GUIDE LINES FOR SIZING HYDRANT

TURBINES, GENERATOR & POWER

HOUSE DIMENSIONING
- Widely used method of sizing turbines,
developed by U. S. Bureau of
Reclamation (USBR) in 1972.
-

Used experience curves of turbine units

manufactured from 1951 to 1972.

Specific speed as the fundamental

performance characteristic to which all
other turbine characteristics are
related.

Now new & more useful methods of

selecting sizing turbines & generators
have been developed during last 30
years.

Empirial equations / experience curves

have been developed to select turbine
runner speed, diameter & other
parameters.

At feasibility stage-preliminary information

about turbine, generator, MIV for PH size.
Basic Data Required
-

Rated output
overload.

No. of units.

Max., Min. & Rated Head

H. Race & T. Race water level under

various load conditions

Water conductor system

Temp. of water, Altitude

of

unit

including

REFERENCES :
1.

ISS 12837 : 1989 Hydraulic Turbines for

Medium and Large
Power
Houses
-Guidelines for Selection

2.

ISS 12800 (Part-1): 1993 Guidelines for

Selection of Turbines,
Preliminary
Dimensioning
and
Layout
of
Surface
Hydro-Electric
Power
House
Part-1 Medium and
Large Power Houses
Part-2 Storage Power
Houses
3 Mini & Micro Power
Houses

3.

ISS 5496:1969

Guide for Preliminary

Dimensioning
and
Layout of Elbow Type
Draft Tubes for Surface
Hydel Power Stations

4. ISS 7418 : 1991 Criteria for design of

spiral casing (concrete
and steel) (first revision)
5. Guidelines for Preliminary Dimensioning
of Hydro Power Stations by S.P. Singh,
Rudra Dev & Pratap Narain

SOME DEFINITIONS & EXPLANATIONS

POWER DEVELOPED BY A TURBINE

Where

9.81 Q.H.

P
Q

=
=

TURBINE OUTPUT IN KW
DISCHARGE PASSING
THROUGH TURBINE IN
M3/SEC
NET HEAD IN METRES
TURBINE EFFICIENCY IN
PERCENT

H. =
=
SPECIFIC SPEED

NS =
N P

Where

NS
N
P.

=
=
=

H 5/4
SPECIFIC SPEED
TURBINE SPEED IN rpm
RATED TURBINE OUTPUT IN
METRIC HORSE POWER
RATED NET HEAD IN
METRES

SPECIFIC SPEED (NS)

The speed in rpm at which a given turbine
would rotate, if reduced homologically in
size, so that it would develop 1 metric
horsepower (i.e. 736 watts) under 1 metre
of head at full gate opening.
Minimum Tail Water Level
Water level in the tail race at the exit end
of the draft tube corresponding to a
discharge required to run one machine at
no load.
Submergence
Difference in elevation of minimum tail
water level above distributor centre line or
runner centre line.

EFFICIENCY
GENERATOR
OUTPUT

OF
TURBINE
/
& RATED TURBINE

For computing turbine output at rated /

design head conditions :
Generator

98%

Francis Turbine

95%

Kaplan Turbine

94%

Pelton Turbine

91%

SYNCHRONOUS SPEED
-

Determine trial specific speed (Ns)

corresponding to rated head.

Trial synchronous speed/rotational

speed N:
N

Ns H 5/4
P x 1.358

The rotational/synchronous/rated
speed of the turbine:
N (in rpm)

120 x f

Frequency in cycles per second

(50c/s.),
=

number of pair of poles

The Selection of rated speed :

a) An even number of poles

(preferably divisible by four) preferred.
b) If rated head vary less than 10%
from the design head, next greater
speed chosen.
Heads varying
excess of 10% use next lower
speed.
Heavy silt laden water,
lower speed.
-

After determining rated speed is calculated,

the specific speed :
Ns

N P x 1.358
H 5/4

TURBINE SETTING
In reaction turbines, setting w.r.t.
cavitation. The suction height of
distributor above the minimum tail water
level determined by:
Hs Hb - H - Hv
Hs

Suction head

Hb
of

Barometric pressure
water column;

Hv

Vapour pressure;

(Hb Hv
determined from Curve for a given
altitude and for a temperature 250 C).

