Water Turbines: Our Subtopic

Water
Turbines
OUR SUBTOPIC: FRANCIS TURBINE.
AXIAL FLOW REACTION TURBINE.
INTRODUCTION TO WATER TURBINES
 A water turbine is a rotary machine that converts
kinetic energy and potential energy of water into
mechanical work. Water turbines are mostly
found in dams to generate electric power
from water kinetic energy.
 In 1849, British–American engineer James
Francis developed the first modern water turbine
the Francis turbine – which remains the most
widely-used water turbine in the world today. In the
1870s, American inventor Lester Allan
Pelton developed the Pelton wheel, an impulse
water turbine, which he patented in 1880.
TYPES.
 Pelton turbine.
 Francis turbine.
 Kaplan turbine.
 Turgo turbine.
 Cross-flow turbine .
 Fixed pitch propeller.
CLASSIFICATION
 Turbines are also divided by their principle of operation
and can be:
 An Impulse turbine, which is driven by a high-velocity
jet (or multiple jets) of water.
 A Reaction turbine. The rotor of a reaction turbine is
fully immersed in water and is enclosed in a pressure
casing.
 A Gravity turbine is driven simply by the weight of
water entering the top of the turbine and falling to the
bottom, where it is released – for example, an overshot
waterwheel.
KALPAN TURBINE & ELECTRICAL GENERATOR
(cut-away view)
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.It is also known as mixed flow
turbine.
 Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in
use today. They operate in a water head from 40 to
600 m (130 to 2,000 ft) and are primarily used for
electrical power production (1-800 MW).
Construction
 1. Spiral Casing
 Spiral casing is the inlet medium of water to the turbine.
The water flowing from the reservoir or dam is made to
pass through this pipe with high pressure. The blades of
the turbines are circularly placed, which mean the water
striking the turbines blades should flow in the circular
axis for efficient striking
 2. Stay Vanes
 Stay vanes and guide vanes guides
the water to the runner blades. Stay
vanes remain stationary at their
position and reduces the swirling of
water due to radial flow, as it enters
the runner blades. Thus making
turbine more efficient.
 3. Guide Vanes
 Guide vanes are not stationary, they
change their angle as per the
requirement to control the angle of
striking of water to turbine blades
to increase the efficiency. They also
regulate the flow rate of water into
the runner blades thus controlling
the power output of a turbine
according to the load on the
turbine.
 4. Runner Blades
 The performance and efficiency of the turbine is
dependent on the design of the runner blades. In a
Francis turbine, runner blades are divided into 2
parts. The lower half is made in the shape of small
bucket so that it uses the impulse action of water to
rotate the turbine.
 5. Draft Tube
 The pressure at the exit of the runner of Reaction
Turbine is generally less than atmospheric pressure.
The water at exit cannot be directly discharged to
the tail race. A tube or pipe of gradually increasing
area is used for discharging water from the exit of
turbine to the tail race.
WORKING
 Most important part
of Francis turbine is
its runner. It is fitted
with a collection of
complex shaped
blades.
 In runner water
enters radially, and
leaves axially. During
the course of flow,
water glides over
runner blades
 Blades of Francis turbine are specially shaped. It is clear
from the figure that shape of blade cross-section is of thin
airfoils. So when water flows over it, a low pressure will
be induced on one side, and high pressure on the other
side. This will result in a lift force.
 It’s blade is having a bucket kind of shape towards the
outlet. So water will hit, and produce an impulse force
before leaving the runner. Both impulse force and lift
force will make the runner rotate.
 So Francis turbine is not a pure reaction turbine, a
portion of force comes from impulse action also. Thus as
water flows over runner blades both its kinetic and
pressure energy will come down.
Since flow is entering radially and leaves axially, they are
also called ‘mixed flow turbine’.
 Runner is connected to generator, via a shaft, for
electricity production.
Applications of Francis Turbine
 Francis turbine is the most widely used turbine in hydro-

power plants to generate electricity.
 Mixed flow turbine is also used in irrigation water
pumping sets to pump water from ground for irrigation.
 It is efficient over a wide range of water head and flow
rate.
 It is most efficient hydro-turbine we have till date.
FLOW REACTION TURBINES
 Based on the direction of flow

reaction turbines are mainly 3 types.
 1. Axial flow reaction turbine
 2. Radial flow reaction turbine
 3. Mixed flow reaction turbine
CONSTRUCTION OF AXIAL FLOW
REACTION TURBINE
 1. Scroll Casing
 It is a spiral type of casing that has decreasing cross
section area. The water from the penstocks enters the
scroll casing and then moves to the guide vanes where
the water turns through 90° and flows axially through the
runner. It protects the runner, runner blades guide vanes
and other internal parts of the turbine from an external
damage.
 2. Guide Vane Mechanism
 It is the only controlling part of the whole turbine, which
opens and closes depending upon the demand of power
requirement. In case of more power output requirements, it
opens wider to allow more water to hit the blades of the
rotor and when low power output requires it closes itself to
cease the flow of water.
 3. Draft Tube
 The pressure at the exit of the runner of Reaction Turbine is
generally less than atmospheric pressure. The water at exit
cannot be directly discharged to the tail race. A tube or pipe of
gradually increasing area is used for discharging water from the
exit of turbine to the tail race.
 4. Runner Blades
 The heart of the component in kaplan turbine are its
runner blades, as it the rotating part which helps in
production of electricity.Its shaft is connected to the shaft
of the generator. The runner of the this turbine has a
large boss on which its blades are attached and the the
blades of the runner is adjustable to an optimum angle of
attack for maximum power output. The blades of the
Kaplan turbine has twist along its length.
WORKING
 The water coming from the
pen-stock is made to enter the
scroll casing. The scroll casing
is made in the required shape
that the flow pressure is not
lost. The guide vanes direct the
water to the runner blades.
 The vanes are adjustable and
can adjust itself according to
the requirement of flow rate.
The water takes a 90 degree
turn, so the direction of the
water is axial to that of runner
blades.
 The runner blades start to rotate as the water strikes
due to reaction force of the water.
 The runner blades has twist along its length in order to
have always optimum angle of attack for all cross section
of blades to achieve greater efficiency.
 From the runner blades, the water enters into the draft
tube where its pressure energy and kinetic energy
decreases. Kinetic energy is gets converted into pressure
energy results in increased pressure of the water.
 The rotation of the turbine is used to rotate the shaft of
generator for electricity production.
THANK YOU

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 Francis turbine is the most widely used turbine in hydro-

 Based on the direction of flow

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