UE20ME101: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCES

2020

Unit1 Class8

Hydraulic turbines : Definitions of major componests of a hydraulic power stations:

1) Dam The dam is the most important component of hydroelectric power plant. The dam is
built on a large river that has abundant quantity of water throughout the year. It should
be built at a location where the height of the river is sufficient to get the maximum
possible potential energy from water.

2) Water Reservoir The water reservoir is the place behind the dam where water is stored.
The water in the reservoir is located higher than the rest of the dam structure. The height
of water in the reservoir decides how much potential energy the water possesses. The
higher the height of water, the more its potential energy. The high position of water in the
reservoir also enables it to move downwards effortlessly. The height of water in the
reservoir is higher than the natural height of water flowing in the river, so it is considered
to have an altered equilibrium. This also helps to increase the overall potential energy of
water, which helps ultimately produce more electricity in the power generation unit.

3) Intake or Control Gates These are the gates built on the inside of the dam. The water from
reservoir is released and controlled through these gates. These are called inlet gates
because water enters the power generation unit through these gates. When the control
gates are opened the water flows due to gravity through the penstock and towards the
turbines. The water flowing through the gates possesses potential as well as kinetic
energy.

4) The Penstock The penstock is the long pipe or the shaft that carries the water flowing
from the reservoir towards the power generation unit, comprised of the turbines and
generator. The water in the penstock possesses kinetic energy due to its motion and
potential energy due to its height. The total amount of power generated in the
hydroelectric power plant depends on the height of the water reservoir and the amount
of water flowing through the penstock. The amount of water flowing through the
penstock is controlled by the control gates.

5) Water Turbines Water flowing from the penstock is allowed to enter the power
generation unit, which houses the turbine and the generator. When water falls on the
blades of the turbine the kinetic and potential energy of water is converted into the
rotational motion of the blades of the turbine. The rotating blades cause the shaft of the
turbine to also rotate. The turbine shaft is enclosed inside the generator. In most
hydroelectric power plants there is more than one power generation unit. There is large
difference in height between the level of turbine and level of water in the reservoir. This

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difference in height, also known as the head of water, decides the total amount of power
that can be generated in the hydroelectric power plant. There are various types of water
turbines such as Pelton turbine, Francis turbine, Kaplan turbine, Banki turbines etc. The
type of turbine used in the hydroelectric power plant depends on the height of the
reservoir, quantity of water and the total power generation capacity. The turbines convert
the kinetic and potential energies possessed by water into mechanical rotary motion or
power.

6) Generators It is in the generator where the electricity is produced. The shaft of the water
turbine rotates in the generator, which produces alternating current in the coils of the
generator. It is the rotation of the shaft inside the generator that produces magnetic field
which is converted into electricity by electromagnetic field induction. Hence the rotation
of the shaft of the turbine is crucial for the production of electricity and this is achieved by
the kinetic and potential energy of water. Thus in hydroelectricity power plants potential
energy of water is converted into electricity.

Classification of turbines can be based on

1. The type of force rotation the blade : impulse and reaction turbine
2. The direction of flow of water : Radial flow and axial flow

IMPULSE TURBINE OR PELTON WHEEL

The Pelton wheel is a water impulse turbine. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s.
The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like
traditional overshot water wheel. Although many variations of impulse turbines existed prior to

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Pelton's design, they were less efficient than Pelton's design; the water leaving these wheels
typically still had high speed, and carried away much of the energy. It requires high head and low
discharge.

In a impulse water turbine the whole of the pressure energy of water is convaearted into the
kinetic energy in one or more number of nozzles before it passes on to the turbine wheel. This
water comes out of the nozzle in the form of jet at very high velocity. Governs by the continuity
equation a1v1 = a2v2. Pressure energy of water is converted entirely into kinetic energy in a
nozzle. Water coming out of nozzle at the end of penstock is made to strike a series of buckets
fitted on the periphery of a wheel or runner. The impulsive force of the jet striking the pelton
cups sets up the Pelton wheel to rotate in the direction of the impinging jet. Pressure at inlet to
runner and discharge is same and is atmospheric throughout.

The pelton cups are 2 hemispherical cups attached at the center as shown. Pelton's paddle
geometry was designed so that when the rim runs at ½ the speed of the water jet, the water
leaves the wheel with very little speed, extracting almost all of its energy, and allowing for a very
efficient turbine

Majority of impulse turbines are horizontal shaft turbines. Suitable for water moving with high
velocity and for high heads. Buckets are hemispherical cups bolted to a shaft. Needle valve is
used to control the water discharge to the turbine. Quantity of water required is less.

