1.

Experiment#1:
“To draw the characteristics curves of Pelton wheel”

1.1. Background:
Pelton Wheel Turbine is an impulse/ a constant pressure water turbine. In this case water head is
very high. Pelton wheel consists of a wheel called rotor. The rotor of the turbine consists of a
circular disc with a number of double spoon shaped buckets evenly distributed over the periphery.
The water is the supplied from the reservoir. In such type of Turbine available hydraulic energy
of the water is converted in to the kinetic energy at atmospheric pressure by means of the nozzle.
Each nozzle directs the jet along a tangent to the circle through the centers of the buckets. Each
bucket consists of a splitter which divides the incoming jet in to two equal portions and after
flowing round the smooth inner surface of the bucket the water leaves with a relative velocity
almost opposite in direction to the original jet. The change in momentum of the water jet in
passing over the buckets exerts tangential force on the wheel causing it to rotate. Thus converts
the hydraulic energy in to the mechanical energy by means of the shaft rotation.

Figure 1- Pelton Wheel

1.2. Performance characteristic curve of Pelton Turbines:

These are curves with the help of which the exact performance behavior of the turbines under
different working conditions can be ascertained. The curves are plotted from the results of the
tests performed on turbines under different working conditions. The quantities that can be varied
during a test on a turbine are: speed, head, discharge, power, overall efficiency and gate opening.
If the speed and water head of a pelton turbine are maintained at constant values, then the curves
obtained by plotting the discharge (Q) against both the power outputs and the overall efficiencies
are called the operating characteristic curves of the pelton turbine.
 Figure 2- General Arrangement of Pelton Wheel Turbine

Figure 3- Pelton Wheel in a dam

1.3. Apparatus:
1. Tachometer
2. Hydraulic Bench
3. Pelton Wheel
4. Stop Watch
 1.4. Procedure:
1. Record the brake wheel radius.
2. Close the water supply valve and the spear valve.
3. Switch on the pump. Slowly open completely the water supply valve.
4. Slowly open the spear valve to the desired position, allowing the jet to drive the Pelton
wheel until inlet head of 5 meters in obtained
5. Measure the water discharge from the flow rate measurement device by using stopwatch.
Record the values obtained.
6. Apply the load on the brake wheel by adjusting the knob above the right spring balance.
Record both spring balances.
7. Measure the rotational speed of the wheel with a tachometer.
8. Check the tension W1 & W2 in the pulley
9. Increase the load on the brake wheel
10. Repeat for more readings

1.5. Formulas Derivations:

𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑑 =
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡 = 𝐶𝑑 × 𝑄𝑡ℎ
Here,
𝑄𝑡ℎ = 𝐴 × 𝑣

𝜋 2
𝑄𝑡ℎ = 𝑑 √2𝑔𝐻
4
and
𝑑𝑝
𝐻=
𝜌𝑔
So,
𝜋 2
𝑄𝑡ℎ = 𝑑 √2𝜌𝑑𝑝
4𝜌

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
𝐵. 𝑃 = 𝑇. 𝑤
2𝜋𝑁
𝐵. 𝑃 = 𝑇 × ( )
60
2𝜋𝑁𝑇
𝐵. 𝑃 =
60
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑘
𝐻. 𝑃 =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑚𝑔𝐻
𝐻. 𝑃 =
𝑡
𝑚
𝐻. 𝑃 = ( ) × 𝑔𝐻
𝑡
𝑚
𝐻. 𝑃 = ( ) × 𝑔𝐻
𝑡
𝐻. 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑄𝑔𝐻
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
𝐵. 𝑃
𝜂= × 100 %
𝐻. 𝑃

1.6. Observations and Calculations:

1.6.1. Specimen Calculations:

For reading #1:
𝑊1 = 1 𝑁
𝑊2 = 1.5 𝑁
𝑁 = 2000 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝑟 = 0.03 𝑚
𝐻 =5𝑚
𝑉 =5𝑙
𝑡 = 37.28 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑉
𝑄= = 0.00013412 𝑚3 /𝑠
𝑡
𝑇 = (𝑊2 − 𝑊1) × 𝑟 = 0.5 × 0.03 = 0.015 𝑁𝑚
2𝜋𝑁𝑇
𝐵. 𝑃 = = 3.14 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠
60
𝑃ℎ = 𝜌𝑔𝐻𝑄 = 6.57 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠
𝐵. 𝑃
𝜂= = 47.75 %
𝑃ℎ
1.6.2. Table:

1.6.3. Characteristics Curves:

N vs Flow rate
0.00014
0.000138
0.000136
0.000134
Q (m^3/s)

0.000132
0.00013
0.000128
0.000126
0.000124
0.000122
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
N (rpm)

N vs Torque
0.07

0.06

0.05
T (Nm)

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
N (rpm)
 N vs Brake Power
6

4
B.P (watt)
3

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
N (rpm)

N vs Hydraulic Power
6.9
6.8
6.7
6.6
Ph (watt)

6.5
6.4
6.3
6.2
6.1
6
5.9
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
N (rpm)

N vs Efficiency
90
80
70
60
50
40
η (%)

30
20
10
0
-10 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

-20 N (rpm)
1.7. Comments:
1. As a conclusion from the experiment that had been performed, we can conclude that
different range of rotational speeds influences the performance of Pelton wheel turbine.
2. From the results obtained, we can see how Pelton Wheel reacts to different kind of input.
Parameters such as flow rate, Torque, B.P, Hydraulic power and efficiency are effected by
the speed of the wheel.
3. Do not change the spear valve the spring balance tension while taking the readings.