A water turbine is a rotary engine that converts kinetic and potential energy of water into mechanical work. What are the factors that will affect the functionality of the system, and how can I improve turbine system effectiveness, rotating speed, and power output?
Dear laang Shian hoong
Selecting the Best Type of Water Turbine Design
Selecting the best type of water turbine design for your particular situation often depends on the amount of head and flow rate that is available at your particular location and whether it is at the side of a river or stream, or the water is to be channelled or piped directly to your location.
Other factors include whether you want an enclosed “reaction turbine design” such as the Francis turbine or an open “impulse turbine design”, such as the Pelton turbine as well as the speed of rotation of your proposed electrical generator.
By analysing all of these factors together you can get some indication of what type of Water Turbine Design may work best for your particular situation. Knowing the difference between a Pelton and Francis turbine for example, will help make the choice easier.
The following table gives a basic idea of which particular Water Turbine Design we have discussed above works best according to the available head height and water pressure.
We can see from the table above that there is an overlap between Pelton and Cross-flow turbines, and again between Francis and Kaplan turbines. This means, that both types of turbines are suitable for such combinations of head height and flow.
The water turbine is the heart of any hydro power plant. It consists of a number of metal or plastic blades fitted to a central rotating shaft or plate. Water flowing through the casing of the enclosed turbine, strikes the blades of the turbine producing torque and making the shaft rotate due to the velocity and pressure of the water. As the water pushes against the turbine blades, its velocity and pressure reduces (energy is lost) as it rotates the turbine shaft.
This waste water can pass through the body of a water turbine using different flow paths and based upon the actual path of water flow through the turbine.
Please find attached herewith related articles,
Prem Baboo
Hi! We work for small hydro turbines. We work on following manner:
Turbine selection:
Based upon head and flown of the site. In addition to that the parameters speed number and specific speed provides you more information on selection of high, middle or low head reaction or impulse turbines. Now you can identify the turbine to be used. Speed of the turbine is a function of the size and operational conditiins so it is calculated based on it. You can find relations regarding it online.
As you know prime mover majorly governs the operational effectiveness in turbine, iterative design method based on CFD calculation is a very effective way to do it. Usually pressure distributiin in blade surface and flow in channel determines the performance effectiveness of turbines. In addition to it inlet energy is another major factor. Hence improvisation of runners and guide vanes or nozzles for flow and pressure can enhance effectiveness.
For imperical relations on design you can refer several thesis published from Norweign University of Science and Technology.
For manufacturing, you need to know if your turbine is structurally stable. Then the complex geometry like blades or vanes needs to be rapid prototyped for ease of manufacturing or may use advance process like CNC. Rest will be easily made from drawings by the personnel involved.
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