International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)

Volume 9, Issue 2, February 2018, pp. 663–669, Article ID: IJMET_09_02_068

Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=2
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS ON FRANCIS

TURBINE AT FULL LOAD TO DETERMINE
THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
CURVES
T. Teressa
Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical engineering,
Koneru Lakshmaih Education Foundation, India

G G Visal, P Sai Ram, M Srimani Kumar

B. Tech Students Mechanical Engineering,
Koneru Lakshmaih Education Foundation, India

ABSTRACT
Turbines are machines that convert Kinetic energy of fluids (e.g, water, steam, air,
etc) into mechanical energy by causing a bladed rotor to rotate. The turbines are
designed for a particular value of speed, head, efficiency, power or discharge. But
operation of turbines under similar conditions do not yield a new concept. So, it is
necessary to operate turbine under new conditions from these they have been
designed. Here test is conducted on Francis turbine to know their dead-on behavior
under varying conditions in Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics Machines Laboratory.
The results obtained were graphically plotted and the curves obtained are known as
Constant head or Constant speed characteristics curve. The results obtained are the
outcome of precise measurement and careful observation. This paper focuses mainly
on the experimental analysis to get actual performance characteristics curves. The
entire experimentation is carried out in the Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics
Laboratory. Head and gate opening are maintained constant. The speed is fluctuated
by permitting a varying quantity of water to flow through the inlet openings. The
Brake Horse Power is measured automatically by eddy dynamometer. After the
completion of the experiment, a curve is plotted between unit discharge and unit speed
for Francis turbine. The curves between unit discharge and unit speed are rising
curves. The discharge increases with the increase in speed. Finally the overall
efficiency of turbine was calculated along with percentage of full load.
Key words: efficiency, Francis Turbine, head, speed, Power
Cite this Article: T. Teressa, G G Visal, P Sai Ram, M Srimani Kumar, Experimental
Analysis on Francis Turbine at Full Load to Determine the Performance
Characteristics Curves, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and
Technology 9(2), 2018, pp. 663–669.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=9&IType=2

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 663 editor@iaeme.com

 T. Teressa, G G Visal, P Sai Ram, M Srimani Kumar

1. INTRODUCTION
The Francis Turbine is a mixed flow reaction turbine used for medium heads with medium
discharge. If water enters the runner and flows towards the centre of the wheel in the radial
direction and leaves being parallel to the axis of the turbine, the turbine is known as mixed
flow turbine (i.e. both radial and axial).The Francis turbine is a reaction turbine, which means
that the working fluid changes pressure as it moves through the turbine, giving up energy.
Basically, when the head at inlet of the turbine is the sum of pressure energy and kinetic
energy and during the flow of water through runner a part of pressure energy is converted into
kinetic energy, the turbine is a reaction turbine. The shaft of the Francis turbine can be either
horizontal or vertical. The shaft is made of steel and of the is forged, it is provided with a
collar for transmitting the axial thrust. Horizontal shafts are more compact for smaller sizes
and allow easier access to the turbine.On the other hand, Vertical shaft occupy less space than
horizontal shafts and permits greater inundate of the runner with a minimum excavation and
the generators are easily accessible for maintenance. The vanes are fixed on the hub. The
guide vanes are fixed between the two rings. This arrangement in the Francis turbine is in the
form of wheel and called guide wheel. Each vane can be rotated about its centre. Th opening
between the vanes can be increased or decreased by adjusting the guide wheel. The Guide
wheel is adjusted by regulating shaft which is operated by governor. The guide mechanism
provides the required quantity of water. Runner Blades, also called, roto, are the centers
where the fluid strikes and the tangential force of the impact causes the shaft of the turbine to
rotate producing torque. The flow in the runner is partly axial and party radial. The runners
can be mainly classified as (i) Slow Runner, (ii) Medium Runner, and (iii) Fast Runner.
The Runner blades need very precise finishing with high degree of accuracy. The runner is
made up of Cast Iron foe small output and Cast Steel or Bronze for large output.
The Francis turbine operates in a head range of ten meters to several hundred meters and
are basically used for electrical power production. The number of blades in the turbine can
vary from Seven to Nineteen.

Figure 1 General view of Francis Turbine

2. DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

Francis Turbine consists of main components such as Runner(rotor), Volute casing (spirals
scroll casing), guide vanes (stay vanes or stator), Venturi-meter draft tube and sump tank,
arranged in a way that the whole unit works on recirculating water system. The water reaches

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 664 editor@iaeme.com

 Experimental Analysis on Francis Turbine at Full Load to Determine the Performance
Characteristics Curves

the guide blade through penstock. The guide blade acts as a medium and transports water to
the runner blade.
The water enters the runner with a low velocity but with a considerable amount of
pressure. As the water flows over the vanes the pressure head is gradually converted into
velocity head. This kinetic energy is utilized in rotating the wheel and thus the hydraulic
energy is converted into Mechanical energy. The outgoing water enters the tail race after
passing through the water enters the tail race after passing through the draft tube. The draft
tube enlarges gradually which decreases the velocity but increases the pressure energy carried
by the water. The enlarged end is submerged deeply in the tail race water. The water finally
flow back to the sump tank through the venturimeter for the measurement of flow rate.
The loading of the turbine is obtained by the electrical AC generator connected to the
water tank. The stipulation for measurement of electrical energy by AC voltmeter and
ammeter turbine speed by digital RPM indicator, head on the turbine by pressure gauge are in
built to the control panel the whole experiment setup is shown in fig. 2.

