The document presents the final presentation of a student project group from Kathmandu University on the design and fabrication of an ultra-low head turbine. The group designed and built a crossflow turbine to harness energy from small rivers and canals. Key aspects of the project included calculating design parameters, developing CAD models, fabricating turbine components like the runner, shaft and frame, and concluding the turbine could generate around 30 watts of power. The project aimed to develop skills in design, machining and welding while exploring an affordable energy solution for off-grid applications.

1. KATHMANDU UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
PROJECT MEMBERS
Naworaj Budhathoki
Pawan Sharma
Prajwal Khadka
Suman Upreti
Suyash Acharya
FINAL PRESENTATION
ON
DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF ULTRA
LOW HEAD TURBINE(CROSSFLOW)
PROJECT SUPERVISOR
Er. Pawan Karki
Department of Mechanical
Engineering
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Dr. Sailesh Chitrakar
Department of Mechanical
Engineering
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2. INTRODUCTION
A turbine is a machine which converts the kinetic energy of fluid into mechanical
work.
Types of turbine:
 Impulse Turbine : converts all kinetic energy into mechanical work.
 Reaction Turbine: only a portion of fluid energy is converted into
kinetic energy while the other remains as pressure energy.
Ultra low head turbine
• Ultra low head turbine accommodate in the site having head less than 5 m
• Can be installed on the small riverlets, man made canals and Natural..
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3. OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE
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•Impulse turbines are pressure-less type turbines. Impulse turbines rely
upon water jets that are directed tangentially at buckets.
•Crossflow turbines are impulse turbines, which means (amongst other
things) that the rotor is spinning air and is not fully-flooded like in a
reaction turbine.

4. OBJECTIVES
• To design Ultra low head Turbine for house hold purpose
• To fabricate Ultra low head Turbine
• To improvise skills such as designing, machining, welding
• To recommend that particular runner design for future
application which is easy and economical to manufacture.
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5. SIGNIFICANCE
• It can be used for household purpose with approximate power of
30-40watt.
• It can be used in places where it is difficult to supply grid lines
despite of having enough water resources.
• Can be manufactured locally at a small industrial scale.
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6. LIMITATIONS
• Not suitable every flow rate.
• Lack of availability of material in local market.
• The overall system is complex and heavy which requires more than one person to
install and repair.
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7. METHODOLOGY
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Figure 2:Methodology flow chart

8. CALCULATIONS
Assumptions for the output
Total distance travelled = 100cm =1m
Average time taken = 1.5sec
Surface velocity, Vsurface = D/T
=0.667m/sec
Mean velocity (V) = k×Vsurface ……..….... 1
=0.85×0.667
= 0.567m/sec
For the discharge test
legth =40cm
breadth=14cm
Q=AxV
Discharge = 32 l/sec
RPM=40
Velocity of water striking turbine:
v =ω ×r
=2×3.14×40/60×0.125 ………… 2
= 0.52 m/s
Volume of water flowing through canal:
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9. Calculation
Q=A×V ……………3
Where, Q=discharge, liter/sec
A=cross sectional area, m2
v=velocity m/s
Thus, A=0.0246m2
Since, length of canal=1m
Therefore, volume (V) =0.0246m3
• Mass of water striking the turbine:
M=density ×V ……………………………………… 4
=24.60kg
• Work done = Kinetic energy + potential energy
W=(mv^2)/2+mgh …………………………………………. 5
=24.6× (0.52)^2/2+24.6×9.8×0.15
=40
Therefore, power= 40/1.5
= 26.6 watt
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10. DESIGN
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Figure 3:Exploded Form of ULHT
1.Runner
2.Framework
3.Shaft
4.Slanted Block

11. CAD MODEL
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1. Runner
A. Perpendicular distance from
shaft center to force exerting
on blade = 130mm
B. Diameter of hub=85mm
C. width of blade=80mm
D. Blade shape = semi circular
E. Number of blades = 08
F. thickness of blade = 2mm
G. Flow velocity = 0.5 m/s

12. 2.Frame work
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Dimension:-
Length of canal: 1000mm
Height: 400mm

13. 3.Shaft
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Dimension:-
Diameter of shaft: 20mm

14. 4.Slanted Block
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Dimensions:-
Distance of slanted block from opening: 250mm
Thickness: 3mm
Slated part height: 300mm

15. Fabrication
Runner
Figure :Runner
• Hub and wings were cut down .
• Wings were forged for getting the curve nature.
• Joining of hub and wings by Welding
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16. Fabrication
Shaft and Holder
Figure: shaft with holder
• Cutting as per the dimensions.
• Turning of shaft was done by metal lathe.
• Welding was done to join them.
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17. Fabrication
Frame
• The dimensioning and cutting was done as per the design.
• Punch tool was used for punching the centre mark.
• Drill was used for making the circle in about the centre mark.
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18. Summary to Fabrication
Work
Involved
Machine
/Process
Involved
Runner with
wings
Shaft Slanted Part Frame
Dimensionin
g
Chain
dimension
cutting Hydraulic
shearing
machine
Forging Hammer
Punching Punch tool,
hammer
Drilling Floor Drill
Press
Turning Metal Lathe
Welding Stick-
shielded
metal arc
welding
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19. GANTT CHART
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20. RESULTS
With the design for ULHT certain parameters was calculated taking in
account of flow rate 0.5 m/s and all the dimensions has been set and defined
the all terms to finalize the ULHT (cross flow).
• Perpendicular distance from shaft center to force exerting on blade =
130mm
• Diameter of hub=85 mm
• Width of blade=80mm
• Blade shape = semi circular
• Number of blades = 08
• Thickness of blade = 2mm
• Length of canal: 1000mm
• Height of frame work: 400mm
• Diameter of shaft: 20mm
• Distance of slanted block from opening: 250mm
• Thickness : 3mm
• Slated part height: 300mm
Getting all this fabricated we concluded to the power about 30watt.
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21. CONCLUSION
• The detailed design was conducted in this study, cad model of ULHT was
also developed
• Various components were designed (Runner, framework, shaft, slanted
block) and fabricated the product.
• With the design for ULHT certain parameters was calculated taking in
account of flow rate 0.5 m/s..
• Testing of ULHT was not carried out due to lack physical infrastructure and
time.
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22. REFERENCES
[1] Punit Singh, Franz Nestmann, Experimental investigation of the
influence of blade height and blade number on the performance of low
head axial flow turbines. Elsevier Science Ltd, 3 december 2007
[2] Martin Anyi , Brian Kirke, Evaluation of small axial flow
hydrokinetic turbines for remote communities, Elsevier Science Ltd,
03 july 2009.
[3] Pradeep Parajuli, Pratik Koirala , Nischal Pokharel , Dr. Hari
Prasad Neopane , Sailesh Chitrakar, Ramesh Kumar Maskey,
Computational and experimental study of an ultra-low head turbine,
Department of Mechanical Engineering Kathmandu University,
Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal
[4] Nishi, Y., Hatano, K., & Inagaki, T. (2017). Study on performance
and flow field of an undershot cross-flow water turbine comprising
different number of blades. Journal of Thermal Science
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23. 9/12/2022 23
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