Main dimensions design of a

Francis turbines
• Examples
• Losses in Francis turbines
• NPSH
• Main dimensions
 Turbine Shaft
Governing Ring

Spiral Casing Upper Cover

Guide Vanes

Stay Ring

Labyrinth
Stay Vanes seals
Runner
Lower Cover
Svartisen Power Plant, Norway Draft Tube Cone
Francis Turbine Runners

Traditional runner X blade runner

SVARTISEN
La Grande, Canada
When to use a Francis turbine
Energy conversion in a Francis
turbine
Outlet Outlet Inlet Outlet Inlet
draft tube runner runner guide vane guide vane
 Energy conversion Contd..
• The total absolute sp. energy is the
difference from the pr. side to the suction
side of the turbine = E = g H
• The lower part of the diagram shows
pressure energy and upper part shows
the kinetic energy
• On RHS of the diagram before reach the
inlet of the GV ~ 95 % energy is pr. with
increasing of KE towards the GV inlet
where swirl flow is dominating
 Energy conversion Contd..
• Through the GV cascade the rotational
energy increases to match the
circumferential speed of the runner blades
• Also meridional velocity increase because
the water is flowing towards the decreasing
diameter
• As a result the pr. energy decrease to ~ 50
% of the total energy at the runner inlet
 Energy conversion Contd..
• From the runner inlet the energy is
gradually converted to mechanical energy
by the runner
• Towards the outlet of the runner the
absolute pressure decreases bellow the
pr. outside the draft tube and the rotational
KE decreases to zero at BEP theoretically
• At the runner outlet the pressure normally
decrease to a value bellow atm. pr.,
however, the KE decreases from the
runner outlet to the draft tube outlet, where
pr. increase to atm. pr. plus the pr. of the
water level above the ref. level
 Hydraulic efficiency
 v12   v32 
 h1   
 z1    h3   z3   losses
vu1  u1  vu 2  u2  2g   2g 
h  
g  Hn  v12   v32 
 h1   z1    h3   z3 
 2g   2g 

1
Losses in Francis Turbines

Draft tube
Hydraulic Efficiency [%]

Output Energy

Head [m]
Losses in Francis Turbines
Hydraulic Efficiency [%]

Output Energy

Output [%]
Friction Losses between
Runner and Covers

Friction losses
 Gap Losses

Gap losses
 Friction losses

Friction losses in
the spiral casing
and stay vanes

Guide vane losses

Gap losses

Runner losses

Draft tube losses

Water Path
Velocity Triangles
 Net Positive Suction Head
(NPSH)
2
NPSH  H A  hv  z2  z4    s  1 
c 2
2 g
NPSH Net Positive Suction Head [m]
hv vapor pressure head [m]
HA atmospheric pressure head [m]
z2 Height above ref. line at location 2 [m]
4
z4 Height above ref. line at location 4 [m]
c2 mean velocity at location 2 [m/s]
z4 s loss coefficient [-]
 NPSH Contd..
4

z4

c22 c32 c32

h2  z 2   h3  z3  3 
2g 2g 2g
Losses

c22 c32 c32 c22
h2  z 2   h4  z4  3   h4  z4   s 
2g 2g 2g 2g

c22
h2  h4  z2  z4    s  1 
2g
 NPSH Contd..
4

z4

2
h2  h4  z2  z4    s  1 
c
2
2 g
Let us introduce the vapor pressure, hv :
h2  hv  h
c22
hv  h  h4  z2  z4    s  1 
2 g
 NPSH Contd..
c22
hv  h  h4  z 2  z4    s  1 
2g
 4

c22
h  h4  hv  z2  z 4    s  1  z4
2g

c22 Atmospheric pressure: H A = h4
NPSH  H A  hv  z 2  z4    s  1 
2g
 Suction Head
4

z4

c22
NPSH  H A  hv  z2  z4    s  1 
2 g
hs
 Submergence of a turbine
2
c
NPSH  H A  hv  H S   s  1  2

2 g

NPSH Net Positive Suction Head [m]

HS hv vapor pressure head [m]
HA atmospheric pressure head [m]
HS Submergence [m]
c2 mean velocity at location 2 [m/s]
s loss coefficient [-]
 NPSH Contd..
 c 22 
h2  hb  H s    J   hva
 2g 
NPSH
NPSH  hb  hva  H s

Note:
HS has a negative
value in this figure.
 NPSH Contd..

