Chapter Fluid Machinery - PART 4

PART 4 -TURBINES
CHAPTER 4:
FLUID
MACHINERY
TURBINES
Turbines have been used for centuries to convert
freely available mechanical energy from rivers and
wind into useful mechanical work, usually through a
rotating shaft.
The rotating part of a hydroturbine is called the
runner.
When the working fluid is water, the turbomachines
are called hydraulic turbines or hydroturbines.
When the working fluid is air, and energy is extracted
from the wind, the machine is called a wind turbine.
Most people use the word windmill to describe any
wind turbine, whether used to grind grain, pump
water, or generate electricity.
The turbomachines that convert energy from the
steam into mechanical energy of a rotating shaft are
called steam turbines.
Turbines that employ a compressible gas as the
working fluid is gas turbine.
2
Turbine
• A prime mover to subtract energy from fluid
• Energy from water will be changed to mechanical energy (shaft)
• Can be classified into two basic types:
• Impulse turbine
• Reaction turbine
Impulse turbines require a higher head, but can
operate with a smaller volume flow rate.
Reaction turbines can operate with much less

head, but require a higher volume flow rate.
Impulse Turbines
In an impulse turbine, the fluid is sent
through a nozzle so that most of its
available mechanical energy is converted
into kinetic energy.
The high-speed jet then impinges on
bucket-shaped vanes that transfer energy
to the turbine shaft.
The modern and most efficient type of
impulse turbine is Pelton turbine and the
rotating wheel is now called a Pelton
wheel.
Schematic diagram of a Pelton-type impulse

turbine; the turbine shaft is turned when high-
speed fluid from one or more jets impinges on
buckets mounted to the turbine shaft. (a) Side
view, absolute reference frame, and (b)
bottom view of a cross section of bucket n,
4
rotating reference frame.
Impulse Turbine
• The total head available is first converted into kinetic energy
• The fluid energy which is reduced on passing through the runner
• It follows that the absolute velocity at outlet is smaller than the absolute velocity
at inlet (jet velocity)
• The fluid pressure is atmospheric throughout, and the velocity is constant except
for a slight reduction due to friction.
Impulse Turbine
• Classic example : Pelton wheel (named after Lester Pelton, 1829-
1908)
• High head, low flow rate device
a) A schematic diagram of a Pelton wheel turbine
b) Photograph of Pelton wheel turbine

Voith Hydro, York
Pelton Wheel
Main parts:
• Jet nozzle
• Runner
• Bucket
Velocity triangle for Pelton wheel
In Pelton wheel
analysis, we
assume the
relative speed of
the fluid is
constant (no
friction)
Reaction Turbines
The other main type of energy-producing
hydroturbine is the reaction turbine, which
consists of fixed guide vanes called stay vanes,
adjustable guide vanes called wicket gates,
and rotating blades called runner blades.
Flow enters tangentially at high pressure, is
turned toward the runner by the stay vanes as it
moves along the spiral casing or volute, and
then passes through the wicket gates with a
large tangential velocity component.
A reaction turbine differs significantly

from an impulse turbine; instead of
using water jets, a volute is filled with
swirling water that drives the runner.
For hydroturbine applications, the axis
is typically vertical. Top and side views
are shown, including the fixed stay
vanes and adjustable wicket gates.
Typical setup and terminology for a hydroelectric plant
that utilizes a Francis turbine to generate electricity;
drawing not to scale. The Pitot probes are shown for
illustrative purposes only.
(a) An aerial view of Hoover Dam and (b) the top (visible) portion of several of
the parallel electric generators driven by hydraulic turbines at Hoover Dam.
Reaction Turbine
• The rotor is surrounded by a casing (volute) which is completely filled
with the working fluid.
• Low head, high flowrate device
• Example:
• Francis turbines (radial and mixed flow hydraulic turbines)

• Main parts (spiral, guide vanes, runner, draft tube)
• Kaplan turbines (axial flow hydraulic turbines)
Reaction Turbine
Schematic diagram of reaction

turbine
Reaction turbine
Reaction Turbine
Photograph of a reaction turbine,

Voith Hydro, York
Reaction Turbine
a) Typical radial-flow Francis turbine

b) Typical axial-flow Kaplan turbine
Example 1
An inward flow reaction turbine develops a power of 13 MW and uses 12.5 m3/s of water. The
runner has a diameter of 1.5 m and rotates at 450 rpm. Water enters the runner without shock with
a velocity of flow of 9.5 m/s and passes from the runner to the draft tube without whirl with a
velocity of 7.0 m/s. The total differential pressure and potential heads between the inlet and outlet
of the runners is 70 m. Draw the velocity triangles and determine:
a) The velocity and direction of water entering the runner from the fixed guide blades
b) The entry angle of the runner blades
c) The head loss in the runner
Example 2
An inward radial flow reaction turbine is supplied with 0.8 m3/s of water under effective head of 15 m. the
runner is rotating at 320 rpm and its inner and outer diameters are 0.4 m and 0.8 m respectively . The runner
blade width at inlet is 0.1m and the blade inlet angle is 108o to the tangent of the runner. The flow is
discharged radially from the runner to the atmospheric pressure. Given that the thickness of the blades at inlet
to the runner is negligible and the flow component of velocity is constant through the runner, determine:
a) The inlet guide vane angle for no shock loss in the runner
b) The runner blade outlet angle
c) The output shaft power available from the turbine if the mechanical efficiency is 90%

Chapter Fluid Machinery - PART 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter Fluid Machinery - PART 4

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter Fluid Machinery - PART 4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

PART 4 -TURBINES

Reaction turbines can operate with much less

Schematic diagram of a Pelton-type impulse

a) A schematic diagram of a Pelton wheel turbine

b) Photograph of Pelton wheel turbine

A reaction turbine differs significantly

• Francis turbines (radial and mixed flow hydraulic turbines)

Schematic diagram of reaction

Photograph of a reaction turbine,

a) Typical radial-flow Francis turbine

You might also like