Mod 3 Flumach

Bataan Heroes College
Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines
Learning Objectives:
After studying this module, students should be able to:
1. Understand the general concept of hydraulic turbines.
2. To perform the fundamental principles of hydraulic turbines.
3. To apply the knowledge target in the field of engineering.
3.1 Hydraulic Turbines
Hydraulic Turbines
 Hydraulic turbines are water wheels in

which the motion of water relative to
its bucket is essential to its action.
 Hydraulic turbines are machines that

convert the energy of an elevated water
supply into mechanical energy through
a rotating shaft.
 Hydraulic loss is the loss in fluid power

due to flow friction within the system.
 Hydraulic power plant is a facility

Figure 1 Hydraulic turbine and electrical generator
where electric energy is produced by
hydroelectric generators.
In this facility:
 Water is the main source of energy.
 Kinetic energy and potential energy are converted to mechanical work.
Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 1

Engr. Ruel B. Cabahug
 Hydraulic turbine is the prime mover.
 Input power is the water horsepower.
 Output power is the turbine horsepower.
Figure 2 Layout and components of hydro power plant
Classification of hydraulic turbines
1. According to the action of water (refers to categorizing hydraulic turbines based on how
water interacts with them to generate mechanical energy)
a. Impulse turbine - A type of turbine where water's kinetic energy is converted into
mechanical energy solely by the impact or impulse of the water on the turbine
blades.
b. Reaction turbine - A type of turbine where water's kinetic energy is converted into
mechanical energy through both the impact or impulse of the water and the
reaction of the water as it flows over the turbine blades.
2. According to the direction of water flow (refers to categorizing hydraulic turbines based
on the direction in which water flows as it passes through the turbine)

a. Radial outward - Water flows outward from the center of the turbine,
perpendicular to the rotation axis.
b. Radial inward - Water flows inward towards the center of the turbine,
perpendicular to the rotation axis.
c. Axial or parallel - Water flows parallel to the rotation axis of the turbine.
d. Mixed radial - A combination of radial inward and axial flow, where water flows
both radially inward towards the center and parallel to the rotation axis of the
turbine.
3. According to the position of shaft (refers to categorizing hydraulic turbines based on the
orientation of the turbine's shaft)
a. Vertical turbine - A turbine where the shaft is positioned vertically, meaning it

stands upright with the axis of rotation aligned vertically. Vertical turbines are
often used in applications where space is limited or where the water source is
located at a depth below ground level.
b. Horizontal turbine - A turbine where the shaft is positioned horizontally, meaning

it lies flat with the axis of rotation aligned horizontally. Horizontal turbines are
commonly used in various applications, including hydropower plants and wind
turbines.
Impulse turbine
Impulse turbine is a hydraulic turbine or prime

mover in which fluid under pressure enters a stationary
nozzle where its pressure (potential) energy is converted to
velocity (kinetic) energy and absorbed by the rotor.
 It is also known as tangential wheel or Pelton

wheel.
 The name Pelton is to acknowledge and honor its
Figure 3 Pelton Wheel

inventor Lester A. Pelton of California.
 The wheel passage is nor completely filled with water.
 The water acting on wheel is always atmospheric.
 It utilizes kinetic energy of high velocity jet.
 It is used for high head above 200 ft but most commonly applied to heads above 700 ft.
 The range of head from 200 to 700 ft is used

for small units.
 Heads of 5000 ft have been used in

European installations.
 Impulse turbine’s efficiencies vary from

about 82% to 90%.
 The net effective head is measured at the

bottom of the pitch circle of the runner with
Figure 4 Pelton turbine
no consideration given to the water level at
the tailrace (because there is no draft tube).
Reaction turbine
Reaction turbine is a hydraulic turbine or a power-generation prime mover utilizing the

steady flow principle of fluid acceleration, in which nozzles are mounted on the moving element.

Figure 5 Reaction turbine

 It is also known as the Francis type after James B. Francis, an American who developed
this type of turbine runner.
 It develops power from the combined action of pressure and velocity of the water.
 It is a revised form of a centrifugal pump.
 The wheel passages are completely filled with water.
 The water acting on wheel under pressure is always greater than the atmospheric
pressure.
 Energy used are both kinetic and pressure energy.
 It is used for medium heads, usually employed for heads of 70 to 900 ft, and at times, up
to 1100 ft.
 Francis type may have either a horizontal or vertical shaft.
 Efficiencies range from 90% to 94%.
Types of water turbine runner
1. Propeller or axial turbine or Kaplan turbine is a special type of propeller turbine

