FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

LAB REPORT

FLUID DYNAMICS

EME 3026

TRIMESTER 1 (2018/2019)

Experiment 1: PELTON WHEEL

Name ID
Chew Way Sern 1132700167
Ng Hsien Siong 1131121638
Ng Jin Han 1142701320
Tan Chuin Chiet 1132701813
OBJECTIVE
1. To familiarize with the working principle of Pelton Wheel.
2. To determine the characteristics of Pelton Wheel.
3. To determine the optimum efficiency point.

ABSTRACT
In this experiment, we are dealing with the Pelton Wheel. In this experiment, we observed the
load on the Pelton Wheel with every decrement of the speed and observing the flow rate of
the water. We also observing whether the nozzle setting effect the performance of the Pelton
Wheel. By those parameters, we can determine the characteristics of the Pelton Wheel and it
optimum efficiency point. All he data and the related graphs are plotted for further analysis.

INTRODUCTION
Working Principle of Turbine Wheel
Pelton Wheel is a type of impulse turbine. These turbines work on the principle whereby the
direction of high velocity fluid in motion is changed to generate an impulse force causing the
blades to spin the turbine. The kinetic energy of the fluid leaving the Pelton Wheel will be
reduced. The fluid’s pressure head is converted into velocity head prior to entering the wheel
with a nozzle.

The water jet is directed to the rotor and hits the sharp edge of the blades so that it divides
into two symmetrical parts. Each blade is composed of two symmetrical spoons.

The water jet (circular with diameter 𝑑) comes out of the distributor at velocity 𝑣,

𝑣 = √2𝑔ℎ

where ℎ is the height of water fall and 𝑔 is the gravitational acceleration, and hits the blade
with this velocity. The wheel diameter 𝐷 and the rotational speed 𝑛 are selected so that the
runner peripheral velocity 𝑣ro is
𝑣ro = 𝜋𝑛𝐷 = 𝑣⁄2

Therefore the relative velocity (with respect to the blades) of the water flow at the blade inlet
is

𝑣 − 𝑣ro = 𝑣⁄2

The water flow will be expelled at a velocity reversed to the inlet velocity.
Figure 1: Structure of Pelton Turbine. Mounted on the periphery is a series of double spoon-
shaped blades (P). The water flows through the forced duct (C) and is expelled as a jet (E) by
a distributor. The distributor has a circular section nozzle (B) that can be adjusted by a taper
shutter pin S which closes the nozzle as it moves forward. Baffle (T) is used to stop the wheel
quickly.

Figure 2: speed indicator

 Figure 3: load applied Figure 4: water level indicator

Apparatus Setting:

1. The water tank is filled to 4/5 of its full capacity.

2. The apparatus is connected to its power supply.
3. The water hose is connected to the inlet of the Pelton Wheel.
4. The belt is put on to the pulley of the wheel and is tightened as necessary.
5. The speed sensor cable is connected to the table top control panel.
6. The power supply of the Pelton Wheel and the hydraulic bench is switched on.
7. The speed sensor is adjusted to ensure that the screw of the pulley can be sensed by
the speed sensor head.
8. The control valve and bypass valve of the hydraulic bench are ensured to be fully
opened.
9. The pump is switched on, and the bypass valve is closed slowly.
10. The frequency at the frequency inverter is set to zero.
Procedure:

1. The nozzle jet is preset at fully opened position. The wheel from the nozzle will cause
the wheel to rotate.
2. The frequency is switched to 30Hz. The wheel is allowed to run for about 3 minutes
to let the flow rate reading become stable.
3. The belt is attached to the pulley at the back of the Pelton Wheel. The wheel is loaded
by tightening the loading nut. The belt is ensured to be seated properly on the groove
of the pulley.
4. The values of load on the spring scale is recorded every 100 rpm decrement.
5. The load on the wheel is increased until it reaches 500 rpm.

