Fluid Mechanics Lab

Study of Francis and Kaplan Turbine

Name: Muhammad Shahzaib

Roll-no: 031

Group-no: B1

Lab Instructor: Sir Aneeq Raheem

Experiment Date: 05/11/2018

Submission Date: 17/12/2018

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

PAKISTAN INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED

SCIENCES

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Table of Contents
1 Abstract............................................................................................................................... 4
2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
3 Theory and Formulas .......................................................................................................... 6
4 Observations and Calculations ........................................................................................... 7
4.1 Tables .......................................................................................................................... 7
4.2 Graphs ......................................................................................................................... 8
5 Results and Discussion ..................................................................................................... 11
6 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 11
7 Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 11

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List of Figures
Figure 1 Reaction Turbines (Francis Left and Kaplan Right) ................................................... 5
Figure 2 Reaction turbines. ........................................................................................................ 6
Figure 3 Pressure vs Flow Rate for Kaplan Turbine.................................................................. 8
Figure 4 Speed vs Pressure for Kaplan Turbine ........................................................................ 8
Figure 5 Torque vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine .......................................................................... 9
Figure 6 Speed vs Pressure at No Load for Francis Turbine ..................................................... 9
Figure 7 Output Power vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine................................................................ 9
Figure 8 Efficiency vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine ..................................................................... 9
Figure 9 Torque vs Speed for Francis Turbine ........................................................................ 10
Figure 10 Pressure vs Flow Rate for Francis Turbine ............................................................. 10
Figure 11 Output Power vs Speed for Francis Turbine ........................................................... 10
Figure 12 Efficiency vs Speed for Francis Turbine ................................................................. 10

List of Tables
Table 1 Data of Kaplan Turbine ................................................................................................ 7
Table 2 Data of Francis Turbine ................................................................................................ 8

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1 Abstract
Torque and Force was applied on both the turbines and their characteristics curves and
different output parameters were determined.

2 Introduction
A turbine (from the Latin turbo, a vortex, related to the Greek τύρβη, tyrbē, meaning
"turbulence"), is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and
converts it into useful work. A turbine is a turbomachine with at least one moving part called
a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the
blades so that they move and impart rotational energy to the rotor. Early turbine examples are
windmills and waterwheels. Gas, steam, and water turbines have a casing around the blades
that contains and controls the working fluid. Credit for invention of the steam turbine is given
both to the British engineer Sir Charles Parsons (1854–1931), for invention of the reaction
turbine and to Swedish engineer Gustaf de Laval (1845–1913), for invention of the impulse
turbine. Modern steam turbines frequently employ both reaction and impulse in the same
unit, typically varying the degree of reaction and impulse from the blade root to its periphery.
[1]

Let’s discuss Kaplan and Francis Turbines. Both turbines are reaction type turbines. Both
turbines produced power due to both kinetic energy and pressure energy.

Differences between Francis and Kaplan Turbine

1. Type of Turbine

Francis Turbine is mixed flow Turbine since water enters radially but leaves turbine axially.
Kaplan Turbine is axial flow turbine since water enters axially and leaves turbine axially.

2. Mounting of shafts

Francis Turbine mounting of shaft may be vertical or horizontal in direction.

Kaplan Turbine mounting of shaft is only in vertical direction.

3. Number of vanes

Francis Turbine has very large number of blades 16 to 24

Kaplan Turbine has very small number of blades 4 to 8

4. Adjustment of runner vanes

Francis Turbine Runner vanes are fixed with the shaft so it can’t be adjusted.
Kaplan Turbine Runner vanes are adjustable.

5. Head

Francis Turbine medium head is required generally in the range of (100-500) meter.
Kaplan Turbine very low head is required generally less than 100 meter head is required.

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6. Flow Rate

Francis Turbine medium flow rate is required

Kaplan Turbine very large flow rate is required

7. Specific Speed

Francis Turbine specific speed is medium in general it varies from 50 to 250.

Kaplan Turbine specific speed is high in general it varies from 250 to 1000.

8. Losses in Runner

Francis turbine contact surface b/w solid and liquid more due to more no. of blades so losses
in runner is high.

Kaplan turbine contact surface b/w solid and liquid less due to less no. of blades so losses in
runner is less.

9. Mechanism

Francis turbine governing mechanism is not so complex.

Kaplan turbine governing mechanism is complex. [2]

Figure 1 Reaction Turbines (Francis Left and Kaplan Right)

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 Figure 2 Reaction turbines: (a) Francis, radial type; (b) Francis mixed-flow; (c) propeller axial flow; (d) performance
curves for a Francis turbine, n=600 r/min, D=2.25 ft, Nsp =29.

3 Theory and Formulas

Frequency =50 Hz Mechanical Dynamometer radius = 0.2 m

T = 0.2 × F

Pin = P × Q

Pout = T × ω

%ƞ = (Pout/Pin) ×100

where,

F is the force by the fluid

T is the torque produced by the force F

Q is the flow Rate

P is the pressure

Pin is the input Power

Pout is the output Power

%ƞ is the percentage efficiency

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4 Observations and Calculations
4.1 Tables
Table 1 Data of Kaplan Turbine