featuring variable-angle blades than can be changed with water flow to maintain high
efficiency.
2. Francis or radial– and mixed–flow turbine is used for an intermediate range of heads.
3. Pelton or impulse turbine is used in the highest heads.
3.2 Specific speed
The specific speed of a hydraulic turbine is the speed in rpm in which a geometrically
similar or homologous turbine would operate to deliver one (1) brake horsepower under a head
of one foot.
𝑁√𝐵𝑃
𝑁𝑠 = 5⁄
𝐻 4
Where: Ns = specific speed, rpm
N = rpm at a given head
BP = brake power, HP
Ranges of specific speed
Types of hydraulic turbines are classified in terms of the following specific speed ranges:
1. Impulse, or Pelton wheel – used for highest heads, Ns = 3.5 to 4.3 rpm
2. Francis runners – used for intermediate heads, Ns = 18 to 85 rpm
3. Mixed-flow runners – used for medium to low heads, Ns = 100 to 125 rpm
4. Propeller runners – used for lowest heads, Ns = 110 to 150 rpm
5. Kaplan runners – with pivoted blades that can be angled for best efficiency at any load,
Ns = 80 to 150 rpm
3.3 Hydroelectric power plant
A hydroelectric power plant is a facility where electric energy is produced by

hydroelectric generators.
Definition of terms for a hydroelectric power plant
 Gross head is the total difference in elevation between the water surface in the stream at
the diversion and the water surface in the stream at the point where the water is returned
after having been used for power.
 Net or effective head is the head available for energy production after deducting losses in
friction.
 Hydraulic efficiency is equal to the ratio of net head to gross head.

 Overall efficiency is equal to the hydraulic efficiency multiplied by the efficiency of the
turbines and generators. The overall efficiency of hydraulic plants operating at optimum
conditions is usually somewhere between 60% to 70%.
 Capacity is the maximum power that can be developed by the generator at a normal head
with full flow.
 Firm or primary power is the power which a plant is expected to deliver 100% of the
time. For a single hydroelectric power, it corresponds to the power developed when
available water. Including that derived from storage, is at a minimum.
 Surplus or secondary power is all power available in excess of firm power.
Figure 6 Magat power plant (left) and Ambuklao power plant (right), Philippines
Hydro capacity accounted for 16.3% of total power plant installations globally in 2022,
according to GlobalData, with total recorded hydro capacity of 1,387GW. This is expected to
contribute 11.7% by the end of 2030 with capacity of installations aggregating up to 1,557GW.
Of the total global hydro capacity, 0.27% is in the Philippines.
In the Philippines, there are several hydro power plants harnessing the energy of rivers and dams
to produce electricity. Listed below are the five largest active hydro power plants by capacity in
the Philippines, according to GlobalData’s power plants database.

1. Kalayaan The Kalayaan is a 736MW hydro power project located in Calabarzon, the
Philippines. Post completion of construction, the project was commissioned in
1983.
2. San Roque - Agno The 435MW San Roque – Agno hydro power project is located in Ilocos,
the Philippines. San Roque Power has developed the project. It was
commissioned in 2003. The project is owned by Kansai Electric Power;
Marubeni.
3. Magat The Magat is a 388MW hydro project. Others; PCD Nominee; JERA; Scatec; Aboitiz
Equity Ventures owns the project. It was commissioned in 1983. It is located in
Cagayan Valley, the Philippines.
4. Pulangi IV The Pulangi IV hydro project with a capacity of 255MW came online in 1985.
National Power have the equity stakes in the project. It is located in Northern
Mindanao, the Philippines.
5. Angat Main The Angat Main has been operating since 1967. The 218MW hydro project is
located in Central Luzon, the Philippines. SMC Global Power; Korea Water
Resources have the equity stakes in this project.
Types of hydroelectric power plants
1. Storage-type plant or high-head hydroelectric plant is one with a reservoir of sufficient

size to permit carry-over storage from the wet season to dry season, and thus develops a
firm flow, substantially more than the minimum natural flow.

Figure 7 Storage-type plant
2. A run-of-river plant is one that has very limited storage capacity, and uses water only as
it comes. Some plants have enough storage, called pondage, to permit storing water
during the off-peak-hour for use during peak-hour of the day. Run-of-river plants are
suitable only for streams that have a sustained flow during the dry season or where other
reservoirs upstream provide the necessary storage.
Figure 8 Run-of-river plant

3. Pumped-storage plant or hydraulic accumulator is one that generates power for peak
loads. At an off-peak-hour period, water is pumped from the tailwater pool to the
headwater pool for future use. The pumps are powered with secondary power from some
other plants in the system. For heads from 50 to 300 ft, reversible pump-turbines have
been devised to operate at relatively high efficiency as either a pump or a turbine. The
same electrical unit serves as generator and motor by reversing poles. Such a machine
may reduce the cost of a pumped-storage project by eliminating the extra pumping
equipment and pump house. The reversible pump turbine is a compromise in design
between a Francis turbine and a centrifugal pump. Its function is reversed by changing
the direction of rotation.
Figure 9 Pumped-storage hydroelectric plant
Classifications of Dams
There are three main classifications of dams based on the hydraulic head differences: high,
medium, and low. The characteristics of these types are described below.

