbine for the highest
efficiency is 20 due to low specific speed, large diameter of the
wheel which causes more bearing friction and windage losses.
 The low specific speed of reaction turbine causes more friction
losses, leakage losses and friction losses. These factors will
reduce the efficiency of the turbine by reducing specific speed
Head
The selection of turbine is a function of speed, power
to be developed and head also. These curves are
obtained by maintaining a constant head and a constant
gate opening
The speed of the turbine is varied by allowing a
variable quantity of water to flow through the inlet.
For each speed, the brake power P is measured
mechanically by dynamometer and discharge Q is also
measured.
Quality of water available
Reaction turbines are not suitable for dirt and sand
water because it will cause erosion of the runner blade.
Because of the erosion, more friction losses will be
produced.
So, purity of water is very important to achieve
maximum efficiency. Impulse turbines are more
suitable for any kind of water which carries even grit
or slit.
END