CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

1.0 Title: PELTON WHEEL

2.0 Objective: To obtain the optimal performance of pelton wheel.
3.0 Tools and instruments: Pelton wheel experiment set.
4.0 Theory:
A turbine extracts energy from fluid which possesses high head, but it is fatuous to
say a turbine is a pump run backward. Basically, there are two types, reaction and and
impulse, the difference lying in the manner of head conversion. In the reaction
turbine, the fluid fills the blade passages, and the head change or pressure drop occurs
within the impeller. Reaction designs are of the radial-flow, mixed flow, and axialflow types and are essentially dynamic devices designed to admit the high-energy
fluid and extract its momentum. An impulse turbine fisrt convert the head through a
nozzle into a high velocity jet, which then strikes the blades at one position as they
pass by. The impeller passages are not fluid-filled, and the jet flow past the blades is
essentially at constant pressure. Reaction turbines are smaller because fluid fills all
the blades at one time.
The Pelton Wheel is a type of impulse turbine to convert fluid energy to mechanical
energy. In impulse turbines the head available is first completely converted into
kinetic energy in one or more nozzles, the emerging jet then successively engages
suitably shaped vanes called buckets spaced at equal pitch, which deflect the stream,
and a force is created due to the change in momentum. The vanes are fitted to the
perimeter of a circular disc which maintains steady rotation resulting from the
tangential jet force ( see appendix, Figure 1 ). It is noted that the jet leaving the nozles
is surrounded by atmospheric pressure, which also prevails both on entering and

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

leaving the vane system. The standard impulse turbine at presnt time is the Pelton
Wheel. In this design Pelton provided the buckets with a central spiltter that devides
the jet into two halves and the water leaving encloses an angle with the plane of
rotation. The value of varies between 4 and 7.
The non-dimensional parameters in this case are shown as below:
( a ) Power coefficient, Kp = Po / D2 ( g H )3/2
( b ) Flow coefficient, KQ = Q / D2 ( gH ) 1/2
( c ) Head coefficient, KN = ND / ( gH )3/2
( d ) Power input, Pi = g QH ( Watt )
( e ) Power Output, Po = 2NT/60 (Watt)
Given that
Torsion, T = 0.16 x F (Nm)
F = force (N)
( f ) Efficiency of turbine by power ratio, = (Po/ Pi) x 100%

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

5.0 Calculation:
Calculations
a.

Power Input, Pi = gQH (Watt)

Given that
= Density of water (kgms-2)
g = Gravitational acceleration (ms-2)
Q = Flow rate (m3s-1)
H = Nozzle head (m)

b.

Torsion, T = F.r (Nm)

Given that
F = Force (N)
r = Radius of wheel (m)

c.

Power Input, Po = 2NT / 60 (Watt)

Given that,
N = Rotation per minute (rpm)
T = Torsion (Nm)

d.

Efficiency, = (P0 / Pi) x 100%

P0 = Power output
PI = Power output

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

The non-dimensional parameter:

f. Pressure coefficient, Kp = Po / D2(gH)3/2
Given that
Po = Power output (watt)
= Density of water (kgm-3)
D = Wheels diameter (m)
G = Gravitational acceleration (ms-2)
H = Nozzle head (m)
g. Flow coefficient, Kq = Q / D2(gH)1/2
Given that
Q = Flow rate (m3s-1)
D = Diameter (m)
G = Gravitational acceleration (ms-2)
H = Nozzle head (m)
f.

Head coefficient, Kn = ND / (gH)3/2

Given that
N = Rotation per second (rps)
D = Wheels diameter (m)
G = Gravitational acceleration (ms-2)
H = Nozzle head (m)

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

5.1 Sampel Calculation:

Data set 3 Valve open at 30%
a. = 1000 kgms-2
g = 9.81 ms-2
Q = 0.002 m3s-1
H = 15 m
Power Input, Pi = gQH
=1000 x 9.81 x 0.002 x 15
= 294.30 Watt
b. F = 4 N
r = 0.16 m
Torsion, T = 4x 0.16
= 0.64 Nm
c. N = 1752 rpm
T = 0.64 Nm
Power Input, Po = 2NT / 60
= 2 x 1752 x 0.64 / 60
= 117.420 Watt
d. P0 = 117.420 Watt
Pi = 294.30 Watt
Efficiency, = (P0 / Pi) x 100%
= (117.420 / 294.30 ) x 100%
= 39.8981

