Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh
Name : B. Srinivasa Rao
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : MRAGR GPT, Vizianagaram
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : Hydraulics
Subject Code : C304
Topic : Water Turbines
Duration : 50 Mts
Sub Topic : Francis Turbines
Teaching Aids : Photographs, Animations
Revised By : V. Srinivasa Rao, Lecturer, DAGPT,
Ongole
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Objectives

On completion of this session ,you would be able to

• Know the principle of reaction turbine

• Know the main components of the Francis turbine and

functions of each component

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 Recap

In the previous lesson, you have learnt

about

• Component parts of Pelton wheel

• Working principle of Pelton wheel

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What is reaction turbines?

• The water possesses kinetic energy as well as pressure

energy, at the inlet of the turbine, then it is called
reaction turbine

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What is radial flow turbine?

• If the water flows in the radial direction through the

runner the turbine is called radial flow turbine

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Name an example of radial flow reaction turbine?

– Francis turbine

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What is mixed flow turbine?

• If the water flows through the runner in the radial

direction, but Leaves in the direction parallel to the axis
of rotation of the runner, the turbine is called mixed flow
turbine

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Francis Turbine

Principle

• Only a part of the net head is converted Into the kinetic

energy at inlet

• Rest of head remains in the form of pressure energy

• There is a difference of pressure between the entrance

and the exit of the runner

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• The difference of pressure is known as reaction pressure

• This reaction pressure is responsible for the running of

the reaction turbine

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Fig: 1 francis turbine
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Francis Turbine
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 Main Components of Francis Turbine

• Scroll casing
• Guide mechanism
• Runner
• Draft tube

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Scroll casing

Fig.2
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 Scroll casing

• The scroll casing surrounds the turbine runner and the

guide mechanism

• The scroll casing is placed in between the penstock

outlet and guide vanes

• The purpose of casing is to provide an even distribution

of water around the circumference of the turbine runner

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 Scroll casing

• For this purpose a casing of spiral shape is suited (cross

sectional area of the casing is gradually decreased)

• For small heads ,casing is made of concrete but for

high heads it is made of steel plates or cast steel

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Guide mechanism

• It consists of a
stationary circular
wheel all round the
runner of the turbine.
It is also known as
speed ring or stay
ring

Fig.3 9C304.70 16
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Guide mechanism

• The speed ring consists of an upper and lower ring

held together by a series of fixed vanes called stay
vanes
• The speed ring may be either of cast iron or cast steel
or fabricated steel
Purposes of speed ring
• a) to direct the water from the scroll casing to the
guide vanes or wicket gates
• b) to resist the load imposed upon it by the internal
pressure of the water and the weight of the turbine.

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Guide mechanism

• Guide vanes are provided all round the periphery of the

turbine runner

• The guide vanes are airfoil shaped .they may be made of

cast steel ,stainless steel or plate steel

• Each guide vane is provided with two stems

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Guide mechanism

• By a special arrangement ,the guide vanes may be

turned about their stems

• The guide vanes are operated either by means of a

wheel( for very small units) or automatically by a
governor

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Runner

• It is a circular wheel on which a series of radial curved

vanes are fixed
• The vanes are so shaped that the water enters the
runner radially at the outer periphery and leaves it axially
at the inner periphery
• The runner is keyed to a shaft

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Francis Turbine Runner
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Draft tube

• A draft tube is a pipe or passage of gradually increasing

c/s area ,which connects the runner exit to the tail race

• The water after passing through the runner flows to the

tail race through a draft tube

• It may be made of cast or plate steel or concrete

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Draft Tube
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Working of a turbine

• The water from the penstock enters a scroll casing which

completely surrounds the runner
• From scroll casing water passes through a speed ring or
stay ring
• From the speed ring the water passes through a series
of guide vanes or wicket gates provided all around the
periphery of the turbine runner

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• By a suitable arrangement ,the width of the passage
between the guide vanes can be altered so that the
amount of water striking the runner can be altered

• The water enters the runner radially at the outer

periphery and leaves it axially at the inner periphery

• The change in the direction of flow of water produces a

circumferential force in the runner

• This circumferential force makes the runner to rotate and

this contributes to the useful output of the runner

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Summery

In this session, you have learnt about

• Working principle of reaction turbines

• Description of main components of reaction turbine
• Working of Francis turbine

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Quiz

1. Example of mixed flow reaction turbine

a) Pelton wheel.
b) Francis turbine.
c) Kaplan turbine.
d) Both b and c.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. Explain Francis turbine with neat sketch.

2. Mention the difference between the impulse turbine

and reaction turbine.

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