Design of Kaplan Turbine

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

Pure Axial Flow with Aerofoil Theory.

Design of A Kaplan Turbine

Selection of Kaplan Turbine

MORE ADAPTED TYPE OF TURBINA IN FUNCTION OF
THE SPECIFIC SPEED.
Specific Speed in
r.p.m.

Turbine type

Jump height in m

From 270 to 500

Slow Kaplan

50 to 15

From 500 to 800

Quick Kaplan

15 to 5

From 800 to 1100 Extra-quick Kaplan

Ns

Less than 5

N P
H

P in hp and H in meters.

Specific Speed of Kaplan Turbine

Using statistical studies of schemes, F. Schweiger and J. Gregory
established the following correlation between the specific speed
and the net head for Kaplan turbines:

39.827
N s 0.486
H
Ns
P in watts.

N P
H

The Schematic of Kaplan Turbine

Major Parts of A Kaplan Turbine

Ns

N P
H

P, in hp and H in meters.

Design of Guide Wheel

Degv

Degv

60kug 2 gH

V fgv k fg 2 gH
Q Degv BgvV fgv

Kug
Kfg
Kug

Kfg

Outlines of Kaplan Runner

a
b
Guide Vanes

Whirl Chamber

The space between guide wheel outlet and kaplan runner is

known as Whirl Chamber.
a=0.13 Drunner & b=0.16 to 0.2 Drunner.

Design of Kaplan Runner

Drunner

Dhub

Testing of Runner diameter selection

The runner diameter De can be calculated by the
following equation:

H
Drunner 84.5 0.79 1.602 nQE
60 n

0
.
0951
Drunner
Dhub 0.25

n
QE

nQE

2.294
H

n in rps

Runner diameter section

Q Q factor H D

2
runner

2
hub

The hub diameter Dhub can be calculated with the following equation:

Dhub 0.35 to 0.6 Drunner

Kug
Qfactor

Number of runner Vanes Vs Guide Wheel Diameter

Dge,
mm

10

12

14

16

<300

300
450

450
750

750 1200
1200
1600

18

20

24

1600
2200

2200 >4000
4000

DESIGN OF THE BLADE

Two different views of a blade

Hydrodynamics of Kaplan Blade

Distortion of the blade under ideal circumstances

The velocity triangles, which occur on the blade, play a significant
role in determining its distortion.

1 < 900

Uwheel

V ai

V ri

Vfi

Uwheel

Details of Blade
Arrangement
V ai

Uwheel
V ae

re

e = 900

Vfe

V ri

Vfi

Inlet Velocity Triangles Vs Ns

High Specific Speed : Fast Francis Runner

Vwi

Vai

Vfi

Specifications of Runner

Slow Runner: Ns=60 to 120

to 250
Kui = 0.62 to 0.68
to
Bgv/Dmgv=0.04 0.033
Normal Runner: Ns = 120 180
to 32.50
Kui = 0.68 to 0.72

Bgv/Dmgv=0.125 to 0.25
Fast Runner: Ns = 180 to 300
to 37.50
Kui = 0.72 to 0.76
to
Bgv/Dmgv=0.25to 0.5

Design for Maximum Power Retrieval

Inlet Velocity Triangle
Uwheel
V ai

ri

Vfi

Radial Equilibrium

Radial Equilibrium Equation for

Incompressible Fluid Machine

dV f Vw d rVw
1 dp0
Vf

0
dr
dr
r
dr

To define the distortion of the blade, the velocity triangles of at least six
different radiuses of the blade are to be determined.
The angle of each radius gives conclusions on the distortion of the
blade.
The angles should be corrected for real hydraulics.

General Rules for Selection of Whirl Component

Free Vortex Whirl:

rV V f

0
r

C
V
r
V f constant

Forced Vortex Whirl :

V C r

V f C1 C2 r 2

Method for Selection of Blade Shape

Define Half Travel Point of a fluid particle as

Vre

Vfi=Vfe
V

Vri

Vrwi Vrwe
2

The Tragflgeltheorie
V

Factual lift

Fideal lift

Vri

Hydraulic Energy Diagram

Hm
Hre

Hri

Htotal
Hs

Characteristics of A Single Blade

Ideal Blade lift coefficient:

blade

Vre2 V2 2 g hatm H s hmin draft

2
KV

Vde2

2g

2
ae

draft: Efficiency of draft tube: 0.88 to 0.91

K : Profile characteristic number: 2.6 to 3.0
hmin=Head equivalent to minimum allowable pressure at
Runner exit.

The suction head

The suction head Hs is the head where the turbine is installed;
if the suction head is positive, the turbine is located above the trail
water;
if it is negative, the turbine is located under the trail water.
To avoid cavitation, the range of the suction head is limited.
The maximum allowed suction head can be calculated using the
following equation:

Hs

patm pvap

1.5241 n

2
de

H net
2g

1.46
QE

2
de

2 gH net

nQE

2.294
H

When the lifting coefficient is known, the sufficiency of ratio

l/t can be established as follows:

l gturbine H V flow 1
cos

2
t
V
U blade blade sin
Allowable values of angle of slip 2.5-- 3

The actual Lifting Coefficient

blade

b ,cascade

Drag Coefficient

b,a

drag

Calculation of Actual Angle of Slip

arctan

dragblade

b ,a

Uwheel

Details of Blade
Arrangement
V ai

Uwheel
V ae

V re

e = 900

Vfe

V ri

Vfi

l
(maximum allowed) 0.9 to 1.05
t
Drunner
t
Z
Z : Number of blades : 8 to 24
Proportional to Specific Speed

Actual Angle of Attack

b,a

Power Developed by the Runner

Power developed by a differential blade surface

dP d m U blade Vwi Vwe

Ptotal nblade

d
m
U
V

V
blade
wi
we

Ablade