1. High Head
Head differences of 100 meters or higher are considered high head. In this type of plant,
water travelling through the turbine comes from a significantly higher elevation, meaning that
the system needs a smaller volume of water to produce an equivalent amount of energy. These
systems generally also require smaller turbines since there is less water flowing through the
turbine. In addition to a smaller turbine, a longer penstock is needed to guide the water down
from the high elevation reservoir. Generally, large hydroelectric installations are either high or
medium head.
2. Medium Head
Medium head systems generally have head differences between between 10 and 100
meters. The penstock in a medium head dam is slightly shorter than a high head dam as there is
less of an elevation drop. This type of dam relies both on a significant volume of water flowing
and a significant drop in height of the water.
3. Low Head
Low head dams are usually classified as systems with head differences of around 10
meters or less. These low head hydro turbines are generally used in facilities such as run-of-the-
river systems where there is a flowing river with little elevation change. These low head systems
usually transport large volumes of water and thus require larger turbines to efficiently convert
water energy into electricity. In these installations, a large dam isn't needed to barricade water as
there is very little water storage.

Formulas
1. Gross head, hg
ℎ𝑔 = 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 − 𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑙 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
ℎ𝑔 = 𝐻. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 − 𝑇. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
2. Friction head loss, ℎ𝑓
a. Using Darcy’s Equation:
𝑓𝐿𝑣 2
ℎ𝑓 =
2𝑔𝐷
b. Using Morse Equation:
2𝑓𝐿𝑣 2
ℎ𝑓 =
𝑔𝐷
Where:
f = coefficient of friction
L = length of penstock, m

v = velocity, m/sec
g = 9.81 m/sec
D = inside diameter, m
3. Net head or Net effective head, h
ℎ = ℎ𝑔 − ℎ𝑓
4. Penstock efficiency, e
ℎ
𝑒=
ℎ𝑔
5. Volume flow of water, Q
𝑄 =𝐴×𝑣
Where:
A = area
v = velocity
6. Water Power, Pw
𝑃𝑤 = 𝛾𝑄ℎ
Where:
𝛾 = specific weight of water
𝑘𝑁 𝑙𝑏
𝛾 = 9.81 3
= 62.4 3
𝑚 𝑓𝑡
7. Turbine efficiency, 𝜂𝑇
𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
𝜂𝑇 =
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟

8. Generator efficiency, 𝜂𝑒
𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝜂𝑒 =
𝐵𝑟𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟
9. Turbine Output
𝑊𝑇 = 𝑄𝛾ℎ𝜂𝑇
Where:
𝜂𝑇 = turbine efficiency
10. Generator Output
𝐺𝑂 = 𝑄𝛾ℎ𝜂𝑇 𝜂𝑒
Where:
𝜂𝑇 = turbine efficiency
11. Generator speed, N
120𝑓
𝑁=
𝑃
Where:
N = speed
f = frequency
P = no. of poles (must be even no.)
12. Utilized head, hw
ℎ𝑤 = ℎ(𝜂ℎ )
Where:
𝜂ℎ = hydraulic efficiency

13. Head of Pelton (Impulse) turbine
𝑃 𝑣2
ℎ= +
𝛾 2𝑔
14. Head of Reaction (Francis and Kaplan) turbine
𝑃 (𝑣𝐴 2 − 𝑣𝐵 2 )
ℎ= + +𝑧
𝛾 2𝑔
15. Peripheral coefficient, φ
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝜋𝐷𝑁

