INTRODUCTION

The Pelton Turbine is a hydraulic ‘impulse’ turbine, in which one or more water jets hits
‘buckets’ on a wheel. Pelton wheel consist of a wheel called rotor. The rotor of the turbine
consist of a circular disc with a number of double spoon shaped buckets evenly distributed over
the periphery. The water is supplied from the reservoir using a water pump. The force produced
by the jet impact at right angles to the buckets generates a torque that causes the wheel to rotate,
thus producing power. The Pelton wheel turbine is comprised of three basic components that
include the stationary inlet nozzle, the runner and the casing. Multiple buckets which forms the
runner are mounted on a rotating wheel. They are shaped in a manner that divides the flow in
half and turn in a velocity vector that is nearly 180 degrees. The nozzle is positioned in a
similar plane as the wheel and is arranged so that the jet of water impinges tangentially on to
the buckets

The name ‘Pelton’ comes from an American engineer who researched the best shape pf buckets
needed for the turbine. Although the concept is very simple, some very large machines of high
efficiency have been developed, with power outputs of more than 100 MW and efficiencies of
over 90%.

Pelton Wheel Turbine

OBJECTIVE

To plot the characteristic curves for a turbine operating at a different fluid flow rates.

APPARATUS

1. Tensioning Screw 2. Pressure Gauge

3. Spring Balance 4. Pelton Turbine
5. Spear Valve (nozzle) 6. Pulley
PROCEDURES

1. Switch on the water pump and allow the injection of water from spear valve (Nozzle)
to rotate the Pelton Turbine.
2. Tighten up the Tensioning Screw until the first spring balance, M1 to provide a reading
of 30g.
3. Record the reading of the second spring balance, M2.
4. Record the Revolution per Minute (RPM) of the pulley wheel by using the RPM Reader.
5. Record the reading of the Pressure Gauge.
6. Trap the water in the hydraulic bench and record the time taken to fill up 5 litres of
water by using stopwatch.
7. Repeat step 2 to 6 for gradually increasing the first spring balance, M1 to 60g, 90g,
120g, 150g, 180g, 210g, and 240g, by loosening and tightening the Tensioning Screw.
RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS
Flow rate Measurement Data:

V1 (L) T1 (s) T2 (s) T avg (s) Q (mз/s)

5 11 10.62 10.81 0.000463
5 10.62 11.5 11.06 0.000452
5 11.5 12.06 11.78 0.000424
5 12.06 11.25 11.66 0.000429
5 11.25 11.22 11.24 0.000445
5 11.22 11.66 11.44 0.000437
5 11.66 11.19 11.43 0.000437
5 11.19 11.71 11.45 0.000437

Pelton Turbine Experimental Data :

N2 N
m1 (g) m2 (g) Fb1 (N) Fb2 (N) Fb (N) N1 (rpm) N (Hz)
(rpm) (rpm)
30 80 0.2943 0.7848 0.5396 1041 1043 1042 17.37
60 160 0.5886 1.5696 1.0791 964.5 974.8 969.7 16.16
90 220 0.8829 2.1582 1.5206 940.3 950 945.2 15.75
120 290 1.1772 2.8449 2.0111 861.1 900 880.6 14.68
150 360 1.4715 3.5316 2.5016 781.3 772.2 776.8 12.95
180 420 1.7658 4.1202 2.943 744.3 718.1 731.2 12.19
210 490 2.0601 4.8069 3.4335 617.1 564.2 590.7 9.85
240 560 2.3544 5.4936 3.924 569.2 490.6 529.9 8.83
Pelton Turbine Experimental Result Summary:

Q (m3/s) Fb (N) N (Hz) P1 (bar) Hi (m) Ph (W) T (Nm) Pb (W) Et (%)

