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FLUID MECHANICS II

Francis Water Turbine Experiment

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1. Introduction
The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell,
Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts.
Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today. They operate in a water head
from 40 to 600 m (130 to 2,000 ft) and are primarily used for electrical power production. The
electric generators which most often use this type of turbine have a power output which
generally ranges just a few kilowatts up to 800 MW, though mini-hydro installations may be
lower. Penstock (input pipes) diameters are between 3 and 33 feet (0.91 and 10.06 meters). The
speed range of the turbine is from 75 to 1000 rpm. Wicket gates around the outside of the
turbine's rotating runner control the rate of water flow through the turbine for different power
production rates. Francis turbines are almost always mounted with the shaft vertical to isolate
water from the generator. This also facilitates installation and maintenance.
Water wheels of different types have been used historically for over 1000 years to power mills of
all types, but they were relatively inefficient. Nineteenth-century efficiency improvements
of water turbines allowed them to replace nearly all water wheel applications and compete
with steam engines wherever water power was available. After electric generators were
developed in the late 1800s turbines were a natural source of generator power where potential
hydro-power sources existed.
In 1826 Benoit Fourneyron developed a high efficiency (80%) outward-flow water turbine. Water
was directed tangentially through the turbine runner, causing it to spin. Jean-Victor
Poncelet designed an inward-flow turbine in about 1820 that used the same principles. S. B.
Howd obtained a US patent in 1838 for a similar design.
In 1848 James B. Francis, while working as head engineer of the Locks and Canals company in the
water wheel-powered textile factory city of Lowell, Massachusetts, improved on these designs
to create more efficient turbines. He applied scientific principles and testing methods to produce
a very efficient turbine design. More importantly, his mathematical and graphical calculation
methods improved turbine design and engineering. His analytical methods allowed confident
design of high efficiency turbines to precisely match a site's water flow and pressure (water
head).
A Francis turbine consists of the following main parts:
1. Spiral casing: The spiral casing around the runner of the turbine is known as the volute
casing or scroll case. Throughout its length, it has numerous openings at regular intervals
to allow the working fluid to impinge on the blades of the runner. These openings convert
the pressure energy of the fluid into momentum energy just before the fluid impinges on
the blades. This maintains a constant flow rate despite the fact that numerous openings
have been provided for the fluid to enter the blades, as the cross-sectional area of this
casing decreases uniformly along the circumference.

2. Guide or stay vanes: The primary function of the guide or stay vanes is to convert the
pressure energy of the fluid into the momentum energy. It also serves to direct the flow
at design angles to the runner blades.
3. Runner blades: Runner blades are the heart of any turbine. These are the centers where
the fluid strikes and the tangential force of the impact causes the shaft of the turbine to
rotate, producing torque. Close attention in design of blade angles at inlet and outlet is
necessary, as these are major parameters affecting power production.
4. Draft tube: The draft tube is a conduit which connects the runner exit to the tail race
where the water is discharged from the turbine. Its primary function is to reduce the
velocity of discharged water to minimize the loss of kinetic energy at the outlet. This
permits the turbine to be set above the tail water without appreciable drop of available
head.

2. Objective
The objective of this experiment is to determine the characteristics of a Francis turbine at
different operating conditions.

3. Theory
The Francis turbine is a type of reaction turbine, a category of turbine in which the working fluid
comes to the turbine under immense pressure and the energy is extracted by the turbine blades
from the working fluid. A part of the energy is given up by the fluid because of pressure changes
occurring in the blades of the turbine, quantified by the expression of Degree of reaction, while
the remaining part of the energy is extracted by the volute casing of the turbine. At the exit,
water acts on the spinning cup-shaped runner features, leaving at low velocity and low swirl with
very little kinetic or potential energy left. The turbine's exit tube is shaped to help decelerate the
water flow and recover the pressure. In short, this type of hydraulic machine is converting the
head energy to mechanical energy. The following table summarizes the relations that establishes
the Francis turbine theory.
Item
Water Power input (Watt)
Mechanical Power output (Watt)
Francis Turbine Efficiency (%)
Water flow Rate (m3/s)
Brake Torque (N.m)
Turbine Speed (rad/s)

Symbol
Pw
Pm
n
Q
T
w

Relation
Y.Q.H
T.w
(Pm/ Pw).100
Volume/t
F.r
RPM.(2pi/60)

4. Apparatus
Armfield R16 Francis (Reaction) Turbine.

Armfield R16 Francis Turbine

5. Procedures
1. Check that the sump tank is filled.
2. Check that the valve at the pump discharge is closed and set the guide vanes on the turbine to
the closed position.
3. Release any load on the disc brake by unscrewing the hand wheel and check that the dial gauge
reads zero. Adjust if necessary.
4. Switch on the pump and slowly open the valve at the pump discharge to the fully open position.
This valve is to be kept opened throughout the test.
5. Gradually open the guide vanes to approximately mid-position, typically 15o on the indicator,
then clamp in position.
6. Allow the speed of turbine to stabilize, then take readings of:a. turbine speed (read on Tachometer, RPM)
b. Inlet head (read on Bourdon gauge, m head)
c. Flow rate (read on flow meter, m3/hr)
d. brake force (read on brake spring balance, kg)
7. Slowly apply load to the disc brake by turning the hand wheel in a clockwise direction until the
speed of the turbine reduces by approximately 100RPM.
8. Keeping the speed steady (by re-adjusting the brake load if necessary), repeat the readings in
step 6.
9. Repeat steps 7-8 until turbine stalls (0 RPM)
10. On completion if the test:e. Close the guide vanes
f. Release the load on the brake
g. Switch off the pump
h. Close the valve at the pump discharge

6. Collected and Calculated Data


The following table summarizes the collected and the calculated data:

7. Results
The results of this experiment is represented in the following graphs of Torque against turbine
speed, mechanical power against turbine speed and turbine efficiency to turbine speed
respectively.

8. Discussion and Conclusion


Francis turbine is a mechanical device that converts the water power into a mechanical power.
The water with elevation hits the turbine that is located at the base of a dame or a lake, that
difference in height creates a potential power that rotates the turbine blades and causing its shaft
which attached to an electrical generator to rotate and generate electricity.
Well, the energy and power are conserved by the statement of the first law of thermodynamics.
However, the mechanical power output does not equal to the water potential power input. That
is intuitive, the speed of the turbine decreases the mechanical energy as it increases and vice
versa. That is, if it is desired to increase the Francis turbine efficiency; it is required to reduce its
rotational speed which automatically increases the shaft torque. That is simply achieved by
attaching a gear box that transmits a power from smaller to bigger gear which results in
decreasing the shaft rotational speed and increasing its torque.
Moreover, some of the power is lost as friction and vibration which significantly compromises
the total efficiency of Francis turbine.

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