𝜑= =
𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝐽𝑒𝑡 √2𝑔ℎ
Where:
D = diameter of runner, m
N = speed of runner, rps
g = 9.81 m/sec2
16. Specific speed of hydraulic turbine
𝑁√𝐻𝑃
𝑎. 𝑁𝑠 = 5⁄ , 𝑟𝑝𝑚
ℎ 4
Where:
N = speed, rpm
h = head, ft
0.2623𝑁√𝑘𝑊
𝑏. 𝑁𝑠 = 5⁄ , 𝑟𝑝𝑚
ℎ 4
Where:
N = speed, rpm

h = head, m
17. Total efficiency, 𝜂𝑡
𝜂𝑡 = 𝜂ℎ 𝜂𝑚 𝜂𝑣
Where:
𝜂𝑚 = mechanical efficiency
𝜂𝑣 = volumetric efficiency
18. Turbine type selection base on head, ft
Net Head Type of Turbine
Up to 70 feet Propeller Type
70 ft to 110 ft Propeller or Francis
110 ft to 800 ft Francis Turbine
800 ft to 1300 ft Francis or Impulse
1300 ft and above Impulse Turbine
□ For small capacity use Propeller Turbine
□ For medium capacity use Francis Turbine
□ For high capacity turbine use Impulse Turbine
Definition of terms and other useful information
□ Reservoir is the chamber that stores water coming from the upper river or water falls.
□ Headwater is the water stored in the reservoir.

□ Spillway is a passage in the reservoir which discharges excess water to maintain the head
of the plant.
□ Dam is the concrete structure that encloses the reservoir.
□ Silt sluice is a chamber that collects the mud and trough which the mud is discharged.
□ Trash rack is the screen that prevents leaves, branches, and other contaminants to enter
into the penstock.
□ Valve is the reservoir component that opens or closes the entrance of the water into the
penstock.
□ Surge chamber is a standpipe connected to the atmosphere and attached to the penstock
so that the water will be at atmospheric pressure.
□ Penstock is the channel that directs water from the reservoir to the turbine.
□ Tailwater is the water that is discharged from the turbine.
Key terms and concepts to remember
□ Water turbines convert the potential energy in water behind a dam into shaft work,
ordinarily used to drive an electric generator.
□ Kaplan turbine is a special type of propeller turbine featuring variable-angle blades that
can be changed with water flow to maintain high efficiency.
□ Francis or radial- and mixed-flow turbines are used for an intermediate range of heads.
□ Propeller turbines are built with fixed blades and variable-pitch blades.
□ One disadvantage of most hydro plants is their dependence on the rate of water flow in a
river.
□ One method of storing water during low power-demand periods to supply energy during
high-load periods of hydro plants is to use the reversible pump turbine.

□ Pump turbines are usually physically larger than a turbine of the same capacity, and the
motor generator is more costly than a standard generator.
□ The horsepower developed by a hydraulic turbine may be calculated by deriving an

𝑄𝐻𝑒𝑓𝑓 𝜌𝐸
equation based on the definition of a horsepower, such as: 𝑃 = , where P is the
550
turbine output, in HP; Q is the water flow, cfs; Heff is the net effective head, ft; ρ is the
density of water, lb/ft3; and E is the turbine hydraulic efficiency.
□ A net effective head is the difference in the total head for the water entering the turbine
casing and the total head leaving the draft tube.
□ Specific speed is the speed of a hypothetical model turbine having the same configuration
as the actual turbine, when the model would be of the proper size to develop 1 HP at a
head of 1 ft.
□ Speed factor is the ratio of peripheral velocity of the buckets to the velocity of the water
jet.
𝑁√𝐵𝑃
□ Specific speed of a hydraulic turbine is given by the equation: 𝑁𝑠 = 5 , where Ns is
𝐻𝑒𝑓𝑓 ⁄4
the specific speed, rpm; BP is the brake power of the turbine, HP; and H eff is the effective
head of the turbine, ft.
□ Lester A. Pelton is the inventor of the Pelton wheel of a hydraulic turbine.
□ Impulse turbine efficiencies vary from about 82% to 90%.
□ The effective head of an impulse turbine is measured at the bottom of the pitch circle of
the runner with no consideration given to the water level at the tailrace (because there is
no draft tube).
□ James B. Francis is the inventor of the reaction type of turbines.
□ Francis-type reaction turbines are usually employed for heads of 70 to 900 ft, and up
1100 ft.

□ Hydraulic turbines are water wheels in which the motion of water relative to its bucket is
essential to its action.
□ In a hydroelectric power plant, water is the main source of energy.
□ Hydraulic turbines, classified in accordance with the action of water, are impulse turbines
and reaction turbines.
□ The two classifications of hydraulic turbines based on the position of the shaft are the
vertical turbine and the horizontal turbine.
□ The gross head tailwater for a hydroelectric plant is the difference between the
headwater elevation and tailwater elevation.
□ The net or effective turbine head is the difference of gross head and friction head losses in
the penstock.
□ The hydraulic efficiency is the ratio of net head and gross head.
□ The overall efficiency of the turbine is equal to the hydraulic efficiency multiplied by the
volumetric efficiency and turbine mechanical efficiency.
□ The overall efficiency of a hydroelectric plant operating at optimum conditions ranges

from 60% to 70%.
□ Firm or primary power is the power that a plant can be expected to deliver 100% of the
time.
□ Surplus secondary power is the power available in excess of firm power.
□ Hydroelectric plants are classified into run-of-river plant, storage-type plant, and
pumped-storage plant.
□ A storage-type plant is one with a reservoir of sufficient size to permit carry-over storage
from the wet season to the dry season and, thus, to develop a firm flow substantially more
than the minimum natural flow.