0.000463 0.5396 17.37 0.6 6.12 27.797 0.02158 2.355 8.47

0.000452 1.0791 16.16 0.6 6.12 27.137 0.04316 4.382 16.15

0.000424 1.5206 15.75 0.6 6.12 25.456 0.06082 6.019 23.64

0.000429 2.0111 14.68 0.6 6.12 25.756 0.08044 7.420 28.81

0.000445 2.5016 12.95 0.6 6.12 26.72 0.10006 8.142 30.47

0.000437 2.943 12.19 0.6 6.12 26.236 0.11772 9.016 34.36

0.000437 3.4335 9.85 0.6 6.12 26.236 0.13734 8.500 32.40

0.000437 3.924 8.83 0.6 6.12 26.236 0.15696 8.708 33.19

Formula
Average of Time Flowrate, Q
T1  T 2 V
Taverage  Q 
2 t

Turbine Rotation Speed , N (rpm) Turbine Rotation Speed, N (Hz)

N1  N 2 N
N N ( Hz ) 
2 60

Brake Force, Fb Input Head to Turbine, Hi

P1
Fb  mg Hi 
xg

Hydraulic Power, Ph Torque, T

T  Fb x r
Ph   g Hi Q

Brake Power, Pb Turbine Efficiency, Et

Pb
Pb  2  N T ( Nm / s  watt ) Et  x 100%
Ph
Calculations

For 1st row of result

1. Average of Time
T1  T 2
Taverage 
2
= (11+10.62)/2
= 10.81s

2. Flow rate, Q
V
Q 
t
= 5L/10.81min
= 0.005 m3/10.81s
= 4.630×10-4 m3/s

3. Brake Force, Fb
Fb 1 = mg
= 30 (9.81)/1000
= 0.2943

4. Turbine Rotation Speed , N (rpm)

N1  N 2
N
2
= (1041+1043)/2
= 1042 rpm

5. Turbine Rotation Speed, N (Hz)

N
N ( Hz ) 
60
= 1042 rpm/60
= 17.37 Hz

6. Input Head to Turbine, Hi

 P1
Hi 
xg
= (0.6*100000)/(1000*9.81)
= 6.12 m

7. Hydraulic Power, Ph
Ph   g Hi Q

=1000*9.81*6.12*4.63*10^-4
=27.797 w

8. Torque, T
T  Fb x r

= (0.5396)(0.04)
= 0.021582Nm

9. Brake Power, Pb
Pb  2  N T ( Nm / s  watt )

= 2π(17.37)(0.021582)
= 2.355 W

10. Turbine Efficiency, Et

Pb
Et  x 100%
Ph
= (2.355)/ (27.797)*100%
= 8.47%
Graph of N(Hz) versus Pb(Watts)

Graph of N(Hz) versus Et(%)

DISCUSSION

The results we obtained have the range of 8.47% to 33.19% of turbine efficiency. This shows
that the turbine isn’t really efficient as the percentage of efficiency obtained during the
experiment is quite high. This proves that high lost of energy occurred in the turbine. This
might have occurred due to some errors which happened during the experiment.

Firstly, there was a systematic error caused by the flaw f the apparatus in the lab. The reservoir
tank which we will use to measure the time takes to fill up 5 liters of water were leaking below
drop by drop. We assume the leakage was one of the reasons we didn’t really obtain high
percentage of efficiency. Besides that, we also faced some difficulties during the experiment
when we had to measure the Rpm with the device given by the lecturer. The measurement on
the device was inconsistent as it is quite hard to hold it still during the measurement to obtain
the Rpm of the wheel. There were also some parallax error when we had to measure 5 liters of
water in the tube. We had some troubles in having our eye level perpendicular to the scale as
the tube was in a very low position and we had to be in an awkward position to measure the
level of water.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, we have successfully achieved the objective of the experiment. We have

demonstrated the Pelton Wheel Experiment and obtained the results from it. The results of
the experiment, especially the efficiency isn’t satisfying as the efficiency percentage is quite
low. In order to get a better result, we assume we have to avoid the errors that stated in the
discussion by making sure the apparatus in the lab is in good condition before starting the
experiment and to avoid the parallax error by having the eye level in the proper position to
measure the volume of water collected in the tank. Therefore, better results can be obtained if
all these errors we have discussed above is avoided.