Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………....………………………..3
2.0 Turbine Types and Selection………………………………………………..………….4
2.1 Kaplan Turbine……………………………………………………………….5-7
3.0 Alternative Turbine Types…………………………………………………………..8-10
3.1 Francis Turbine……………………………………………………………….8-9
3.2 Cross Flow Turbine…………………………………………………………9-10
3.3 Propeller Turbine……………………………………………………………...10

List of Figures
Figure 1: Hydropower Plant Structure...…………………………….…………………...……3
Figure 2: Trash-rack cleaning machine……………………………………………………......3
Figure 3: Turbine selection chart, head vs discharge.……………….………………….……..4
Figure 4: Kaplan turbine components………………….……………………………………...5
Figure 5: 8600kw Kaplan Turbine Generator and description……………………………..….6
Figure 6: 750KW Brushless Excitation Hydroelectric Axial Flow
Generator Kaplan Water Turbine and description……………………………..……………...6
Figure 7: Ossberger Kaplan Turbine (trash rack cleaner)..……………………………………7
Figure 8: Turbine efficiency curve relying on discharge rate…………………………………8
Figure 9: 15KW Hydroelectric Vertical Francis Turbine Generator………………………….8
Figure 10: Low head cross flow turbine for bulb tubular generator power plant and details…9
Figure 11: The original OSSBERGER cross flow turbine and short details….……………...10
Figure 12: The horizontal and vertical inflow………………………………………………..10
Figure 13: Hydraulic Propeller Turbine 100KW Kaplan Turbine Generator for Low Head
HPP…………………………………………………………………………….……………..10

List of Tables
Table 1: Characteristics of various turbine types and their heads ………………………….......4
Table 2: Ossberger Kaplan Turbine Specifications……………………………………………7
Table 3: 15KW Hydroelectric Vertical Francis Turbine Generator Specs……………………..9

Bibliography………………………………………………………………...……………….11

2|Page
1.0 Introduction

Figure 1: Hydropower Plant Structure. Adapted from [11]

Hydropower plants generate electricity by capturing the energy of falling water from dam. Since dam
is at a greater height, it has a high potential energy. The kinetic energy of falling water is converted
into mechanical energy by a turbine. The mechanical energy from the turbine is then converted into
electrical energy by a generator [1].
The use of optimal trash rack cleaning machines reduces the loss of performance in hydroelectric
power plants caused by floating debris. Trash-racks are fitted in hydroelectric power plants' intake
security to avoid large debris from entering and detrimental turbine parts, causing serious problems to
power plant operation [2]. In a simply put, it acts as a filter for the turbines which can be seen in
figure 1.

Figure 2: Trash-rack cleaning machine. Adapted from [10]

3|Page
 2.0 Turbine Types and Selection
Turbines are divided into two types based on their water energy functionality: Impulse and Reaction.

Table 1: Characteristics of various turbine types and their heads.

Turbine Name Turbine Type Head Range (m) Low Head Medium Head High Head
Pelton Impulse 75-500 ✓ ✓
Turgo Impulse 15-300 ✓ ✓
Cross Flow Impulse <60 ✓ ✓
Francis Reaction 20-300 ✓ ✓
Propeller Reaction <30 ✓
Tubular (a propeller Reaction <30 ✓
turbine type)
Bulb (a propeller Reaction <30 ✓
turbine type)
Kaplan (a propeller Reaction <30 ✓
turbine type)

Requirement: 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝑄 = 50 𝑚3 /𝑠 (𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚) and 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑, 𝐻 = 15 𝑚 (𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚).

Figure 3: Turbine selection chart, head vs discharge. Adapted from [6]

4|Page
 2.1 Kaplan Turbine

Figure 4: Kaplan turbine components. Adapted from [10]

As shown in Table 1 and Figure 1 (where we have drawn lines as per the given requirement
and the lines intersect in ‘Axial’), the most suitable turbine to utilize as per our requirement
would be the Kaplan turbine. Due to the variable geometry of wicket gate and turbine blades,
it has high efficiency ranges from 90% to 93% [7] [8, p.2].

It has high discharge since its utilization concentrates on locations with low heads ranging from
1.5 to 15 meters [3, p.2] and high flow rates up to 30𝑚3 /𝑠. Power outputs for these systems
would vary from 75 kW to 1 MW [4]. They are costly, but last for decades.

[9] explains its working principle:

i. Water out from penstock is forced into the scroll casing.
ii. The water goes to the runner by the adjustable guide vanes as per requirement.
iii. The water turns 90 degrees, so its direction is axial.
iv. As a result of the water's reaction force, the runner blades begin to rotate. The runner
blades are twisted along their length to maintain the optimal angle of attack for all cross
sections of blades and achieve greater efficiency.
v. The water enters the draft tube, where its pressure and kinetic energy are reduced. The
conversion of kinetic energy to pressure energy leads to greater water pressure.
vi. The turbine's rotation is used to turn the shaft of the generator, which produces electricity.

Kaplan Turbine has adjustable blades (no. of blades are 3 to 5). The runner wear can be reduced by
optimising the geometries, by reducing the relative velocity based on the hydraulic design and also
by reducing the flow variation and is prone to cavitation. However, [5] provide techniques to be
followed for reaction turbines cavitation to be completely diminished:

i. Beneath the tail race level, place the turbine.

ii. Utilizing a draft tube becomes more important as the head drops & appropriate material for
runner (e.g., stainless-steel).
iii. Offering the runner of shiny blades.
iv. Runner accelerating to the specific speed rate.

5|Page
Option A:

Figure 5: 8600kw Kaplan Turbine Generator and description.

