2. INTRODUCTION
Water turbines are the hydraulic machines that convert hydraulic energy
into mechanical energy which in turn is converted into electrical energy
Developed in early 19th century and were widely used for industrial
power prior to electrical grids
Are mostly found in dams to generate electric power from water kinetic
energy
Initially used as water wheels which had one main shortcoming ,its large
size, which limits the flow rate and head that can be harnessed
Transformation of water wheels to modern water turbines took almost one
hundred years
Development occurred during industrial revolution using scientific
principles and method
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3. The word “turbine” was introduced by Claude Burdin in the 19th century
and is derived from Latin word for whirling or a vortex
The main difference between early water turbines and water wheels is a
swirl component of the water which passes energy to a spinning rotor
which allows the turbine to be smaller than a water wheel of the same
power.
They could process more water by spinning faster and could harness much
greater heads
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4. TIMELINE
Earliest known water turbines date
back to Roman Empire
Two helix turbine mill sites of
almost identical design were found
at Chemtou and Testour, modern
day Tunisia dating back to late 3rd and 4th century AD.
Johann Segner developed a reactive water turbine (Segner Wheel) in the
mid 18th century in the Kingdom of Hungary. Had horizontal axis and was
a precursor to modern day water turbines
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5. In 18th century, a Dr Barker invented a similar reaction hydraulic turbine
like Segner wheel that became popular as lecture hall demonstration
The only surviving examples of this type used in power production , dating
from 1851, is found at Hacienda Buena Vista in Ponce, Puerto Rico
1820 :- Jean Victor Poncelet developed an inward flow turbine
1826 :- Benoit Fourneyron developed an outward flow turbine. that
achieved a speed of 2300 rev/min, developing about 50 kW with an
efficiency of 80%
1844 :- Uriah A. Boyden developed an outward flow turbine that that
improved on the performance of Fourneyron turbine. Its runner shape was
similar to that of Francis turbine
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6. 1849 :- James B Francis improved the
inward flow reaction to over 90% efficiency.
He conducted sophisticated tests and
developed engineering methods for water
turbine known as Francis Turbine - first
modern day water turbine also known as
radial flow turbine
All common hydraulic machines until 19th
century were mostly reaction machines Fig:- Francis Turbine
1866:- California millwright Samuel Knight invented a machine (impulse or
tangential turbine) that took the impulse system to a new level . Inspired by high
pressure jet systems used in hydraulic mining in the gold field . He developed a
bucketed wheel which captured the energy of free jet , which had converted a high
head of water to kinetic energy
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7. Lester Allan Pelton
1879 :- Lester Pelton experimenting with
knight wheel developed a Pelton wheel
which exhausted the water to the side
eliminating some energy loss of the knight
wheel which exhausted some water back
against the center of the wheel Fig:-Original Pelton Wheel
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8. 1890 :- modern fluid bearing was invented , now universally used to support
heavy water turbine spindles
1913 :- Viktor Kaplan created the Kaplan turbine, a propeller type machine, an
evolution of Francis turbine but revolutionized the ability to develop low head
hydro sites
At a later date Kaplan improved his turbine by means of swiveling blades,
which improved the efficiency of the turbine appropriate to the available flow
rate and head
Propeller type runner Kaplan turbine blade 8
9. References
R.K Rajput, “A text book of Hydraulic Machine”, S. Chandand Company
Ltd. India
www.wikipedia.com
Dr. R.K. Bansal, “A textbook of Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulic Machines”,
Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd
Ram C. Poudel, “ Fluid Machines Lectures”, IOE Pulchowk Campus
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