Result

Water
Pressure
Load 1 (N) Load 2 (N) Speed (rpm) Collection
(bar)
Time (s)
1.50 1.5 1300 1.3 14.10
2.50 1.75 1200 1.3 14.38
5.50 1.75 1100 1.3 14.79
7.50 1.75 1000 1.3 14.56
9.00 1.75 900 1.3 14.53
10.50 1.75 800 1.3 14.89
11.75 1.75 700 1.3 14.77
13.00 1.75 600 1.3 14.35
14.25 1.75 500 1.3 14.73
Table 1

Average Average Torque Output

Load (N)
Speed (rpm) Speed (rad/s) (N.m) Power (W)
1300 0.00 136.14 0.000 0.000
1200 0.75 125.66 0.020 2.450
1100 3.75 115.19 0.098 11.231
1000 5.75 104.72 0.150 15.656
900 7.25 94.25 0.189 17.766
800 8.75 83.78 0.228 19.059
700 10.00 73.30 0.260 19.059
600 11.25 62.83 0.293 18.378
500 12.50 52.36 0.325 17.017
Table 2
 Pressure Flow Rate Flow Rate Input Power Output Efficiency
(bar) (Lpm) (m³/s) (W) Power (W) (%)
1.3 42.55 0.00070922 92.20 0.00 0.00
1.3 41.72 0.00069541 90.40 2.45 2.71
1.3 40.57 0.000676133 87.90 11.23 12.78
1.3 41.21 0.000686813 89.29 15.66 17.53
1.3 41.29 0.000688231 89.47 17.77 19.86
1.3 40.30 0.000671592 87.31 19.06 21.83
1.3 40.62 0.000677048 88.02 19.06 21.65
1.3 41.81 0.000696864 90.59 18.38 20.29
1.3 40.73 0.000678887 88.26 17.02 19.28
Table 3

Discussion

1. From the graph of output power against speed, we can notice that when the speed is
at 52.36 rad/s – 73.30 rad/s, the output power is increasing while after the wheel
achieves 83.78 rad/s, the output power started to drop until the speed reached 136.14
rad/s the output power is zero. This is because initially there is no force applied, there
is no friction between the belt and the wheel, so that the output power is zero. When
there is load applied, there is friction between the belt and the wheel, it creates a
torque and cause there is the output power.
2. Theoretically, we know that when the load is applied on the wheel by the belt, there
is some friction cause the wheel hard to turn. Due to this, the speed of the wheel will
decrease. When the speed of the wheel decreases, it will cause the output power to
decrease as well.
3. From the graph of torque against speed, we can notice that the torque is inversely
proportional to the speed. This means that when the speed increase, the torque
decrease. This is due to the load that applied directly and perpendicular to the Pelton
Wheel. As we all know, torque is the force applied multiply by the perpendicular
distance. When the load applied increase, torque increase, friction increase, the only
is the speed decrease.
 4. Based on the result from the experiment, the speed that gives the best performance is
800rpm. It produces the highest output power (19.06W) and highest efficiency
(21.83%).
5. The maximum power generated by Pelton Wheel is 19.06W at speed 800rpm.
6. The nozzle will affect the performance of the Pelton Wheel by the diameter of the
water come out from the nozzle. When the diameter of the water flow out from the
nozzle is small, the water will flow in high velocity and hit the blades of the wheel.
The contact area of the water on the blades is small and cause high pressure on it.
This is because pressure is force per unit area, when the area is small there will be a
high pressure. When pressure is high, the impulse force applied on the blade will
increase as well, therefore it will produce high average of the velocity on the Pelton
Wheel. On the other hand, if the diameter of the water flow out from the nozzle is big,
the lower the velocity that the water flow out, the impulsive force act on the blades is
small and cause the Pelton Wheel turn with low speed.
7. In this experiment, there is some error occur when we conduct this experiment. The
leaking of water at the water meter will lead us to a wrong data for the volume of
water collected. There is also the parallax error when taking the reading from the
water meter and the pressure gauge because the level of the eye is not perpendicular
to the level of the reading.

Conclusion

From this experiment, we can conclude that when the diameter of the water flow out from the
nozzle is small, then will generate high velocity of the water flow and cause the Pelton Wheel
turn in high speed, The load is applied increase, the torque increase. This will cause the
output power will increase and will generate higher efficiency as well. The maximum power
generated from this experiment is 19.06W at speed 800rpm.