□ A run-of-river plant is one with a very limited storage capacity and can be used only as
water comes.
□ Run-of-river plants are suitable only for streams that have a sustained flow during the dry
season or where other reservoirs upstream provide the necessary storage.
□ A pumped-storage plant is one that generates power for peak load but at off-peak, water
is pumped from the tailwater pool to the headwater pool for future use.
□ Water tailrace is the channel into which the water is discharged after passing through the
turbine.
□ In impulse turbine, wheel passages are not completely filled with water.
□ Water acting on impulse turbine wheels is always atmospheric.
□ In reaction turbines, wheel passages are completely filled with water.
□ The energies used in reaction turbines are both kinetic and pressure energies.
□ Storage reservoir holds the water to run the plant.
□ A dam is a concrete structure that creates the required head of the hydraulic turbine.
□ A spillway discharges water during extreme flood flow so that water in the reservoir does
not overflow the dam.
□ An intake equipment consists of rocks and screens to keep trash from being carried down
to the wheels and head gate.
□ A penstock conduct water to the turbine.
□ Fore bay is a small equalizing reservoir from which the penstock sometimes draws water.
□ Turbines are hydraulic prime movers driving electric generators.
□ Tailrace is a body of water where the turbine discharges the water. It is a channel through
which water is discharged after passing through the turbine.

□ Surge tank is a component that absorbs water hammer during load fluctuations and serves
as an auxiliary reservoir during high load demands.
□ Draft tube is a conduit at the outlet of the turbine that conducts water away from the
turbine.
□ Dump power is hydropower in excess of load requirement that is made available by

surplus water.
□ Firm power is a power intended to be always available even under emergency conditions.
□ Prime mover power is a maximum potential power constantly available for

transformation into electric power.
□ Cold reserve is a reserve-generating capacity in service but not in operation.
□ Hot reserve is a reserve-generating capacity in operation but not in service.
□ Reserve equipment is the standby equipment or installed equipment in excess of that

required to carry peak loads.
□ System reserve is a reserve-generating capacity and ready to take load.
□ Generator of efficiency refers to the effectiveness of conversion of mechanical power into

electrical power.
□ Specific speed of the turbine runner is the speed in rpm in which a geometrically similar
or homologous turbine operates to deliver one (1) brake power under a head of one (1)
foot.
□ A storage reservoir (dam) is used to hold enough water to operate the plant for some
duration of time.
□ A run-of-river station is a hydroelectric generating station that utilizes the stream flow
without storage.
□ The penstock is a conduit of water to the turbine.

□ A dam is the concrete structure that encloses the reservoir.
□ Slit sluice is a chamber that collects the mud and though which the mud is discharged.
□ Trash rack is a screen that prevents the leaves, branches, and other water contaminants to
enter into the penstock.
□ Valve is a component that opens or closes the entrance of the water into the penstock.
□ Surge chamber is a standpipe connected to the atmosphere and attached to the penstock
so that the water will be at atmospheric pressure.
□ Penstock is the chamber that leads water from the reservoir to the turbine.
□ Turbine is the equipment that converts the energy of the water into mechanical energy.
□ Pumped storage plant is a hydroelectric plant that involves the use of the off-peak energy
to store water and to use the stored water to generate extra energy to cope with the peak
load.
□ Propeller-type hydraulic turbine is capable of operating with net head of up to 70 ft.
□ Peripheral coefficient is the ratio of the peripheral velocity of the runner and the velocity
of the jet.
120𝑓
□ Generator speed is determined using the equation: 𝑁 = , where N is the rpm of the
𝑃
generator; f is the frequency of the generator, Hz; and P is the number of generator poles.
Additional Definitions
□ Hydraulics is the branch of mechanics which deals with the laws governing the behavior
of water and other liquids in the states of rest and motion.
□ Hydrostatics is a branch of hydraulics which deals on the study of fluids at rest.
□ Hydrokinetics is a branch of hydraulics which deals with the study of pure motion in
liquids.

