STUDY OF REACTION TURBINE

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT :Study of reaction turbine

REQUIREMENTS :
i)Model of Kaplan turbine
ii)Map of Kaplan turbine
iii)Model of francis turbine
iv)Map of francis turbine
THEORY :
In francis turbine a part of water energy is converted into kinetic energy at entrance and other part
remains in the form of pressure energy. As water flows through the runner this pressure energy is
gradually converted into kinetic energy.Thus pressure is high at inlet and gradually decreases at
outlet.So briefly in reaction turbines the pressure energy and kinetic energy both are converted into
mechanical energy.Some of the reaction turbines areThomson , propeller, fourneyron francis and
Kaplan etc.But now a days Kaplan and francis turbines are widely used .
CONSTRUCTION :
The main parts of Kaplan turbines are runner, scroll, casing ring, guide vanes & draft tube . the runner
consists of 4or6or 8 blades that are attached on a hub. These blades can be turned about their own axis.
So that their angle of inclination may be adjusted while the turbine is in motion. This adjustment of the
runner blades is usually done automatically by means of a servomotor. The casing of a Kaplan turbine is
designed in such a way that its cross-sectional area goes on reducing uniformly around the
circumference.










The casing is provided with inspection holes and pressure gauge. The material of casing is cast iron. The
guide vanes are fixed in between two rings in the form of a wheel. This wheel is fixed in the spiral casing.
The guide vanes are properly designed in order to allow the water to flow over them without forming
eddies. It also allows the required quantity of water to enter the turbine.
The water, after passing through the runner, flows down through a tube known as draft tube. It is a steel
or concrete tunnel. It increases the efficiency of the turbine. It is useful for saving space. It converts a
large proportion of velocity energy rejected from the runner into useful pressure energy.
The Kaplan turbine is developed by the Austrian engineer James B.Francis (1815-92) an American
engineer. The main parts of Francis turbine are scroll casing, guide mechanism, runner& draft tube. This
scroll casing is also known as spiral casing. It provides an even distribution of water around the
circumference of the turbine runner maintaining a constant velocity. The casing is made of cast steel,
plate steel, concrete & steel depending up on the pressure to which it is designed. The stay ring consists
of an upper & lower ring held together by series of fixed vanes. The guide vanes regulate the quantity of
water supplied to the runner. The runner of a Francis turbine consists of a series of curved vanes evenly
arranged around the circumference in the annular space between two plates. The runners are usually
made up of cast iron, cast steel, mild steel/ stainless steel.
WORKING PRINCIPLE: Kaplan turbine is an axial flow reaction turbine. The water is conveyed form the
reservoir to the scroll casing. The water from scroll flows over the guide blades & then over the vanes,
exerts force on the shaft of the turbine which causes the shaft to revolve. Adjusting guide blades
through control mechanism can control output Francis turbine is an inward flow reaction turbine having
radial discharge at outlet. From the scroll casing water passes through stay ring, which directs the water
to go through the guide mechanism. The guide mechanism regulates the quantity of water supplied to
the runner & directs water on to the runner of an angle appropriate to the design. The vanes on the
runner are show shaped that water enters the runner racially at the outer periphery & leaves it axially at
the inner periphery. The change in the direction of flow of water produces a circumferential force on
the runner, which make the runner to rotate.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Kaplan turbines used where a large quantity of water is available at low
heads(less than 60m). Francis turbine is used in hydro power plants where a medium head (60m to
300m) of water is available.
PROCEDURE: issue the models & maps from the laboratory stone. Draw their figures & locate the
different parts. Draw the water passage circuit. Operate guide mechanism lever & observe how it works.
Operate knurled dies & (which is provided on Kaplan turbine shaft). Note the blade movement. Collect
the list of important hydro power plants in which these turbines are used.