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KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY
End of Semester Examination
August/September, 2017
Level : B. E. Course : MEEG 309
Year : III Semester : II
Exam Roll No. : Time: 30 min F. M. : 20

Registration No.: Date :

SECTION “A”
[20 Q × 1 = 20 marks]
Tick the most appropriate answer. Formula sheet is not required in this section.

1. A free water jet has a velocity of 15 m/s and an area of 0.012 m2. This jet impinges
normally on a vertical plate moving with a velocity of 5 m/s in the direction of the jet.
The force on the plate due to this impingement of the jet, by considering the density of
water 1000 kg/m3, is
[ ] 2700 N [ ] 1800 N [ ] 1200 N [ ] 120 N

2. A free water jet acts upon a water wheel that has semicircular vanes fitted on its
periphery. The theoretical maximum efficiency of this wheel system is
[ ] 29 % [ ] 50 % [ ] 59 % [ ] 100 %

3. A Pump and its (1/4) scale model are being compared. If the ratio of the heads is 5:1 then
the ratio of the power consumed by the prototype and the model is
[ ] 100 [ ] 3.2 [ ] 17 [ ] 12.8

4. The net available head in a Pelton turbine installation is the

[ ] head at the elevation of the nozzle
[ ] difference in elevation between the fore-bay water level and the nozzle outlet
[ ] difference in elevation between the fore-bay water level and the tail race water level
[ ] kinetic energy of the jet issuing from the nozzle

5. The speed ratio of a Pelton wheel operating under a head of 900 m is 0.45. What is the
peripheral velocity of the turbine while in m/s?
[ ] 28 [ ] 42 [ ] 60 [ ] 96

6. A split bucket is used in Pelton wheel to

[ ] provide a spherical shape to the surface of spoon
[ ] minimize the axial thrust on the bearings supporting the wheel shaft
[ ] avoid the possibility of erosion from impurities present in the jet striking the buckets
[ ] prevent disturbance to incoming bucket from the deflected jet

7. If ‘n’ is the number of jets in a Pelton turbine, then its specific speed is proportional to
[ ]n [ ] √n [ ] n2 [ ] independent of n

8. Consider the following energies associated with a Pelton turbine:

1. Mechanical 2. Kinetic 3. Potential
The correct sequence of energy conversion starting from entry fluid is
[ ] 1- 2 – 3 [ ] 2- 3 -1 [ ] 3- 2 – 1 [ ]1-3–2
9. In a Francis turbine, maximum efficiency is obtained when
[ ] relative velocity is radial at the outlet [ ] velocity of flow is constant
[ ] absolute velocity is radial at the outlet [ ] guide vane angle is 90 degree

10. For a given conditions, Francis turbines have a wide range of speed. If the speed of the
turbine made higher, then,
1. specific speed will increases
2. the size of the turbine will become smaller
3. smaller number of pair of poles are required
4. turbine and generator will be costly
Of these statement
[ ] 1, 2 and 3 are correct [ ] 1 and 2 are correct
[ ] 2, 3 and 4 are correct [ ] 1, 2, 3 and 4 are correct

11. Consider the following attributes in respect of Kaplan turbine:

1. Reaction turbine 2. Mixed flow turbine 3. Adjustable blades
Which of the attributes given above are correct?
[ ] 1, 2 and 3 [ ] 2 and 3 [ ] 1 and 3 [ ] 1 and 2

12. A Kaplan turbine has a runner of 5 m diameter. The diameter of the hub is 2 m. If the
peripheral velocity and the swirl velocity at the inlet side of the blade tip are 40 m/s and 5
m/s respectively, the peripheral velocity and swirl velocities at the inlet side of the mid
radius section are, respectively,
[ ] 40 m/s and 7.1 m/s [ ] 57.1 m/s and 3.5 m/s
[ ] 28 m/s and 5 m/s [ ] 28 m/s and 7.1 m/s

13. Which one of the following forms of draft tube will not improve the hydraulic efficiency
of the turbine?
[ ] straight cylindrical [ ] conical type
[ ] bell- mounted [ ] bent tube

14. Main characteristic curves of a turbine means the curves drawn at constant
[ ] head [ ] discharge [ ] speed [ ] efficiency

15. Cavitation in a hydraulic turbine may occur in all likelihood

[ ] in the spiral casing [ ] in the guide passages
[ ] at the inlet to runner [ ] at the inlet to draft tube

16. The flow in the volute casing outside the rotating impeller of a centrifugal pump is
[ ] radial flow [ ] axial flow
[ ] free vortex flow [ ] force vortex flow

17. Which one of the following is the correct statement? For a given centrifugal pump,
[ ] the discharge varies directly as the speed
[ ] the head varies inversely as the speed
[ ] the power varies as the square of the speed
[ ] the discharge varies as the square of the speed
18. Which of the following are the functions of a volute casing in centrifugal pumps?
1. to collect water from the periphery of the impeller and to transmit it to the delivery
pipe at a constant velocity
2. to increase the discharge of the pump
3. to increase the efficiency of the pump
4. to reduce the loss of head in discharge
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
[ ] 1, 2 and 3 [ ] 2, 3 and 4 [ ] 1, 3 and 4 [ ] 1 and 2

