Turbines
Turbines
There are different types of turbines that generate electricity. The height of the water has an influence on the type of turbine application that will be used. The height of the water is known as the “head” to drive the turbine. The runner is the turning part of the turbine.
The Pelton Turbine:
The Pelton turbine looks like a water wheel. It is made up of one or more jets that impinge on the buckets of the runner. High-head sites that are fifty to sixty thousand feet require the use of the Pelton turbine. In some instances, it can be as large as two hundred megawatts.
The Francis Turbine:
The Francis turbine contains fixed vanes made up of nine or more. The water comes into the turbine at a radial direction in relation to the shaft, and leaves at an axial direction. The Francis turbine can be as big as eight hundred megawatts, and operates in ten to two thousand feet.
The Propeller Turbine:
The other type of turbine is called the Propeller turbine. This turbine is similar to a boat propeller because it contains three to six fixed blades. The blades are put into action when the water passes through them. The Propeller turbine can be as large as one hundred megawatts. It operates in ten to three hundred feet of head. Another type of Propeller turbine is known as the Kaplan turbine. It can be as large as four hundred megawatts. The difference between the two turbines is that in the pitch of the blades can be changed in the Kaplan in order to improve the results of the process, unlike the Propeller turbine, which is not capable of that.
Figure from: (http://www.acre.murdoch.edu.au/ago/hydro/hydro.html)
Works Cited
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