□ Hydrodynamics a branch of hydraulics which deals with the study of forces exerted by or
upon liquids in motion.
□ Specific weight is the weight of a unit volume of a substance.
□ Mass density is defined as the mass per unit volume of a substance.
□ Cohesion is a fluid property which refers to the intermolecular attraction by which the
separate particles of the fluid are held together.
□ Adhesion is a fluid property which refers to the attractive force between the molecules
and any solid substance with which they are in contact.
□ Pressure head is the height of a column of homogenous fluid of specific weight that will
produce pressure.
□ Surface tension is the force per unit length that an “imaginary film” formed on the
surface of a liquid due to intermolecular attraction is capable of exerting.
□ Fluid static is the study of fluid problems in which there is no relative motion between
fluid elements and thus velocity gradients and no shear stress exist.
□ Kinematic viscosity of a fluid is the ratio of its dynamic viscosity to its density.
□ Fluid mechanics is a branch of science which deals with the study of water and other
fluids that are rest or in motion.
□ Reservoir stores the water coming from the upper river or water falls.
□ Headwater the water in the reservoir.
□ Spillway a weir in the reservoir which discharges excess water so that the head of the
plant will be maintain.
□ Dam the concrete structure that encloses the reservoir.
□ Silt sluice a chamber which collects the mud and through which the mud is discharged.

□ Trash rack a screen which prevents the leaves, branches and other water contaminants to
enter into the penstocks.
□ Valve opens or closes the entrance of the water into the penstock.
□ Surge chamber a standpipe connected to the atmosphere and attached to the penstock so
that the water will be at atmospheric pressure.
□ Penstock the channel that leads the water from the reservoir to the turbine.
□ Turbine converts the energy of the water into mechanical energy.
□ Generator converts the mechanical energy of the turbine into electrical energy output.
□ Draft tube connects the turbine outlet to the tailwater so that the turbine can be set above
the tailwater level.
□ Tailrace a channel which leads the water from the turbine to the tailwater.
□ Tailwater the water is discharge from the turbine.
□ Pump storage plant is a hydro-electric plant which involves the use of off-peak energy to
store water and to use the stored water to generate extra energy to cope with the peak
load.
□ Pondage the water behind the dam of a run-of-the-river hydro-electric plant.
□ Gross head is the difference between headwater and tailwater elevation.
□ Peripheral coefficient is the ratio of the peripheral velocity of the runner over the velocity
of the jet.
□ Propeller type turbine may be further divided into fixed and adjustable blade types.
□ Water hummer is caused because of sudden stoppage of water flow in a pipe. Sudden
stoppage produces a pressure wave which moves upstream with velocity of sound in the
medium which is reflected back and forth.

□ Surge tank these are used to relieve the pipe line of excessive pressure. Is an artificial
reservoir with free water surface which is installed as close to the power house as it is
economically feasible in order to reflect back the water hammer waves arising out of
sudden change in demand.
□ Any obstruction of a stream flow over which water flows can be called a weir.
□ Standpipe is used principally for alleviating the transient pressure in large pipe line
systems.
□ Darcy-Weisbach equation relates pipe losses.
□ Froude number it decide whether the free liquid-surface flow is rapid or tranquil. It is
useful in the calculations of hydraulic jump.
□ Spillway provides an efficient, safe means of releasing flow water that exceeds the design
capacity of reservoir.
□ Metacenter is the point where the buoyant force and the center line intersects each other.
□ Hydraulic gradient or hydraulic slope, HG
𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝐻𝐺 =
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒
□ The losses of head in pipes are:
0.5𝑣 2
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 =
2𝑔
𝑣2
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡 =
2𝑔
4𝑓𝑣 2
𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
2𝑔𝑑
□ For maximum power transmission by a nozzle, the ratio of the area of the pipe to the area
of the nozzle is

𝐴 8𝑓𝐿
=√
𝑎 𝐷
□ The pipe of different diameters joined with one another to form a pipe line, is known as a
compound pipe or pipes in series.
□ For flow in pipes, the algebraic sum of the pressure drops around each circuit must be
zero.
□ Normal force on a plate inclined to the jet is at an angle 0°.
□ The head against which a centrifugal pump works is called manometric head.
□ In reaction turbines, the water enters the wheel under pressure and flows over the vanes.
□ In impulse turbine, all the energy of water is converted into velocity before entering the
wheel by expanding through a nozzle or guide vanes.
□ Centrifugal pump it consists of an impeller arranged to rotate within a casting in such a

way that the liquid will enter at the side and be thrown out by centrifugal force to the
outer periphery of the impeller and discharged into the outer volute casing.
□ Isolated chamber provided for installation of control equipment of gate hoists or values
on pipe line.
□ Impulse turbine is that turbine in which all the available energy of the flow is converted
by a nozzle into kinetic energy at atmospheric pressure before the fluid contacts the
moving blades.
□ In the reaction turbine a portion of energy if the fluid gets converted into kinetic energy
by the fluid’s passing through adjustable gates before entering the runner, and the
remainder conversion occurs through the runner.
□ Two forms of reaction turbines are Francis and propeller.
□ The Francis turbine is an inward flow reaction turbine.