19. A discharge of 0.4 m3/s of water is needed to be pumped to a total head of 240 m. How
many pumps connected in series and each having a specific speed of 35 and running at a
speed of 1500 rpm would be needed for the job? The dynamic head in the system can be
neglected.
[ ]3 [ ]4 [ ]5 [ ]6

20. An impeller with backward curved vanes

[ ] is easier to fabricate
[ ] has a falling head discharge characteristic
[ ] cannot run at speeds other than design speed
[ ] has greater absolute velocity at outlet than that with forward curved vanes
 KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY
End of Semester Examination
August/September, 2017
Level : B. E. Course : MEEG 309
Year : III Semester : II
Time : 2 hrs. 30 mins. F. M. : 55
SECTION “B”
[5 Q. × 11 =55 marks]

Attempt ALL the questions. Formula sheet is supplied in this exam along with the question.
Assume suitable data if missing/necessary.

Q. N. 1
a. Differentiate between force exerted by a fluid jet on a curved moving plate and a series of
curved moving plates. [2]
b. How are the velocity diagrams for the flow over the moving vanes drawn? What are
velocity of whirl and velocity of flow and why are they so named? [4]
c. A jet of water of 5 cm diameter impinges on a curved vane and is deflected through an
angle of 175 deg. The vane moves in the same direction as that of the jet with a velocity
of 35 m/s. If the water flow rate is 170 liters per second, determine the component of
force on the vane in the direction of motion. How much would be the power developed
by the vane and what would be the vane efficiency? Neglect friction. How these
parameters would change if instead of one vane there is a series of vanes fixed to a wheel
& moving in the direction of jet with vel. 35 m/s. [5]

Q.N. 2
a. In the case of a Pelton wheel, two hemispherical cups are joined together and water is
directed at the junction; what are the advantages of this arrangement? [2]
b. Justify for the same type of turbine: “If speed number is less, the size of the runner is
more”. Derive that minimum speed number for Pelton turbine is 0.09. [3]
c. A double overhung Pelton wheel unit is to operate at 30,000 kW generator under and
effective head of 300 m at the base of the nozzle. Find the size of the jet, mean diameter
of runner, synchronous speed and specific speed of each wheel. Assume generator
efficiency 93 %, Pelton wheel efficiency 85 %, co-efficient of nozzle 0.97, speed ratio
0.46 and jet ratio 12. [6]

Q.N.3
a. What are the important component parts of a Kaplan turbine and what are their functions?
How the governing operation of Francis and Kaplan turbines are different. [3]
b. What is meant by cavitation? How can it be avoided in reaction turbine? What is
Thoma’s cavitation factor, what is its significance for water turbines? [3]
c. A Kaplan turbine develops 6 MW under and effective head of 5 m. Its speed ratio is 2
and flow ratio is 0.6 and the diameter of boss equals to 0.35 times the external diameter
of the runner. Mechanical efficiency of the turbine is 90 %. Calculate the diameter of the
runner sped of the runner and also its specific speed. [5]
Q.N. 4
a. Explain the purpose of stay vanes in reaction turbines. Why are spiral casings of varying
area employed in Kaplan and Francis turbines? [2]
b. Draw neat sketches of a Francis turbine installation and a Francis runner and label the
following: shroud rig, crown of the runner, blade, wicket gate, scroll casing and draft
tube. [3]
c. A Francis turbine supplied through a 6 m diameter penstock has the following particulars:
Output of installation = 63500 kW
Flow = 117 m3/s
Speed = 150 rpm
ηh = 92 %
Mean diameter of turbine at entry = 4 m
Mean blade height at entry = 1 m
Entry diameter of draft tube = 4.2 m
Velocity in tail race = 2.4 m/s
The static pressure head in the penstock measured just before entry to the runner is 57.4
m. The point of measurement is 3 m above the level of tail race. The loss in the draft tube
is equivalent to 30 % of the velocity head at entry to it. The exit plane of the runner is 2
m above the tail race and the flow leaves the runner without swirl. Determine: (a) Overall
efficiency, (b) Direction of flow relative to runner at inlet, (c) Pressure head at entry to
the draft tube. [6]

Q.N. 5
a. Discuss in general the main and operating characteristics of a hydraulic turbine. Which of
the Pelton, Francis and Propeller turbines gives better off-design performance and why?
[3]
b. What is the influence of exit blade angle on the head capacity relationship of a centrifugal
pump? Assume radial flow at entrance. [3]
c. A centrifugal pump working in a dock pump 1565 l/s against a mean lift of 6.1 m when
the impeller rotates at 200 rpm. The impeller diameter is 1.22 m and the area at outer
periphery is 6450 cm2. If the vanes are set back at an angle of 26 0 at the outlet,
determine: (a) hydraulic efficiency, (b) power required to drive the pump, and
(c) minimum speed to start pumping if the ratio of external to internal diameter is 2. [5]