DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY

EXPERIMENTNO.3
T o study the constructional details of a
Franeis Turbine (Renction turbin and to
obtain the overall
efficiency. o frm cis
Turkata
OO ARATUS USED: -Model of Francis Turbine, a supply pump unit, now measuring8
unit
consIsting of a calibrated venturimeter, manometer, piping system and sump.

U/lHEORY: - In Reaction Turbine there is a gradual pressure drop and takes place

coninuously over the fixed and moving blades or over guide vanes and moving vanes. 1he

tunction of the guide vanes is that they alter the direction of water as well as increases its

velocity. As the water passes over the moving vanes its kinetic energy is absorbed by them.
The inward flow reaction turbine having radial discharge at
outiet is known as
Franeis
Turbine. after the name of J.B Francis, an American engineer who in beginning designed

nward radial low reaction turbine. In tre modern Francis turbine, the water enters the

runner of the turbine in the radial direction and leaves in the axial direction at the outlet of

the runner. Thus the modern Francis turbine is a mixed flow type turbine.

fhuid inlet

volute

fluid outlet

runner blades guide vanes

Eig1 Franis Turbine

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 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANKCAL ENGINEERING
GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY

h=2 to 3.5d

(b) Simple elbow type (c) Elbow type with

(a) Straight type varying cross-section

Fig2Typesof Draft Tube

CONSTRUCTIONALSPECIFICATIONS:
1. Spiral Casing: Of close-grained cast iron with integral legs and 150 mm fitted inlet.

2. Runner: Of bronze designed for efficient by a hand wheel through a link mechanism.
External dummy, guide vanes working inside the turbine.

3. Shaft: Of EN-S steel accurately machined and provided with bronze sleeve at the stulling
box.

4. Ball bearings: Of double row deep groove rigid type in the casing and double row self-

aligning type in the bearing pedes tal both of liberal size.

5. Draught bend: Provided at exit of the runner wíth a transparent cylindrical window, for

observations of flows pass the runner. To the bend is connected a straight conical draft

tube of mild steel.

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 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING
GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY
O.
Brake
arrangement: Consists of a machined and polished cast iron brake drum, cooling
warer
pipes, internal water scoop, discharge
pipe, standard cast iron dead weights, spring
Dalance, rope brake etc,
arranged for loading the turbine.
Observation window: A transparent Perspex hollow cylinder window for observation of
tow
passage, through the runner is provided in between the casing and the draft tube.

8. Base plate: Of cast iron, box type, ribbed in construction.

The main parts of the Francis turbine are: -

1. Penstock: It is a long pipe. The water from reservoir flows through the penstock.

2. Casing: In case of reaction turbine, casing and runner are always full of water. The

water, irom the penstocks enters the casing which is of spiral shape in which area of eross-

section of the casing goes on decreasing gradually. The casing completely surrounds the

Tunner of the turbine. The casing is made of spiral shape, so that the water may enter the
runner at constant velocity throughout the eircumference of the runner. The casing is made
of concrete or east steel.

3. Guide Mechanism: It consists of a stationary circular wheel all round the runner of the

turbine. The stationary guide vanes are fixed on the guide mechanism. The guide vanes
allow the water to strike the vanes fixed on the runner without shock at iniet. Also by a

suitable arrangement, the width between two adjacent vanes of a guide mechanism can be

altered so that the amount of water striking the runner can vary.

4. Runner: It is a cireular wheel on which a series of radial curved vanes are fixed, The
surface of the vanes is made very smooth. The radial curved vanes are so shaped that the
water enters and leaves the runner without shock. The runners are made of cast steel, cast

iron or stainless steel. They are keyed to the shaft.

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Manual: Fluid Machinery Lab
 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY

D r a i t tube: The pressure at the exit of the runner of reaction turbine is

-

a
generally less
au
anOSphere pressure. The water at exit cannot be directly discharged to the tail race.
A ube or
pipe of gradually increasing area is used for discharging water from the exit
ofI
tne turbine to the tail race. This tube of increasing area is called draft tube, The draft tube,
m addition to serve a passage for water discharge, has the following two purposes also.

h e turbine may be placed above the tail race and hence turbine may be inspected
properly.
. The kinetic
energy rejected at the outlet of the turbine is converted into usetul pressure
energy. end 0

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
1. Francis Turbine

Rated supply head : 15 m

Discharge :1500Ipmn
Normal speed :1250 rpm
Power output :3.75 kW (5HP)
Unit speed :38.8 rpm

Brake drum diameter 300 mm

Rope diameter 16mm

Guide vane

No. of guide vanes : 10 Nos

Profile Aerofoil
P.C.D. of guide vanes :230 mm
Width of guide vane : 105 mm

Depth of guide vane 24 m

Guide vane adjustment:20(max)

Each graduation correspond to: 2

Material :Gunmetal

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 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
GRAPHIC ERAUNIVERSITY
Runner
Outer diameter : 1o0 mm

lhner diameter of runner : 127 mm

No. of runner blades

:8 Nos.
Thickness of runner blades : 4 mm

2. Supply Pump Unit

Rated head 19.5 m

Discharge 2000 pm
Normal speed : 2850 rpmn
Power required : 15 HP (11.25 kW)

Size of pump :100mm x 100mm

Type :Centrifugal

3. Flow
masuring unit
Size of per
Ox iceneler 100 mm
Venturimeter-area
Throat diameter of orilicemeter : b0 mm A

Manometer :U tube, Differential

wORKING:
The pump is started and the diseharge is directed on to the francis turbine. The pressure

gauge is adjusted for the required head by adjusting the inlet valve. For the particular

constant head, the following observations are made.

a) Manometer readings (hl & h2)

b) Pressure gauge reading.

c) Shaft speed
d) Dead weight & load in the hanger
e) Spring balance reading.

Manual: Flurd Machinery Lab Page 19

 DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINBERING
GRAPHIC ERA UNIVERSITY
Dy adding the load in the
hanger the head of the turbine is automatieally reduced. 10
tan a
constant head, the inlet valve is
opened slowly and allows more amount of wiater
kng on the vanes. The gate valve is opened until the constant head is obtained. Aler
Bettng the constant head the observations made. The
are procedure is repeated by varying
the load in the
hanger.
Specifications:
1. Type -Reaction Turbine
2. Type of flow Mlixed (Redial & Axial)
3. Head Medium 45 to 250m
4. Specific speed -

Medium 50 to 250
5. Shaft position Mainly vertical ( it may be horizontal also )
6. Discharge - Medium

cOvERNING MECHANISM
h e governing mechanism changes the position of guide blades to affect a variation in the

water flow rate in the wake of changing load condition of the turbine. When the load

changes, the governing mechanism rotates all guide blades about their axis through the

same angle so that the water flow rate to the runner and its direction essentially remain the

same at the all passages betveen any two consecutive guide vans. The penstock pipe feeding

the turbine is often fitted with a relhel valve, also known as the pressure regulator. When

guide vanes are suddenly closed, the relief valve opens and diverts the water direct to tail

race. The simultaneous operation of guide vanes and reliet valve is termed as double

regulation..

FORMULA USED:
1. Efficiency= Brake Power/Input Power

2. Brake Power- (27NT x 9.81/60000) kW

3. Input Power= pgQH kW

4. T= Wx Re

Where, N= Turbine speed in rpm

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S.No

Sefing of spear

Shaftspeed in rpm
Net supply head in meters i
Discharge in ipm

Bralke weight in kg (Wi)

Spring balance reading in

kg (Wa)
Net brake weight(W)

InputPower
Output Power

Efficiency