Objective:

To develop understanding of characteristics of Pelton wheel

To develop understanding of maximum efficiency and the best speed

Pelton Wheel (Impluse Turbine)

- Energy of the fluid supplied to the machine is converted by one or more nozzles into kinetic
energy.
- Jet strikes a series of buckets on the circumference of the wheel and is turned through an angle
(usually 165) thus producing a force on the bucket and a torque on the wheel.
- The interior of the casing is at atmospheric pressure and is not filled with water.
- The wheel must be placed above tailwater level so that the water leaving the buckets falls clear
of the wheel.
Diagrammatic arrangement of a Pelton wheel and velocity triangles for a Pelton wheel are given
in Fig. 2 and 3. Runner of Pelton wheel is given in Fig. 14.7.

Figure 2. Pelton wheel

Hydraulic efficiency

Overall efficiency

work done on runner per unit weight of flow

available head

work delivered to shaft per unit weight of flow

available head

Mechanical efficiency

work delivered to shaft per unit weight of flow

work done on runner per unit weight of flow

Figure 3. Velocity diagram of Pelton Wheel

v1 = absolute velocity of jet at entry to the bucket
= (2gH) where H is head at the nozzle
assuming a nozzle coefficient of discharge of unity
u = mean bucket speed
vr1 = velocity of jet relative to bucket at entry
= v1 u from the inlet triangle
In the outlet velocity triangle
v2 = absolute velocity of the water leaving the bucket
u = mean bucket speed
vr2 = relative velocity of water leaving bucket
If Q = volume of water deflected per second
Force exerted on bucket = rate of change of momentum of water in the plane of wheel
= mass/sec deflected x change of velocity in direction of motion of bucket
Component of final absolute velocity in this direction = v2 cos
Change of absolute velocity in this direction = v1 v2 cos
Force exerted on bucket = Q(v1 v2 cos )
From the outlet velocity triangle
V2 cos = u vr2 cos = u vr2 cos (180 - )
Where is the deflection angle.
If there is no friction on the surface of the bucket the water enters and leaves with the same relative
velocity so that
Vr2 = vr1 = v1 - u
And v2 cos = u (v1 u) cos (180 - )

and
Force exerted on bucket
= Q[v1 {u (v1- u) cos (180 - )}]
= Q (v1 u) { 1 + cos (180 - )}
Power = work done/sec = force on bucket x bucket speed
= Qu(v1 u) {1 + cos (180 - )}
Power supplied to the nozzle = weight /sec x head at nozzle
=gQH
Hydraulic efficiency = power output/ power input

Hydraulic efficiency

Qu (v1 u ){1 cos(180 )}

gQH

In the theory of a Pelton wheel the following assumptions may be made:

(i)
the coefficient of cv of the nozzle is constant
v1 = cv(2gH)
(ii)
the output power is a constant fraction of the power imparted by the water; and
(iii)
that the relative velocity of the water to the bucket at exit is n times the relative velocity
at inlet, where n is a constant.
Vr2 =n vr1 = n(v1 u)
And v2 cos = u n (v1 u) cos (180 - )
Force exerted on bucket = Q (v1 u) { 1 + ncos (180 - )}
Power = work done/sec = force on bucket x bucket speed
= Qu(v1 u) {1 + ncos (180 - )}
Power supplied to the nozzle = weight /sec x head at nozzle
=gQH = gQ v12/cv2g
Hydraulic efficiency = power output/ power input
Output power = x work done by water/sec
= Qu(v1 u) {1 + ncos (180 - )}
2
2ucv (v1 u ){1 n cos(180 )}

v12
and putting u/v1 = k,
= 2kcv2(1-k){1 + ncos (180 - )}
For maximum efficiency k(1-k) is a maximum:
d/dk {k(1-k)} = 0
1 2k = 0
k = 0.5
Therefore, the maximum efficiency occurs when k = 0.5.