Pelton Wheel

Pelton Wheel is an impulse type, high head, low discharge, tangential flow,
mostly horizontal shaft, low specific speed turbine.

Rotor

Nozzle Bucket

Jet of Water

Runner of a Pelton Wheel Water Jet hitting and exiting the Buckets
Main Parts of a Pelton Wheel
1. Nozzle and Flow Regulating
2. Runner and Buckets
3. Casing
4. Braking Jet
Main Parts of a Pelton Wheel
1. Nozzle and Flow Regulating Arrangement: The water from source is transferred
through penstock to which end a nozzle is provided. Using this nozzle the high speed water
jet can be formed. To control the water jet from nozzle, a The spear will move backward
and forward in axial direction. When it is moved forward the flow will reduce or stopped and
when it is moved backward the flow will increase movable needle spear is arranged inside
the nozzle.

2. Runner and Buckets: A Pelton turbine consists of a runner, which is a circular disc on
the periphery of which a number of buckets are mounted with equal spacing between them.
The buckets mounted are either double hemispherical or double ellipsoidal shaped. A
dividing wall called splitter is provided for each bucket which separates the bucket into two
equal parts. The buckets are generally made of cast iron or stainless steel or bronze
depending upon the head of inlet of Pelton turbine.

3. Casing: The whole arrangement of runner and buckets, inlet and braking jets are covered
by the Casing. Casing of Pelton turbine does not perform any hydraulic actions but
prevents the splashing of water while working and also helps the water to discharge to the
tail race.

4. Braking Jet: Braking jet is used to stop the running wheel when it is not working. This
situation arises when the nozzle inlet is closed with the help of spear then the water jet is
stopped on the buckets. But Due to inertia, the runner will not stop revolving even after
complete closure of inlet nozzle. To stop this, a brake nozzle is provided. The brake nozzle
directs the jet of water on the back of buckets to stop the wheel. The jet directed by brake
nozzle is called braking jet.
Design Parameters of Pelton Wheel
1. Velocity of jet : The
velocity of the jet at inlet is
given by,

𝑽𝟏 = 𝑪𝒗 𝟐𝒈𝑯

where, 𝐶𝑣 = coefficient of
velocity = 0.98 𝑜𝑟 0.99 and
𝐻 = Net head on turbine. Discharge,
2. Velocity of wheel: The
velocity of wheel (𝑢) is given
by,
Bucket dimensions
𝒖 = 𝑲𝒖 𝟐𝒈𝑯,
where, 𝐾𝑢 = speed ratio = 0.43 𝑡𝑜 0.48

3. Angle of deflection of jet: The angle of deflection of jet after striking the
buckets 𝛽 is taken as 165° to 170° if no deflection angle is given.
4. Mean diameter of the wheel: The mean diameter or the pitch diameter 𝐷 of
𝜋𝐷𝑁 60𝑢
the Pelton turbine is given by, 𝑢 = 60 , ⇒ 𝐷 = 𝜋𝑁
Design Parameters of Pelton Wheel
5. Jet ratio: It is defined as the ratio of the pitch diameter (𝐷) of the Pelton turbine
𝑫
to the diameter of the jet (𝑑). It is given as 𝒎 = 𝒅 .
𝑚 lies between 10 𝑡𝑜 16 (12 is mostly used) for maximum hydraulic efficiency.

6. Bucket dimensions: Bucket dimensions are designed based on the diameter of

the jet as follows:

Breadth, 𝑩 ≈ 𝟑𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟒𝒅
Length, 𝑳 ≈ 𝟐𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟑𝒅
and Thickness, 𝑻 ≈ 𝟎. 𝟖𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟏. 𝟐𝒅

7. Number of jets: It is obtained by dividing the total rate of flow (𝑄) through the
turbine by the rate of flow of water through a single jet (𝑞), i.e.,
𝜋 𝝅
𝒏 = 𝑸/𝒒, where, 𝑛 = number of jets, 𝒒 = 𝑑 2 𝑉1 = 𝟒 𝒅𝟐 𝑪𝒗 𝟐𝒈𝑯
4

In general, 𝑛 ≈ 2 (vertical runner) and 𝑛 ≈ 6 (horizontal runner).