Instead of ‘hs’, the term ‘NPSH’ has become more usual

 Suction head (hs)
• The suction head of reaction turbine is the
vertical distance from the turbine centre to the
tail water level
• The turbine centre is the guide vane centre for
Francis turbines and the runner blade centre for
Kaplan turbines
• If the turbine centre is above the tail water level,
the suction head is positive
• If the turbine centre is below the tail water level,
the suction head is negative
 Suction head (hs) Contd..
• Though there are some advantages of having
positive suction head, however, it is seldom
economical to have positive suction head
• In order to have a smaller and cheaper
turbine/generator unit, the rotational speed
should be as high as possible, but that requires
deeper setting because of the higher flow
velocities in the turbine
• The cavitation limit dictates the speed and
setting of the turbine. A deeper setting allows
higher velocities without cavitation problems
 Suction head Contd..
• Cavitation occurs at the runner outlet where the velocity
is high and the local pressure in parts of the flow field
might drop to vapor pressure
• In order to avoid cavitation problem, the runner is set
deeper below the tail water level where pressure is
higher
• Hence vertical setting of the turbine relative to the tail
water is an important parameter in optimizing the
generating unit and power station design
• Deeper setting cost more excavation but the unit can
have a higher speed and will be cheaper
NPSH available and NPSH required

• NPSH available
– This is the NPSH that is given by the site where the
turbine is installed

• NPSH required
– This is the NPSH that the turbine required for non-
cavitating operation
 NPSH required

NPSH R  hb  hva  H s  NPSH A

2 2
v u
NPSH R  a  m2
b 2
2 g 2 g

Turbines Pumps
a 1.05  a  1.15 1.6  a  2.0
b 0.05  b  0.15 0.2  b  0.25
Euler’s turbine equation

  Q  (u1  cu1  u2  cu 2 )

 Q  g  Hn

u1  cu1  u2  cu 2

g  Hn
 Velocity triangle
cu   
u   r

cm v
c

uv  c
 Francis turbine
cu1
u1
cm1
c1 vr1

u2

c2 

D1
D2
vr2
c1 vr1
u1

vr2
c2
u2
w
 v r1
c1
u1

vr2 wc2
u2
Inlet and outlet velocity diagram for reaction
turbines

Guidevanes u1
a1 b1
c1 vr1

u2 Runner vanes
c2 b2
vr2
 Main dimensions

• Dimensions of the outlet

• Speed
D1
• Dimensions of the inlet

D2
 Dimensions of the outlet
We assume vu2= 0 and choose β2 and u2 from NPSHR:

a  u2  tan b 2   b  u22

2 2 2
v u
NPSH R  a  m2
b 
2
2 g 2 g 2 g

13o < β2 < 22o (Lowest value for highest head)

35 < u2 < 43 m/s (Highest value for highest head)
1.05 < a < 1.15
0.05 < b < 0.15
 Diameter at the outlet
vm 2  u2 tan b 2

Connection between vm2 and choose D2 :

D22 Q4
Q    vm 2  vm 2  D1
4   D22

4Q
 D2 
  vm 2

D2
 Speed
Connection between n and choose u2 :

  D2  n u 2  60
u2   n
60   D2
 Correction of the speed
The speed of the generator is given from
the number of poles and the net frequency

3000
n for f  50 Hz
zp
 Example
Given data:
Flow rate Q = 71.5 m3/s

Head H = 543 m

We choose:
a = 1.10
b = 0.10
β2 = 17o
u2 = 41 m/s

NPSH R 
 
 2
1.1 41 tan17  0.1 412
 17.38 m
2 g
Find D2 from:

4Q 4Q
D2  
  vm 2   u2  tan b 2

4  71.5
D2   2.69 m
  41 tan17 
 Find speed from:

u2  60 41 60
n   291.09 rpm
  D2   2.69
Correct the speed with synchronic speed:

