HYDRAULIC TURBINES

It is a device which converts the energy of water into mechanical energy. The turbine drives a
generator which converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. It consists of a wheel called
runner. Runner is provided with a number or straight or curved vanes on its periphery.
Hydraulic turbines are classified into two based on the action of water on these moving blades:
IMPULSE TURBINE
REACTION TURBINE
IMPULSE TURBINE
The potential energy of water is converted to kinetic energy by a set of nozzles. The commonly
used impulse turbine is Pelton wheel. It is also called tangential flow turbine or constant
pressure turbine or velocity turbine. It is suitable for high head and low discharge.
The main parts are:
Nozzle
Spear
Runner and buckets
Casing
Brake nozzle

NOZZLE
It is used to transfer the net available pressure energy or potential energy of the water into
kinetic energy.
The jet of water issuing from the nozzle strikes at the centre of the buckets with a very
high velocity and leaves the buckets with a comparatively low velocity and produces
impact on the buckets.
Due to this impact, turning moment act on the runner which rotates the runner at a high
speed.
SPEAR
It is used to control the flow rate of water into the turbine.
Due to linear movement of the spear, space between nozzle and spear increases or
decreases in such a way, flow rate of water increase or decrease accordingly.
RUNNER AND BUCKETS
Runner is a circular disc mounted on a horizontal shaft.
Buckets or vanes are fixed at the periphery of runner uniformly at equidistant spaces.
Buckets are of double hemispherical cup.
BRAKE NOZZLE
It is used to stop the rotation of runner for a short period of time.
For stopping, first water supply to the turbine is stopped by operating the spear.
The braking jet of water from brake nozzle will strike the back side of bucket.
The braking jet exerts torque on opposite direction of rotation of runner and is called
braking torque.
CASING
Casing does not have any hydraulic function.
It forms an outer casing.
It prevents splashing of water and safe guard against accidents.
It guides the discharge water into tail race.

WORKING
The penstock carries water from the reservoir. The penstock is attached to a branch pipe having
nozzle at the end. The whole of pressure energy is converted into kinetic energy when passed
through nozzle. The water coming out of jet is at very high velocity. The high velocity water is
made to strike on curved vanes which are attached to the periphery of the runner keyed to the
turbine shaft. The impulsive force exerted on the series of buckets or vanes provides rotation
for runner in the direction in which jet is impinging.
REACTION TURBINE
In reaction turbine the water entering the runner possesses pressure energy, which in turn does
work on the vanes by the principle of reaction. Common example is Francis turbine. It is suited
for medium head and medium discharge.
The main parts are:
Scroll or spiral casing
Guide wheel and guide vanes
Runner
Draft tube

SCROLL OR SPIRAL CASING

Scroll casing is provided on the outer periphery of the guide vanes.
It has a reduced cross sectional area in the direction of flow.
The decrease in area is proportional to decrease in volume of water.
The decrease in area ensures constant velocity of water in all guide vanes.

GUIDE WHEEL AND GUIDE VANES

Guide vanes are mounted on guide wheels.
Guide vanes direct water to runner vanes.
It also act as a nozzle. I.e. it convert a part of pressure energy to kinetic energy.
RUNNER
Runner consists of curved vanes called runner vanes at the periphery.
The water enters the runner radially and leaves the runner axially.
The driving force is both due to impulse (change in KE) and reaction (Change in PE).
DRAFT TUBE
It is having gradually increasing cross sectional area which connect exit of turbine and tail race.
After striking the runner vane the draft tube directs the water to the tail race. It has a gradually
increasing cross sectional area because it increases the pressure of water moving to the tail race
thereby decreasing the velocity.
WORKING
The water enters into the spiral casing through the penstock pipe. The scroll casing has a reduced
cross sectional area in the direction of flow which maintains uniform velocity of water in all
guide vanes. The guide vane directs the jet of water into the runner vane. Due to the high
velocity of water the runner vane rotates which is keyed to the turbine shaft.
The guide vane in reaction turbine also acts as a nozzle. It converts a part of pressure energy of
water into kinetic energy. This kinetic exerts an impulsive force on the runner vane. The guide
vane directs the water to the runner vane. Here the remaining pressure energy present on jet of
water exerts a reaction force on the runner vane.
So here the force for the rotation of runner is provided by a combination of REACTION
FORCE and IMPULSIVE FORCE.