8. Number of buckets : The number of buckets (𝑍) on a runner is given by,

𝑫
𝒁 = 𝟏𝟓 + 𝟐𝒅 = 𝟏𝟓 + 𝟎. 𝟓𝒎
Velocity Triangles for Pelton Wheel
Velocity Triangles for Pelton Wheel
Basic Theory of Pelton Wheel
Basic Theory of Pelton Wheel

where, 𝑃 = mechanial power output

If we want to determine the optimum operating conditions of a given Pelton turbine
for which 𝜂𝑚 , 𝜂𝑣 , 𝜌, 𝑄, 𝐾 and 𝛽 are constant (𝐶1 ), then

Taking,

𝑑𝑃
⇒ = 𝐶2 1 − 𝜖 + 𝜖 −1 = 0 ⇒ 𝝐 = 𝟏/𝟐
𝑑𝜖
Therefore,

i.e., maximum power output and thus maximum overall efficiency in a Pelton
wheel is achieved when its wheel velocity reaches half the jet velocity.
 Basic Theory of Pelton Wheel

Again, taking 𝜂𝑚 , 𝜂𝑣 , 𝜌, 𝑄, as constant 𝐶3 , 𝐾 = 1 and the bucket main angle 𝛽,

⇒ 𝑃 = 𝐶3 𝜖(1 − 𝜖)(1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽)

To maximize 𝑃, (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽) has to have the maximum value (−1 < 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 < 1),
i.e., 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽 = −1 ⇒ 𝜷 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎°,

The maximum possible efficiency of a Pelton Wheel is achieved at 𝜷 = 𝟏𝟖𝟎°.

For 𝛽 = 180°, (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽) has a value of 2.

Now, if flat plate vanes are used as buckets for which, 𝛽 = 90°, so (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛽) has a
value of 1, thus the maximum power or overall efficiency of a flat plate bucket is half
of that of hemispherical bucket.
Basic Theory of Pelton Wheel

a condition that occurs when the load is completely removed from a running turbine.
The speed at this condition is called runaway speed of a turbine. This is very
important from the governing (control) and safety point of view of the turbine.
 Example Problems
Example–1: A Pelton turbine is required to develop 9 MW when working under a head of
300 m. The impeller can be run at 500 rpm. Assuming the jet ratio as 10 and overall
efficiency of 85%, calculate, (i) discharge required, (ii) diameter of the wheel, (iii) number of
jets, and (iv) number and size of bucket-vanes on the runner.

Solution: We have, (i) 𝑃 = 𝜂𝑜 𝛾𝑄𝐻

𝑃 9×106
⇒ 𝑸= = = 𝟑. 𝟔 𝒎𝟑 /𝒔 𝑨𝒏𝒔.
𝜂𝑜 𝛾𝐻 0.85×9810×300

60𝑢
(ii) Diameter of the wheel, 𝐷 = , where, 𝑢 = 𝐾𝑢 2𝑔𝐻
𝜋𝑁
Assuming 𝐾𝑢 = 0.48, we get 𝑢 = 0.48 × 2 × 9.81 × 300 = 36.82 𝑚/𝑠
60×36.82
So, 𝑫 = = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟏 𝒎 𝑨𝒏𝒔.
𝜋×500

𝜋
(iii) Number of jets, 𝑛 = 𝑄/𝑞, where, 𝑞 = 𝑑2 𝑉1
4
𝐷 1.41
Diameter of the jet, 𝑑 = = = 0.14 𝑚
𝑚 10

Assuming 𝐶𝑣 = 0.99, we get, 𝑉1 = 𝐶𝑣 2𝑔𝐻

𝑉1 = 0.99 × 2 × 9.81 × 300 = 75.95 𝑚/𝑠

𝑄 3.6
So 𝒏 = =𝜋 = 3.08 ≈ 𝟑 𝒋𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝑨𝒏𝒔.
𝑞 ×0.14 2 ×75.95
4
 Example Problems
It is necessary to recalculate the diameter of the nozzle in view of the rounding off to the 3
jets.
𝑸 𝟑.𝟔
Discharge per nozzle, 𝒒 = = = 𝟏. 𝟐 𝒎𝟑 /𝒔
𝒏 𝟑
4𝑞 4×1.2
Diameter of the jet, 𝑑 = = = 0.142 𝑚 = 142 𝑚𝑚
𝜋𝑉1 𝜋×75.95

𝐷
(iv) Number of buckets, 𝑍 = 15 + = 15 + 0.5𝑚
2𝑑
𝐙 = 15 + 0.5 × 10 = 𝟐𝟎 𝑨𝒏𝒔.

The size of the buckets can be determined as follows:

Breadth (width) of the bucket, 𝑩 ≈ 𝟑𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟒𝒅 ≈ 𝟒 × 𝟏𝟒𝟐 ≈ 𝟓𝟕𝟎 𝒎𝒎

Length of the bucket, 𝑳 ≈ 𝟐𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟑𝒅 ≈ 𝟑 × 𝟏𝟒𝟐 ≈ 𝟒𝟐𝟓 𝒎𝒎

Thickness of the bucket,𝑻 ≈ 𝟎. 𝟖𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝟏. 𝟐𝒅 ≈ 𝟏. 𝟐 × 𝟏𝟒𝟐 ≈ 𝟏𝟕𝟎 𝒎𝒎

 Example Problems
Example–2:

Solution:
Example Problems
Example Problems
Selection of Turbine
Selection of Turbine
 Exercise Problems
Problem–1:

Problem–2:
 Exercise Problems
Problem–3:

Problem–4: