Design principles

Surge Pressure
Examples
Penstock thickness sizing
Surge consideration:
-As water is an incompressible fluid, any sudden blockage
of flow or rapid change in velocity in pipes causes
instantaneous increase in pressure known as surge.
-As it is cyclic, often referred to as water hammer.
-Thus penstock thickness should account for both static
head & surge head.
-In hydropower, surge is dependent on turbine type as
various types of turbine have various flow obstruction
characteristics
Penstock thickness
Cross flow turbines:
Sudden blockage of
flow not possible
Nominal surge can
result if valve is closed
fast
Penstock thickness
Pelton turbines
Sudden blockage
of flow possible
due to obstruction
at nozzle (e.g., by
gravels)
Penstock thickness - Pelton
n
x
g
aV
h
surge
1
=
n = no of nozzles
First calculate pressure wave velocity a as follows:
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
xt E
d x x
a
9
10 1 . 2
1
1440
d = pipe dia in m
t = pipe thickness in mm
E = Youngs modulus in
N/mm
2
Then calculate surge head:
h
total
= h
gross
+ h
surge
Material properties:
Material Youngs
Modulus (E),
N/mm
2
Coef. Of linear
expansion
()/
o
C
Ultimate Tensile
strength (S)
N/mm
2
Ungraded mild
steel
2.0 x 10
5
12.5 x 10
-6

320
Standard mild
steel (certified
e.g. IS 2062)
2.0 x 10
5

12.5 x 10
-6

410
PVC 2750 (20 -60) x 10
-6

35 -55
HDPE 1000 (140 240)x 10
-6

20 -35
Penstock thickness Cross flow
Calculate a as in the
case of Pelton turbine
Then calculate critical
valve closure time Tc,
l is the length of
penstock in m.
Now calculate
parameter K, T is the
min. valve closure
time

a
l
T
c
2
=
2
(
(

=
xT gh
lV
K
gross
Penstock thickness Cross flow

Calculate h
surge
:



If K is less than 0.01:
(closure time, T, is long)

K x h h
gross surge
=
gross surge
h
K
K
K
h
(
(

+ =
4 2
2
Penstock thickness
Once surge head is known, for all type of turbines,
calculate effective thickness, t
effective
For mild steel (ms) divide t by 1.1 to allow for
welding defects
ms: divide t by 1.2 to allow for rolling inaccuracy of
flat sheet
ms: subtract 1 mm 2 mm (10 20 yrs) for corrosion
allowance
For HPDE t = t
effective


Penstock thickness
Now check factor of
safety,
SF = Safety factor
S = Ultimate tensile
strength of material
(see table)
d = is pipe dia
t
effective
& d should have
the same units (m or
mm)
d x x h x
S x t
F S
total
effective
3
10 5
. . =
Penstock thickness
For mild steel:
If SF < 3.5 reject penstock option & repeat
calculations with higher thickness.
However SF > 2.5 OK if:
- Experienced site staff
- Slow closing valves incorporated
- Damage & safety risks are minimum
- Careful pressure testing at total head performed
- Refer to codes and mannuals, e.g., USBR
Penstock
Thickness calculations - Jhankre:
- Revisit data:
Length, l = 550 m, Gross head = 180 m
Diameter, d = 450 mm
Steel = IS-2062, UTS (S) = 400 x 10
6
N/m
2
,
E = 200 x 10
9
N/m
2
Site welding decided
- Note: Pipe is long, so economical to decrease
thickness with head.
Penstock
Start from the bottom
-Try thickness, t = 6 mm
Calculate wave velocity, a
s m
x x
x x
xt E
d x x
a / 1077
1000
6
10 200
450 . 0 10 1 . 2
1
1440
10 1 . 2
1
1440
9
9
9
=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
Penstock
Velocity,


Surge head, n = 6, since six nozzles
s m
x
x
d
Q
V / 83 . 2
) 450 . 0 (
450 . 0 4 4
2 2
=
[
=
[
=
m x
x
n
x
g
aV
h
surge
52
6
1
81 . 9
83 . 2 1077 1
= = =
Penstock
Total head :




m m m h h h
surge gross total
232 52 180 = + = + =
mm
x
t
effective
55 . 3 0 . 1
2 . 1 1 . 1
6
= =
Selected thickness
Wleding
Rolling
Corrosion
Penstock
Safety Factor:



S.F. = 2.72 > 2.5 OK, since:
- Experienced staff at site
- Slow closing valve
- Pipes were pressure tested
450 . 0 10 232 5
10 400 ) 1000 55 . 3 (
10 5
. .
3
6
3
x x x
x x
d x x h x
S x t
F S
total
effective
= =
Penstock
At what static head can the thickness be
decreased to 5 mm?





V = 2.83 m/s (same Q & d)

s m
x x
x x
xt E
d x x
a / 1033
1000
5
10 200
450 . 0 10 1 . 2
1
1440
10 1 . 2
1
1440
9
9
9
=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
Penstock
Effective thickness


Safety Factor (S.F.)
mm
x
t
effective
79 . 2 0 . 1
2 . 1 1 . 1
5
= =
d x x x F S
S x t
h
d x x h x
S x t
F S
effective
total
total
effective
3 3
10 5 . .
,
10 5
. . = =
m
x x x
x x
h Or
total
182
450 . 0 10 5 72 . 2
10 400 ) 1000 79 . 2 (
,
3
6
= =
Why?
Penstock
Calculate surge head
m x
x
n
x
g
aV
h
surge
50
6
1
81 . 9
83 . 2 1033 1
= = =
Penstock
Static head at which thickness can be
changed from 6 mm to 5 mm

m m m h h h
surge total static
132 50 182 = = =
C L turbine
6 mm Thk
F.S. = 2.72
Static head =180 m
5 mm Thk
F.S. = 2.72
Static head =132 m
Penstock
Penstock
Repeat process for change in pipe thickness
from 5 mm to 4 mm
& 4 mm to 3 mm
Penstock
Cross flow turbine case- Design Example
- Gross head = 40 m, Design flow = 185 l/s
dia = 300 mm, penstock length = 70 m,
welded from flat rolled steel
- S = 320 x 10
6
N/mm
2
Select wall thickness.
Penstock
Calculate flow velocity in pipe



Try thickness, t = 4 mm
s m
x
x
d
Q
A
Q
V / 62 . 2
) 300 . 0 (
185 . 0 4 4
2 2
=
[
=
[
= =
s m
x x
x x
xt E
d x x
a / 1047
1000
4
10 200
300 . 0 10 1 . 2
1
1400
10 1 . 2
1
1400
9
9
9
=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
Penstock
Critical time:


Try closure time T = 5 sec (practical)


s
s m
m x
a
l
T
c
13 . 0
1047
70 2 2
=
(

= =
1 0087 . 0
5 40 81 . 9
62 . 2 70
2
2
< =
(

=
(
(

=
x x
x
xT gh
lV
K
gross
m Say m x K x h h
gross surge
4 , 7 . 3 0087 . 0 40 = = =
Penstock
4 m surge for 40 m gross head is 10% surge
head, thus 20% rule is conservative
m m m h h h
surge gross total
44 4 40 = + = + =
mm
x
t
effective
03 . 2 0 . 1
2 . 1 1 . 1
4
= =
! ! 84 . 9
300 . 0 10 44 5
10 320 ) 1000 03 . 2
10 5
. .
3
6
3
High
x x x
x x
d x x h x
S x t
F S
total
effective
= = =
Penstock
Try 3 mm Thickness
s m
x x
x x
a / 978
1000
3
10 200
300 . 0 10 1 . 2
1
1400
9
9
=
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
s
s m
m x
a
l
T
c
14 . 0
978
70 2 2
=
(

= =
Penstock
Try closure time, T = 5 sec
1 0087 . 0
5 40 81 . 9
62 . 2 70
2
2
< =
(

=
(
(

=
x x
x
xT gh
lV
K
gross
m Say m x K x h h
gross surge
4 , 7 . 3 0087 . 0 40 = = =
m h
total
44 =
mm
x
t
effective
27 . 1 0 . 1
2 . 1 1 . 1
3
= =
Penstock



Note:
2 mm pipe would also be theoretically
OK,but it can buckle and get damaged
during transport. So use 3 mm!
! ! 16 . 6
300 . 0 10 44 5
10 320 ) 1000 27 . 1 (
10 5
. .
3
6
3
High
x x x
x x
d x x h x
S x t
F S
total
effective
= = =