Adapted from [13]

Option B:

Figure 6: 750KW Brushless Excitation Hydroelectric Axial Flow

Generator Kaplan Water Turbine and description. Adapted from [14]

6|Page
Option C: The ‘Selected’ turbine as per our requirements.

Figure 7: Ossberger Kaplan Turbine (trash rack cleaner). Adapted from [3, p.3].
We could pick out any of these constructions as Alternative designs for Kaplan turbine since they
all meet the discharge and head requirements.

Table 2: Ossberger Kaplan Turbine Specifications [3, p.4].

7|Page
3.0 Alternative Turbine Types

Figure 8: Turbine efficiency curve relying on discharge rate. Adapted from [7]

This graph shows that the maximum efficiency of the Propeller and Kaplan turbines is relatively better
than that of the Crossflow turbine in which these three constitute low heads. Francis turbine would also
be convenient since it’s low to medium head (all heads based on in table 1). Hence, these are to be used
as an alternative turbines to attain the requirement.

We can’t use high head turbines (like Pelton and Turgo) based on our requirement since the fluid
velocity will increase as it passes over the impeller blade. It will result in huge losses for two primary
reasons: friction loss and blade stall loss. The efficiency will plummet dramatically.

3.1 Francis Turbine

Figure 9: 15KW Hydroelectric Vertical Francis Turbine Generator and description.

Adapted from [12]

8|Page
 Table 3: 15KW Hydroelectric Vertical Francis Turbine Generator Specs.

3.2 Cross Flow Turbine

• Option A:

Figure 10: Low head cross flow turbine for bulb tubular generator power plant and
details. Adapted from [15]

9|Page
 • Option B:

Figure 11: The original OSSBERGER cross flow turbine and short details. Adapted from [16]

Figure 12: The horizontal and vertical inflow. Adapted from [16]

3.3 Propeller Turbine

Figure 13: Hydraulic Propeller Turbine 100KW Kaplan Turbine Generator for Low Head
HPP. Adapted from [17]

10 | P a g e
 Bibliography
[1] "How Hydropower Works | Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company", Wvic.com. [Online]. Available:
http://www.wvic.com/content/how_hydropower_works.cfm#:~:text=Hydropower%20plants%20capture%20the
%20energy,the%20turbine%20into%20electrical%20energy. [Accessed: 27- May- 2022].

[2] I. Lučin, Z. Čarija, L. Grbčić and L. Kranjčević, "Assessment of head loss coefficients for water turbine
intake trash-racks by numerical modeling", Journal of Advanced Research, vol. 21, pp. 109-119, 2019.
Available:
https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S2090123219301687?token=58DD9B50AD9335072610EB73F6E063
D4077AA687E29261E21ED14A45C713519519B37196E58162E77D0D4274F0A93BC1&originRegion=eu-
west-1&originCreation=20220527145857. [Accessed 27 May 2022].

[3] I. Rodrigues, Kaplan Turbines. Bavaria, 2017, pp. 2-4.

[4] "Kaplan Turbines - Renewables First", Renewables First - The Hydro and Wind Company. [Online].
Available: https://www.renewablesfirst.co.uk/hydropower/hydropower-learning-centre/kaplan-turbines/.
[Accessed: 27- May- 2022].

[5] "Cavitation", Hydraulic Machines, 2015.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08b3bed915d3cfd000bfa/TI_UP_HD_Oct2009_Micro_Hydro
_Low_Head_Turbines.pdf

[6] Guide on How to Develop a Small Hydropower Plant. 2004, p. 175.

[7] M. Taih and R. Azeez, "Hydro Power", Energy Conservation, 2012. Available:
https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/40550. [Accessed 28 May 2022].

[8] P. Halder, Kaplan Turbines. 2022, pp. 1-23.

[9] "Lab Manual | Kaplan Turbine", Engineering Tutorials, 2009.

[10] CINK HYDRO ENERGY, Trash-rack cleaning machines.

[11] "Hydropower Plant - Types, Components, Turbines and Working", ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY, 2021.
[Online]. Available: https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2021/07/hydropower-plant.html. [Accessed: 02- Jun-
2022].

[12]"15KW Hydroelectric Vertical Francis Turbine Generator For Home", https://www.fstgenerator.com/.

[Online]. Available: https://www.fstgenerator.com/15kw-hydroelectric-francis-turbine-product/ [Accessed: 02-
Jun- 2022].

[13] "8600kw Kaplan Turbine Generator", https://www.fstgenerator.com/. [Online]. Available:

https://www.fstgenerator.com/kaplan-turbine-product/. [Accessed: 02- Jun- 2022].

[14] "750KW Brushless Excitation Hydroelectric Axial Flow Generator Kaplan Water
Turbine", https://www.fstgenerator.com/. [Online]. Available: https://www.fstgenerator.com/750kw-kaplan-
turbine-product/. [Accessed: 02- Jun- 2022].

[15] "[Hot Item] Low Head Cross Flow Turbine for Bulb Tubular Generator Power Plant", Made-in-China.com.
[Online]. Available: https://m.made-in-china.com/product/Low-Head-Cross-Flow-Turbine-for-Bulb-Tubular-
Generator-Power-Plant-908507545.html. [Accessed: 02- Jun- 2022].

[16] O. KG, "OSSBERGER® Crossflow Turbine: Ossberger", Ossberger.de. [Online]. Available:

https://ossberger.de/en/hydropower-technology/ossbergerr-crossflow-turbine/ [Accessed: 02- Jun- 2022].

[17] "Hydraulic Propeller Turbine 100KW Kaplan Turbine Generator for Low Head
HPP", https://www.fstgenerator.com/, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.fstgenerator.com/kaplan-turbine-
100kw-product/. [Accessed: 02- Jun- 2022].

11 | P a g e