9/17/2008

ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Selection of
Turbines

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Electro-mechanical Equipment

Turbines

Various turbine types are used in SHP. Their selection

basically depends on the head / flow conditions of a
site.
As a general rule,
• impulse turbines such as Pelton are used for high
head and relatively low flow systems,
• propeller turbines (Kaplan, tube, bulb, S) are used for
low head and high flow applications.
• Francis and cross-flow turbines are available for low
to medium head sites.

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turbine application ranges

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

turbine application ranges

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Pelton Turbine
• Typical impulse turbine, where the available head is
converted into kinetic energy before the runner.
• Turbine consists of a runner with a number of buckets
on which one or more water jets impinge.
• Flow and hence power output is adjusted by a needle
valve which can increase or decrease the nozzle
opening.
• For higher flows the number of jets can be increased
(up to six for SHP).
• Highly efficient turbine also for part-flow operation down
to 10 % of design flow.
• By installing a jet deflector the pressure surge in the
penstock can be avoided.
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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Pelton Turbine

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Pelton Turbine

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Crossflow Turbine

• The cross-flow turbine is also regarded as an impulse

turbine, although the free jet impinging the runner is
not as pronounced as with the Pelton.
• Cross-flow turbines are very robust and relatively
simple machines and are therefore highly
recommended for rural electrification where operators
might be limited in availability of skills and
maintenance support.
• The efficiency of cross-flow turbines (up to 80%) is
lower compared to other turbine types.

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crossflow turbine

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crossflow turbine

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Francis Turbine

• The Francis turbine is the oldest and probably the best-

known reaction turbine. In contrast to impulse turbines, the
runner in reaction turbines is completely submerged in the
water.
• The runner consists of a row of curved blades which form
channels through which the water is accelerated and
redirected.
• Regulation of flow is accomplished by a row of adjustable
blades, the so-called wicket-gates or guide vanes, which
are arranged concentrically around the runner.
• For very low head applications (< 10 m), Francis turbines
come in the form of open flume or pit-type machines. For
higher heads up to 200 m, spiral casings are used.

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Francis Turbine (spiral casing, horizontal shaft)

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Francis Turbine (spiral casing, horizontal shaft)

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Propeller-type Turbines

• Propeller turbines are also reaction turbines, but flow

passes through the runner in axial direction with little
to no inward deflection.
• The oldest propeller type turbine is the Kaplan with a
scroll or spiral casing and radial wicket gate
configuration for flow regulation similar to the Francis.
• The classic Kaplan has both adjustable blades and
adjustable wicket gates which gives best efficiencies
over a wide range of flow rates.
• Propeller turbines are also available in the form of
tube, bulb and S-turbines.

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Kaplan Turbine

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

s-type propeller turbine

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Propeller Turbine

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Number of Turbine Units

• As a general rule, the number of turbines should be kept as
low as possible, i.e., between 1 and 3, in SHP development.
• The need to install more than one turbine arises with a
variable stream flow (or load in stand-alone systems) with a
ratio of design flow to minimum flow of more than 2 to 3 for
Francis and propeller machines, and more than 5 to 10 for
Pelton and cross-flow machines.
• As flows (or loads) vary in ratios of more than 3 for most
SHP installations, it becomes clear that Francis and
propeller turbines are not ideal for SHP, and single cross-
flow units often tend to be more cost-effective than Francis
machines despite the lower peak efficiencies of the cross-
flow.
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Turbine Speed Controlling -- on-grid system

• The speed of the turbine in a SHP installation needs to be

kept constant in order that the driven generator can produce
electricity of standard quality, i.e., frequency of 50 Hz.
• In grid connected systems the leading parameter is power
output of the turbine and the corresponding water flow.
Generator load is not critical because almost any output can
be absorbed by the grid.
• Usual practice today is to monitor forebay/storage water
levels with a level sensor and adjust turbine flow
automatically using electric servo motors (linear actuators)
or oil-hydraulically operated devices acting on nozzle or
guide vanes.

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Turbine Speed Controlling -- off-grid system

• In stand-alone systems, turbine speed control is more

complicated because the power absorbed by the load center
is the decisive element and not the water availability.
• Conventional governors sense a deviation of speed from the
nominal value and adjust nozzle or guide vane openings
accordingly.
• In stand alone systems rapid load changes may occur and
flow control becomes very demanding. The installation of a
flywheel can ease such problems to some extent.
• Load controllers (for plants <100 kW) switch ballast loads on
and off according to consumer load changes while the flow to
the turbine and thus turbine / generator output remains
constant.
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Electronic Turbine Control Systems

• Electronically controlled systems have taken over from the

traditional oil-hydraulic governors because of cost reduction
potentials and because with electronic systems, turbine
speed governing can be more easily incorporated into other
control, monitoring and protection systems of SHP plants.
• The main disadvantages of electronic control systems are:

Electronic components used for controllers become
outdated in a relatively short period of time which may be
shorter than the expected service life of an SHP plant
(> 20 years).

Lightning strikes have reportedly damaged whole
electronic systems of SHP plants and only equipment with
proven protection systems should be selected.

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ASEAN-German Mini Hydro Project (AGMHP)

Gear Boxes and Couplings

• Modern synthetic flat belts are capable of transmitting up

to 500 kW of power at highest efficiencies (0.96 to 0.98).
Gearing ratios are up to 5 for flat belts.
• For higher power ranges and gearing ratios, gear boxes
are used. These require less space than flat belts but
are expensive and are not maintenance free (oil change,
wear and eventual replacement of bearing and gears).
• V-belts are readily available and need not as precise
alignment of the machinery as flat belts or gear boxes
but are very limited in power transmission capacities and
are therefore hardly used in SHP.

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