3000
zp   10.3
n
3000
choose z p  10  nK   300 rpm
10
 We keep the velocity triangle at the
outlet:
u2 u2K
b2
c2 w2 4Q 4Q
vm 2 vmK   D22   D22 K
tan b 2    
c2K u2 u2 K  
 n  D2  nK  D2 K
60 60

nK  D23K  n  D23

n  D23 291.09
D2 K 3  2.69  3  2.66 m
nK 300
 Dimensions of the inlet

u1  vu1  u2  vu 2
h   2  u1  v u1  u 2  v u 2 
gH
At best efficiency point, vu2= 0

u1  vu1
h  0.96   2  u1  v u1
gH
h 0.96
v u1  
2  u1 2  u1
 Diameter at the inlet
We choose: 0.7 < u1 < 0.75

D1 n  2   D1
u1      D1

2 60 2

u1  60
D1 
n
D2
 Height of the inlet
Continuity gives:

vm1  A1  vm 2  A2

We choose: vm2 = 1.1 · vm1

1.1   D 2
B1  B0
B1  D1    2
4
 Inlet angle
cu1
u1
cm1 b1
w1
c1

vm1
tan b1 
u1  vu1
 Example continues
Given data:
Flow rate Q = 71.5 m3/s

Head H = 543 m

We choose:
h = 0.96
u1 = 0.728
vu2 = 0

h 0.96
h  2  u1  v u1  v u1    0.66
2  u1 2  0.728
 Diameter at the inlet

u1  u1  2  g  h  0.728  2  9.81 543  75.15 m s

u1  60 75.15  60
D1    4.78 m
n  300  

D1
 Height of the inlet
1.1   D 1.1 2.66
2 2
B1  2
  0.41 m
4  D1   4  4.78

B1
 Inlet angle
cu1 u1

cm1 b1
w1
c1

vm 2 tan b 2  u2 tan17  41 m s
vm1     11.4 m s
1.1 1.1 1.1
vm1 11.4
v m1    0.11
2 g h 2  9.81 543

 v m1  1  0.11 
b1  tan 
1
  tan    57.9


 u1  v u1   0.728  0.659 
SVARTISEN
Example1: Francis turbine

D1


D2
B1
 Example1: Francis turbine
Head: 150 m
Q: 2 m3/s

D1
Speed: 1000 rpm 

D2
D1: 0.7 m
D2: 0.3 m
B1: 0.1 m
: 0.96

B1
Find all the information to
draw inlet and outlet velocity
triangles
Example1: Inlet velocity triangle
u1

D1


c1 vr1

n  2   1000  2  
   104.7 rad
s
60 60

D1 0.7
u1    r1     104.7   36.7 m
2 2 s
 Example1:Inlet velocity triangle
cu1 u1
cm1

D1

c1 vr1

Q Q 2
cm1     9.1 m

B1
A1   D1  B1   0.7  0.1 s
Example1: Inlet velocity triangle
cu1 u1
We assume cu2 = 0
cm1 b1
c1 vr1

u1  cu1  u2  cu 2

g  Hn

  g  Hn 0.96  9.81130
cu1    33.4 m
u1 36.7 s
Example1: Inlet velocity triangle
cu1 u1
u1 = 36.7 m/s
cm1 b1 cu1 = 33.4 m/s
c1 vr1 cm1 = 9.1 m/s

 cm1 
b1  tan  1
  70 0

 u1  cu1 
Example1: Outlet velocity triangle
u2
b2 We assume: cu2 = 0
and we choose: cm2 = 1.1· cm1
c2
vr2
cm 2  1.1 cm1  1.1 9.1  10 m s
D2 0.3
u2    r2     104.7   15.7 m
2 2 s

 cm 2 
b 2  tan 
1
  32.50
 u2 
 Exercise 1: Francis turbine
Head: 543 m
Q: 71.5 m3/s

D1
Speed: 333 rpm 

D2
D1: 4.3 m
D2: 2.35 m
B1: 0.35 m
h: 0.96

B1
cm2 : 1.1· cm1

Find all the information to draw inlet

and outlet velocity triangles
Exercise 2: Francis turbine
Speed: 666 rpm
D1: 1.0 m
h: 0.96
c 1: 40 m/s
a 1: 40o

Find: H
b1