Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh
Name : B. Srinivasa Rao
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : MRAGR GPT, Vizianagaram
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : Hydraulics
Subject Code : C304
Topic : Water Turbines
Duration : 50 Mts
Sub Topic : Impulse Turbines
Teaching Aids : Photographs, Animations
Revised By : V. Srinivasa Rao, Lecturer, DAGPT,
Ongole
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Objectives

On completion of this session, you would be able to

understand
• The Sketch and Principle of Pelton Wheel

• The Component parts of Pelton wheel

• Description of runner with buckets

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Recap

How do you classify the turbines?

The Hydraulics turbines are classified according to

• The type of energy available at the inlet of the turbine

• Direction of flow through the vanes
• Specific speed of the turbine

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Can you give an example of High head, tangential
flow , impulse turbine?

• Pelton wheel

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Pelton wheel

Fig 1

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Fig 2. Pelton Turbine
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Principle

All the available energy of water is converted into

kinetic energy or velocity head by passing it through a
contracting nozzle provided at the end of the
penstock

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Working of Pelton Wheel

• The water from the reservoir flows through the penstocks

at the outlet of which a nozzle is fitted

• The nozzle increases the kinetic energy of the water

flowing through the penstocks

• At the outlet of the nozzle, the water comes out in the

form of a jet and strikes the buckets of the runner

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• The water strikes the bucket along the tangent of the
runner

• The energy available at the inlet of the turbine is only

kinetic energy

• The pressure at the turbine is used for high heads

• The pressure at the inlet and outlet of the turbine is

atmosphere

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The main components of a Pelton wheel

1) Runners and buckets

2) Nozzle and flow regulating arrangement
3) Casing
4) Breaking jet

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1) Runner with buckets

Fig 3

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Fig.4 Pelton Wheel Runner

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1) Runner with buckets

• The runner consists of a circular disc with a number of

buckets evenly spaced round its periphery

• The shape of the buckets is of a double hemispherical

cup or bowl

• Each bucket is divided into two symmetrical parts of a

sharp edged ridge known a splitter

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• The splitter divides the jet into two equal parts and
the jet comes out at the outer edge of the bucket

• The buckets are shaped in such a way that the jet get
deflected through 1600 to 1700

• At the lower tip of the bucket ,a notch is cut .it avoids

the deflection of water towards the centre of the
wheel

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Fig 5

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 Fig 6

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What is the shape of the buckets of a
runner?

• Double hemi-spherical cup

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Pelton Wheel (contd) fig.1

Fig: 1
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2 Nozzle and flow regulating arrangement

Fig.7

• To control the quantity of water striking the

runner ,the nozzle fitted at the end of the
penstock is provided with a spear
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 2. Nozzle and flow regulating arrangement

• The spear may be operated either by a

wheel or automatically
• When the sphere is pushed forward into the
nozzle ,the amount of water striking the
runner is reduced
• On the other hand ,if the spear is pushed
back ,the amount of water striking the runner
increases

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3) Casing

Fig.8
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3) Casing
• The function of casing is to prevent splashing of
water and to lead the tail race

• It also acts as a safe guard against accidents

• It does not perform any hydraulic function

• It is made of cast iron or fabricated steel plates

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 4) Breaking jet

Fig: 9
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4) Breaking jet

• Large pelton wheel are usually equipped with

small break nozzle

• The small nozzle directs a jet of water on the

back of the buckets thereby the wheel quickly to
rest after it is shut down

• Otherwise the runner goes on revolving due to

inertia for a long time

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Summary

In this session, you have learnt about

• Working principle of Pelton wheel

• Main components of Pelton wheel
• Functions of each component

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Quiz

1. The shape of the buckets of runner of pelton wheel

a) Circular
b) Double hemi –spherical cup
c) Rectangular type

d) Elliptical type

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Quiz

2. For high head and low discharge ,the suitable

turbine is
a) Pelton wheel
b) Francis turbine
c) Kaplan turbine
d) All of the above

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Quiz

3. The main function of casing is

a) To safeguard against accidents
b) To stop the runner quickly
c) Perform hydraulic function
d) All the above

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Draw the neat sketch of Pelton wheel.

2. What is the Principle of Pelton Wheel ?

3.Explain the different parts of Pelton wheel with neat sketch.

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