Sr. No. Pressure Flow RateTurbine Speed Force Torque Input Power (Wi) Output Power (Wi) Efficiency
(psi) (lpm) (rpm) (N) (Nm) (W) (W) %
TEST NO .1
1 27 715 4300 0 0 2219.152728 0 0
2 27 706 4120 1 0.2 2191.219337 86.28928 3.93795722
3 27 700 2420 4 0.8 2172.597077 202.73792 9.33159315
4 27 705 3317 2 0.4 2188.115627 138.942496 6.34986992
5 27 696 530 6 1.2 2160.182236 66.60192 3.0831621
TEST NO. 2
1 31 540 4000 0 0 1924.30 0.00 0.00
2 31 520 2050 3 0.6 1853.03 128.81 6.95
3 31 510 470 4 0.8 1817.39 39.37 2.17
4 31 530 3800 1 0.2 1888.67 79.59 4.21
5 31 520 2680 2 0.4 1853.03 112.26 6.06
TEST NO.3
1 23 835 4400 0 0 2207.657506 0 0
2 23 820 3580 2 0.4 2167.998988 149.95904 6.916933119
3 23 800 525 7 1.4 2115.120963 76.9692 3.638997548
4 23 810 650 6 1.2 2141.559976 81.6816 3.814116856
5 23 830 4360 1 0.2 2194.438 91.31584 4.161240373

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 Table 2 Data of Francis Turbine

Sr. No. Pressure Flow RateTurbine Speed Force Torque Input Power (Wi) Output Power (Wi) Efficiency
(psi) (lpm) (rpm) (N) (Nm) (W) (W) %
TEST NO .1
1 23 550 4340 0 0 1454.145662 0 0
2 22 623 4040 2 0.4 1575.535213 169.22752 10.7409545
3 22 693 3800 4 0.8 1752.561642 318.3488 18.1647705
4 22 730 3660 6 1.2 1846.132754 459.93024 24.9131726
5 20 783 3400 8 1.6 1800.151863 569.6768 31.6460412

4.2 Graphs

Speed vs Pressure at no Load Pressure vs Flow Rate

35
5000
30

Pressure(psi)
25
20
SPEED(RPM)

15
4000 10
5
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
3000 Flow Rate(lpm)
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
PRESSURE(PSI) Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3

Figure 4 Speed vs Pressure for Kaplan Turbine Figure 3 Pressure vs Flow Rate for Kaplan Turbine

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 Speed vs Pressure at no Load Torque vs Speed
1.5
5000

Torque(Nm2)
SPEED(RPM)

0.5

0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Speed(rpm)
4000
22.5 23 23.5 24 24.5 25 25.5 Test No. 1 Test No. 2 Test No. 3
PRESSURE(PSI)
Linear (Test No. 1) Linear (Test No. 2) Linear (Test No. 3)

Figure 6 Speed vs Pressure at No Load for Francis Turbine Figure 5 Torque vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine

Efficiency vs Speed Output Power vs Speed

Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3 Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3
Poly. (Test No.1) Poly. (Test No.2) Poly. (Test No.3) Poly. (Test No.1) Poly. (Test No.2) Poly. (Test No.3)

15 250

POWER OUTPUT(W)
EFFICIENCY(%)

200
10 150
100
5
50
0 0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
SPEED(RPM) SPEED(RPM)

Figure 8 Efficiency vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine Figure 7 Output Power vs Speed for Kaplan Turbine

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 Pressure vs Flow Rate Torque vs Speed
Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3 Test No. 1 Test No. 2 Test No. 3 Linear (Test No. 1)

30 2
25

TORQUE(NM2)
1.5
PRESSURE(PSI)

20
15 1

10 0.5
5
0
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
0 200 400 600 800 1000
-0.5
FLOW RATE(LPM) SPEED(RPM)

Figure 10 Pressure vs Flow Rate for Francis Turbine Figure 9 Torque vs Speed for Francis Turbine

Power Output vs Speed Efficiency vs Speed

Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3 Poly. (Test No.1) Test No.1 Test No.2 Test No.3 Poly. (Test No.1)

800 60
POWER OUTPUT(W)

600
40

EFFICIENCY(%)
400
20
200
0
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
-200 -20
SPEED(RPM) SPEED(RPM)

Figure 11 Output Power vs Speed for Francis Turbine Figure 12 Efficiency vs Speed for Francis Turbine

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5 Results and Discussion
The experiment was performed and the results as indicated by section 4.1 was obtained. The
graphs of the data (which are given in section 4.2) give the qualitative results of the data.
From this data following results were obtained:

1. Torque or the Force generated was found to be linearly related with the angular speed
of the turbine.
2. Output Power provided by both the turbines showed parabolic behavior meaning that
they first increased to a maximum value than start decreasing
3. Maximum output power for Kaplan was almost 210 W while around 550 W for
Francis turbine.
4. Efficiency also showed similar parabolic behavior.
5. Maximum Efficiency was around 10% for Kaplan and 30% for Francis Turbine.

This linear behavior of Torque with respect to Speed and Parabolic behavior of Output Power
and Efficiency is also agreed by the given equations in Section 3.

The large drop in efficiency and error in the measurements is due to the following reasons:

 High Cavitation
 Fault in Apparatus
 Negligence and Inexperience of the Performer
 Random Error

6 Conclusions
 The basic difference is that the Kaplan turbines are axial flow turbines whereas the
Francis turbines are Inward radial and axial flow hence it is also known as Mix flow
turbines.
 The energy available at the inlet of Francis Turbine is Kinetic and Pressure energy,
whereas for Kaplan turbine only pressure energy is available at the inlet.
 Kaplan is Low head and high discharge conditions whereas Francis Turbines is
suitable for Medium head and Medium Discharge Turbine.

7 Bibliography

[1] F. M. White, Fluid Mechanics, New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2016.

[2] B. R. Munson, D. F. Young, W. W. Huebsch and T. H. Okiishi, Fundamentals of Fluid

Mechanics, John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

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