□ The kaplan is an axial flow reaction turbine.
□ Draft tube is pipe of gradually increasing area used for discharging water from exit of
reaction turbine.
□ Unit speed is the speed of a turbine, when the head on the turbine is one meter.
□ Unit power is the power developed by a turbine when the head on the turbine is unity.
□ Impulse turbine the static head is completely transformed into velocity.
□ The common basis of comparison between turbine runners of different types and between
runners of the same type but of different designs and characteristics is termed as specific
speed.
□ For fixed blade runner propeller type turbine the blade angle is usually between 16 and
28°, where maximu efficiency occurs. For adjustable blade runner 10 to 40°.
□ If a turbine runner is allowed to revolve freely without load and with wicket gates wide
open, it will overspeed to a value called runaway speed.
□ Wicket gates control the power and speed of the turbine.
□ Propeller runners are practically always made of cast steel.
□ Jet deflector is use to minimize the speed rise due to a sudden load rejection.
□ Cavitation occurs when the pressure at any point in the flowing water drops below the the
vapor pressure of the water which varies with temperature.
□ The draft tube is used to keep the turbine up to 15 ft above the tail water surface.
□ Gross head is the vertical distance from Low water elevation to High water elevation.
□ The exit pressure of hydroelectric turbine is atmospheric.
□ Power that strikes the turbine blade is known as Dynamic power.

Sample Problems
1. A hydro-electric power plant consumes 52,650,000 kW-hrs per annum. Expected flow is
1665 m3/min and overall efficiency is 65%. What is the net head?
Solution:
𝐺𝑒𝑛. 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝜂𝑛𝑒𝑡 =
kW
52,650,000
hr
0.65 = 8760hrs
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 9246.575𝑘𝑊
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 𝛾𝑄ℎ
𝑚3
𝑘𝑁 1665
9246.575𝑘𝑊 = 9.81 3 ( 𝑚𝑖𝑛) (ℎ)
𝑚 𝑠
60 𝑚𝑖𝑛
ℎ = 33.966𝑚
2. In a hydro-electric power the tail water level fixes at 480 m. The net head is 27 m and head
loss is 4% of the gross head. What is the head water elevation?
Solution:
ℎ = ℎ𝑔 − ℎ𝐿
27𝑚 = ℎ𝑔 − 0.04ℎ𝑔
ℎ𝑔 = 28.125𝑚
ℎ𝑔 = 𝐻. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. −𝑇. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣.
28.125𝑚 = 𝐻. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. −480𝑚

𝐻. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. = 508.125𝑚
3. The available flow of water is 25 m3/sec at 30 m elevation. If a hydro-electric plant is to be

installed with turbine efficiency of 85% and generator efficiency of 90%, what is maximum
power that the plant could generate?
Solution:
𝐺𝑂 = 𝑄𝛾ℎ𝜂𝑇 𝜂𝑒
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 𝛾𝑄ℎ
𝑘𝑁 𝑚3
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 9.81 (25 ) (30𝑚)
𝑚3 𝑠
𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 7357.5𝑘𝑊
𝐺𝑒𝑛. 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 7357.5𝑘𝑊(0.85)(0.9)
𝐺𝑒𝑛. 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 5628.49𝑘𝑊
4. A pelton type turbine has 30 m head friction loss of 4.5m. The coefficient of friction head
loss (from Morse) is 0.00093 and penstock length of 80m. What is the penstock diameter?
Solution:
𝑣 = √2𝑔ℎ
ℎ = ℎ𝑔 − ℎ𝑓
ℎ = 30𝑚 − 4.5𝑚
ℎ = 25.5𝑚
𝑚
𝑣 = √2 (9.81 ) (25.5𝑚)
𝑠2
𝑣 = 22.37𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐

2𝑓𝐿𝑣 2
ℎ𝑓 = ℎ𝐿 =
𝑔𝐷
𝑚 2
2(0.00093)(80𝑚) (22.37 𝑠 )
4.5𝑚 = 𝑚
9.81 2 (𝐷)
𝑠
𝐷 = 1.686𝑚 = 1686𝑚𝑚
5. A remote community in Mountain Province plans to put up a small hydro-electric plant to

service six closely located barangays estimated to consume 52,650,000 kW-hrs per annum.
Expected flow of water is 1665 m3/min. The most favorable location for the plant fixes the
tail water level at 480 m. The manufacturer of turbine generator set have indicated the
following performance: turbine efficiency is 87%; generator efficiency is 92%; loss in head
work not exceed 3.8% of available head. In order to pinpoint the most suitable area for the
dam, determine the head water elevation.
Solution:
𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 = (𝛾𝑄ℎ)𝜂𝑇 𝜂𝐺 × 8760
𝑚3
kW 𝑚 1665
52,650,000 = (9.81 2 × 𝑚𝑖𝑛 × ℎ) (0.80)(0.92)(8760hrs)
hr 𝑠 𝑠
60 𝑚𝑖𝑛
ℎ = 27.583𝑚
ℎ = ℎ𝑔 − ℎ𝐿
ℎ = ℎ𝑔 − 0.038ℎ𝑔
ℎ = 0.962ℎ𝑔
27.583𝑚 = 0.962ℎ𝑔
ℎ𝑔 = 28.67𝑚

ℎ𝑔 = 𝐻. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣. −𝑇. 𝑊. 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑣.
𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 28.67𝑚 + 480𝑚
𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 508.67𝑚
Practice Problems
1. For a proposed hydro-electric plant, the tail water and head water elevation is 160 m and 195
m, respectively. If available flow is 10 m3/sec and head loss of 5% of water available head.
What is the water power?
2. In a hydro-electric plant the brake power is 1800 kW running at 450 rpm and net head of
30m. Determine the specific speed of the turbine.
3. From a height of 65 m water flows at the rate of 0.85 m3/s and is driving a turbine connected
to 160 rpm generator. If frictional torque is 540 N-m, calculate the turbine brake power.


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Bataan Heroes College

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines

After studying this module, students should be able to:

1. Understand the general concept of hydraulic turbines.

2. To perform the fundamental principles of hydraulic turbines.

3. To apply the knowledge target in the field of engineering.

3.1 Hydraulic Turbines

 Hydraulic turbines are water wheels in

 Hydraulic turbines are machines that

 Hydraulic loss is the loss in fluid power

 Hydraulic power plant is a facility

 Water is the main source of energy.

 Kinetic energy and potential energy are converted to mechanical work.

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 1

 Input power is the water horsepower.

 Output power is the turbine horsepower.

Figure 2 Layout and components of hydro power plant

Classification of hydraulic turbines

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 2

a. Vertical turbine - A turbine where the shaft is positioned vertically, meaning it

b. Horizontal turbine - A turbine where the shaft is positioned horizontally, meaning

Impulse turbine is a hydraulic turbine or prime

 It is also known as tangential wheel or Pelton

 The name Pelton is to acknowledge and honor its

Figure 3 Pelton Wheel

 The wheel passage is nor completely filled with water.

 The water acting on wheel is always atmospheric.

 It utilizes kinetic energy of high velocity jet.

 The range of head from 200 to 700 ft is used

 Heads of 5000 ft have been used in

 Impulse turbine’s efficiencies vary from

 The net effective head is measured at the

Reaction turbine is a hydraulic turbine or a power-generation prime mover utilizing the

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 4

Figure 5 Reaction turbine

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 5

 It is a revised form of a centrifugal pump.

 The wheel passages are completely filled with water.

 Energy used are both kinetic and pressure energy.

 Francis type may have either a horizontal or vertical shaft.

 Efficiencies range from 90% to 94%.

Types of water turbine runner

1. Propeller or axial turbine or Kaplan turbine is a special type of propeller turbine

3. Pelton or impulse turbine is used in the highest heads.

3.2 Specific speed

Where: Ns = specific speed, rpm

N = rpm at a given head

Ranges of specific speed

2. Francis runners – used for intermediate heads, Ns = 18 to 85 rpm

4. Propeller runners – used for lowest heads, Ns = 110 to 150 rpm

3.3 Hydroelectric power plant

A hydroelectric power plant is a facility where electric energy is produced by

Definition of terms for a hydroelectric power plant

 Hydraulic efficiency is equal to the ratio of net head to gross head.

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 7

 Surplus or secondary power is all power available in excess of firm power.

Module 3: Hydraulic Turbines Page | 8

Types of hydroelectric power plants

1. Storage-type plant or high-head hydroelectric plant is one with a reservoir of sufficient