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Francis turbine:

The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell,
Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts.
Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today. They operate in a water head
from 10 to 650 meters (33 to 2,133 feet) and are primarily used for electrical power production.
The turbine powered generator power output generally ranges from 10 to 750 megawatts,
though mini-hydro installations may be lower. Penstock (input pipes) diameters are between 1
and 10 meters (3 and 33 feet). The speed range of the turbine is from 83 to 1000 rpm. Wicket
gates around the outside of the turbine’s rotating runner adjust the water flow rate through the
turbine for different water flow rates and power production rates. Francis turbines are almost
always mounted with the shaft vertical to keep water away from the attached generator and to
facilitate installation and maintenance access to it and the turbine.

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The water supplied to the reaction turbine posses both pressure as well as kinetic energy.
Medium head reaction turbine, water flows radically inwards. It consists of a spiral casing
enclosing a number of stationery guide blades, The blade is not symmetrical in nature. The space
between the blades resemble a nozzle. A part of the pressure energy is converted to kinetic
enery. This water is deflected to the moving blades which is keyed to the turbine shaft which also
have asymmetrical shape. The rest of the pressure is now converted to kinetic energy. The
resultant of impulse force of the incoming water and the reaction for of the outgoing water will
set the rotation of the shaft. The water leaving the moving blade will be at a lower pressure. The
pressure difference between the pressure of water coming in the moving blade and going out of
the moving blade is called reaction pressure. The blade rotation is in the opposite direction.

Water enters all rounds the periphery of runner and the runner remains full of water all the time
and water acting on the wheel is under pressure which is greater than atmospheric. Before
entering the turbine water has both the pressure energy and kinetic energy, both are utilized by
the runner.

Water after doing work is discharged into the tail-race through a draft tube which remains
submerged deep in the tail-race. May be of horizontal shaft or vertical shaft type. Large reaction
turbines are usually of vertical type. Used for medium heads and medium discharge. Include
Francis, Kaplan and propeller turbine.

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Kaplan turbine:

The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was
developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted
propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range
of flow and water level.

The Kaplan turbine was an evolution of the Francis turbine. Its invention allowed efficient power
production in low-head applications that was not possible with Francis turbines. It is a low head
turbine where there is high discharge. The head ranges from 10–70 meters and the output from 5
to 200 MW. Runner diameters are between 2 and 11 meters. The range of the turbine rotation is
from 79 to 429 rpm. The Kaplan turbine installation believed to generate the most power from its
nominal head of 34.65m is as of 2013 the Tocoma Power Plant (Venezuela). Kaplan turbine

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generating 235MW with each of ten 4.8m diameter runners. Kaplan turbines are now widely used
throughout the world in high-flow, low-head power production.

The Kaplan turbine is an inward radial flow and axial reaction turbine, which means that the
working fluid changes pressure as it moves through the turbine and gives up its energy. Power is
recovered from both the hydrostatic head and from the kinetic energy of the flowing water. The
design combines features of radial and axial turbines. The inlet is a scroll-shaped tube that wraps
around the turbine's wicket gate. Water at high pressure enters the turbine casing through the
inlet and flows over the guide blades. The pressure is reduced and kinetic energy is increased.
The high velocity water from the guide blades takes a 900 turn and strike the runner blade axially
imparting the kinetic energy to set it into rotational motion. The water discharging at the centre
of the runner flow out through the the draft tube which is in L shape having its discharging end
immersed into the tail race. Draft tube helps decelerate the water and recover kinetic energy.

The turbine does not need to be at the lowest point of water flow as long as the draft tube
remains full of water. 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 capitation.

Variable geometry of the wicket gate and turbine blades allow efficient operation for a range of
flow conditions. Kaplan turbine efficiencies are typically over 90%, but may be lower in very low
head applications

Difference between impulse turbine and reaction turbines.

SL.NO. Impulse turbine Reaction turbine

1 Pressure energy of water is converted
into kinetic energy before it is passed
onto the turbine wheel.
2 Pressure of water over the blades is
atmospheric
3 Impulsive force of jet sets up the
rotation
4 The profile of the blade is symmetrical
about the axis
The water flows with both pressure and
kinetic energies over the moving blades
where its part of the pressure energy is
converted into the kinetic energy
Pressure of the water continuously
decreases as it flows over the moving
blades
Impulsive and reaction force sets up the
rotation
The profile of the blade is not symmetrical
about the axis. It has a aerofoil profile

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