Figure 2 View of Experimental setup with control panel

2.1. Specifications of Francis Turbine

150 mm diameter, 4 blades, cast iron, volute casing: cast iron, Loading: Eddy current
dynamometer with spring balance, Operating head: 20-50m, Kirloskar make:10 HP, Tank
(SS):sump tank-880 ltrs capacity, Starter: Siemens make with MCB console switch and red
indicator, Digital speed indicator: with proximity sensor for rpm measurement, Discharge
measurement: Venturi-meter, Pressure gauge: 2 Nos., Vacuum gauge: 1 No. 0-760mm hg,
Controlling valves: 6‟‟ Butter fly Valves , Provision for supply: 1ph, 230 V,, 13 AMPS and
all these are mounted on a frame.

3. EXPERIMENTATION METHODOLOGY
The trials were conducted on Francis Turbine test set up to evaluate the performance and to
obtain the constant head and constant speed characteristic curves at different load conditions.
The guide vane angle position was selected. The gate was closed before starting the pump.
The guide vane is kept for the required position by adjustable wheel. The gate was opened
slowly so that turbine rotor picks up the speed and attains maximum at opening of the gate
and set pressure on the gauge. For different electrical loads, rotor pitch position changed and
maintains the constant head and speed.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 665 editor@iaeme.com

 T. Teressa, G G Visal, P Sai Ram, M Srimani Kumar

3.1. Observations
The following observations noted down: Vane position, Speed „N‟ RPM, Delivery pressure
„P‟ N/mm2, discharge „Q‟ LPS.

3.2. Calculation for Francis Turbine

The following formulas are involved in calculating all the parameters:
1. Indicated Power (in KW)
IP=
Where, H=Net Head in Meters
d=density of water in kg/m3
Q=discharge of water in m3/sec
2. Shaft Power
SHP=
Where, BP= Wattmeter reading
t=Transmission efficiency of generator=0.8u
3. Turbine Efficiency
% turbine=

4. % full load =
Where, Max load Capacity=1.6kw
5. Specific Speed
Ns=
Where,
n= speed in rpm
p= power at that instant
H=total head at that point
6. Unit speed
Nu=
Where,
N= speed in rpm
H= total head at that point
7. Unit Power
Pu=
Where,
P= power at that instant
H= total head
8. Unit Discharge
Qu=
Where,
Q= discharge
H= total head

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 666 editor@iaeme.com

 Experimental Analysis on Francis Turbine at Full Load to Determine the Performance
Characteristics Curves

4. CHARACTERISTICS CURVES
The curve is plotted between overall efficiency and Unit Speed and Overall efficiency with
Percent of full load. The curves are shown in fig. 3 and fig. 4

Figure 3 unit speed (Nu) Vs unit power (Pu) Figure 4 Efficiency Vs Percent of full load

5. TABLES
Table 1 Reading of Francis Turbine at Constant Speed

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 667 editor@iaeme.com

 T. Teressa, G G Visal, P Sai Ram, M Srimani Kumar

Table 1 Reading of Francis Turbine at Constant Head

6. CONCLUSIONS
Experimental analysis was carried out to determine the main characteristics curve at part load
conditions. It was done for both constant pressure and constant speed. High efficiency cannot
be obtained when a low discharge is flowing through the runner. This is because the runner
blades in Francis Turbine are fixed and integral with hub.
The loading of the turbine is obtained by the Eddy Current Dynamometer. For different
electrical loads, rotor pitch position is changed, and constant head and constant pressure are
maintained. The following observations were made from control panels: Voltmeter reading,
Ammeter reading, Speed, Delivery pressure, The venturi-meter readings and different vane
positions calculations were made and also the various performance characteristics curves
plotted.

REFERENCES
[1] R.K. Rajput, “Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines”, Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd.
New Delhi (India).
[2] R. K. Bansal,” Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines”, Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd.
New Delhi (India).
[3] D. S. Kumar,” Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines”, Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd.
New Delhi (India).
[4] Yunus A. Cengel and John M. Cimbala, “Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals and
Applications” McGraw Hill.
[5] D. S. Kumar, “Fluid Mechanics & Fluid Power Engineering” S.K. Kataria Publications.
[6] C.P. Kothandaraman & R. Rudramoorthy” Basic Fluid Mechanics” New Age
Publications.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 668 editor@iaeme.com

 Experimental Analysis on Francis Turbine at Full Load to Determine the Performance
Characteristics Curves

[7] J.F. Douglas, J.M. Gasiorek & J.A. Swaffieid, “Fluid Mechanics”, ELBS Publications.
[8] A. K. Mohanty, “Fluid Mechanics” Prentice Hall Publications.
[9] A. K. Jain, “Fluid Mechanics”, Khanna Publications.)
[10] Harikrishnan R, Resolution For Parameteric Discrepancies In The Flow of Francis
Turbine. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 7(6), 2016, pp.
31–40.
[11] Giridhara Babu Y, Ashok Babu T.P, Anbalagan M. and Meena R, Experimental and
Numerical Investigation of Adiabatic Film Cooling Effectiveness Over The Compound
Angled Gas Turbine Blade Leading Edge Model. International Journal of Mechanical
Engineering and Technology, 5(9), 2014, pp. 91–100.

http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 669 editor@iaeme.com