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

The non-dimensional parameter:

f. Po = 117.420 Watt
= 1000 kgm-3
D = 0.102 m
G = 9.81 ms-2
H = 15 m H2O
Pressure coefficient, Kp = Po / D2 (gH) 3/2
= 117.420 / 1000 x 0.1022 (9.81 x 15)3/2
= 0.006323
g. Q = 0.14 m3min-1
D = 0.102 m
G = 9.81 ms-2
H = 15 m
Flow coefficient, KQ = Q / D2 (gH) 1/2
= 0.0020 /0.1022 x (9.81 x 15) 1/2
= 0.0158
h. N = 1752 rpm
D = 0.102 m
G = 9.81 ms-2
H = 15 m H2O
Head coefficient, Kn = ND / (gH) 1/2
= (1752/60 x 0.102 ) / (9.81 x 15) 1/2 = 0.245529

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

6.0 Discussion:
General review
In order to obtain the optimal performance of pelton wheel, a straightforward study had
been taken out to gain data for different circumstances. First of all, the inlet of
the valve which control the size of water jet is being confined to a certain
extend. A set of data is than taken from the prefixed measurement devices which
includes: flow rate, Q and rotational speed of pelton wheel for the alterations in
value of forces impose upon it. In every case, the nozzle head is confined to 15m
for simplicity. By doing so, a sets of data taken from the study is being recorded
for enumeration purposes to gain certain parameters for analytical intention.
Upon performing the experiment, certain precautionary steps has to be taken,
that is:

The reading of the pelton wheels rotational speed has to be taken once the force
imposed on the wheel is being altered for its unstable characteristics (the
continuously changing attributes). Deviation from real data will happen especially
when the wheel is heated. To do so, one has to be attentive on the changes in the
reading of the relevant meters. Any given data has to be recorded at once whenever
the braking force magnitude is determined.

As the result of the indispensable vibration of the structures, the reading of the
mercury level in the manometer tube is definitely unstable. The mercury level will
vibrate about a mean value while the magnitude of the braking force is being
adjusted. Hence, whenever the adjustment is taken place, one should pay more

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

attention on the real value of the mean force that will be taken account before gaining
the other relevant data.
As the result, a few graphs had been plotted to visualize every single data that we are
interested in.
Generally, graph of Efficiency of Turbine versus Head Coefficient (graph 2)
observe a normal bell-shape (approximation) distribution of efficiency in relative with Kn
that stand rightfully for all cases. That is, data distribution for the case where the inlets
valve is confined to 30%, 60%, and 100% apart. As a result, the flow coefficient is
confined to the value of 0.0158, 0.0214 and 0.0261 respectively. By doing so, we assume
that the flow of data is following the idealized curve than the original one for simplicity
(which is definitely not the case for the real data distribution). Again, as a general remark,
we can say that the efficiency for each case is following the same trend of transition. As
the value of Kn being increase steadily, it will first develop smoothly to a maximal value
which is seems to be the greatest value of efficiency that could happen in each case.
Than, the wheels efficiency will drop smoothly. The operating wheel will reach its modal
efficiency only at the given value of Kn but not others. In other word, the modal
efficiency of each pump is typical that it could happen only at certain value of Kn.
Referring to data, valve opened 60% gains the highest efficiency which is 80.4297%,
following with valve opened 30%, 76.9726%, and the last is valve opened 100%,
67.9048%. While referring to the graphs, valve opened 60% maintains a better efficiency
curve comparing with others in this experiment.

CHENG LE SHI

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003

Based on graph 2, the optimum efficiency is approximately 80.5%, which is

gained by efficiency curve of, valve opened 30%. At the time, the value of head
coefficient is 0.175. After we extended graph 2 to a graph of Flow Coefficient versus
Head Coefficient (graph 1), we get parabolic curve with maximum point for any value
of efficiency. According to graph 1, we get that the value of flow coefficient is
approximately 0.02 while the optimum efficiency happens.

Theoretically, the efficiency curve of valve opened 60% will perform the best
efficiency follow by efficiency curve of valve opened 30%, and efficiency curve of valve
opened 100%. Therefore, the optimum efficiency is the maximum point of efficiency
curve of valve opened 60%. So, in this experiment, the result is match with the theory.

7.0 Conclusion:
By conducting the study, the initial objective to find out the optimal performance of
pelton wheel has been met. The size of valve opened becomes parameter to get

the optimum efficiency of turbine. Configuration of size is directly

influencing the efficiency of operation. In this experiment, valve opened
60% gained the highest efficiency comparing with others. The optimum
efficiency is 80.5 % with KN = 0.175 and KQ = 0.02 for the Pelton wheel
using in this experiment.

CHENG LE SHI

Appendix

Group: 5A1

SMJ 3941

PELTON WHEEL

28/8/2003