Thomas cavitation coefficient, obtained from

Curve

The positive value of Hs - center line of

the distributor above the minimum tail
water level. The negative value below
minimum tail water level.
RUNNER
-

The rotational/synchronous/rated speed of

the turbine:
Ku

DN
60 2 gH

The relationship between specific speed

(Ns) and peripheral velocity coefficient
(Ku) is shown in Curve.
D
D
-

=
=

D3 for Francis
Dn for Kaplan

The other runner dimensions obtained

with respect to the diameter D3 and
specific speed Ns from the curves.

SPIRAL CASING
Concrete Spiral Casing
-

For Lower Heads.

Metallic Spiral Casing

-

Metallic Spiral casing used for gross

heads generally above 30 metres.
Dimensions of the spiral casing obtained
as a function of Ns.
Plate Thickness of Scroll Case
t

DxP
2xL

F
D
=
Diameter of scroll case
P
=
Pressure
L = Ultimate Load in kg/cm2 (3200kg/
sq. cm. for steel)
F
=
Factor of Safety

DRAFT TUBE
-

Major dimensions of the draft tube

determined in accordance with IS
5496:1969. Usually, an elbow type draft
tube used for medium & large size units
because more efficient and requires less
excavation.

Height of the draft tube at exit end (h)

h

0.94 D3 to 1.32 D3

Higher value for lower specific speed

-

Depth of draft tube (H1).

H1

2.5 to 3.0 D3

Length of draft tube (L).

L

4 to 5 D3

Clear Width of draft tube at exit end

(B).
=

2.6 to 3.3 D3

Width of draft tube excessive (>6 m), a

pier of 1.5 metres width in the center
of the draft tube.
For underground power stations, no
pier.
The area of the exit end of draft tube
should reduce the water exit velocity to
about 2 m/Sec.

MAIN PARAMETERS OF
GENERATORS
-

HYDRO

Selection Type of Generator Bearing

Arrangement
speed 300 rpm semi-umbrella type,

umbrella or

speed > 300 rpm - ordinary type.

Air Gap Diameter
Length (Lc)

(Dg) & Active Core

The air gap diameter and active length

of the core determined by output and
synchronous speed of the generator
from Curves.

The air gap diameter should be large

enough to allow the turbine runner / top
cover to pass through the stator bore

Outer Core Diameter (Do).

D0

where
=
-

number of pairs of poles.

Stator Frame Diameter (Df).

Df

Dg ( 1 + )
2p

(D0 + 1.2 ) meters.

Inner Diameter of Generator Barrel

(Db).
Suspended type construction

Db

=
=

(Df + 2.3 to 2.8) metres

(Do + 3.5 to 4.0) metres

Umbrella/Semi-Umbrella type
Db

Lf
-

(Df + 1.6 to 2.0) metres

(Do + 2.8 to 3.2) metres

(Lc + 1.5 to 1.6) meters.

Height of Load Bearing Bracket (hj).

hj

= K Df for suspended type

construction, and
hj
= K Dg for umbrella type
construction.
K = 0.65 for load < 50 tonnes per arm
of the bracket.
K = 0.75 for load of 50 to 100 tonnes
per arm of the bracket,
K = 0.85 for a load of 100 tonnes and
above per arm of the bracket.

Number of Arms of Brackets.

Decided on total load on the thrust
bearing that is maximum hydraulic
thust of the turbine runner and weight
of rotating parts,. Generally 4 to 8
arms of the bracket are taken.
-

Axial Hydraulic Thrust (Pa).

Pa =

KD2, Hmax in tonnes

Where,
K

D1 =
runner,
Hmax =

a constant,
inlet

diameter

maximum head.

of

Weight of Generator Rotor (Wn).

Weight (Wn) of generator rotor in

relation with air gap diameter ( Dg ) and
active core length (Lc )
can be
determined from Curve. The values
multiplied by the active core length (Lc)
to get the rotor weight.
-

Weight of Turbine Runner.

Weight of turbine runner can be
determined from Curve

OVERALL DIMENSIONS OF POWER

HOUSE
-

Mainly depend upon the following:

a) Overall dimensions of the turbine,
draft tube and scroll-case;
b) Overall dimensions of the generator;
c) Number of units in the power house;
and
d) Size of the erection/service bay.
e) Location of main inlet valve, if any.

Length of Power House

-

Depends upon the unit spacing, length

of erection bay and the length for the
E.O.T. crane to handle the last unit.
Length of erection bay 1.0 to 1.5 times
the unit bay size.

UNIT SPACING
-

Outer dimensions for the generator

barrel, the inner diameter increased by
0.5 to 1.5. A clearance of 1.5 to 2.0 m
added to either side to determine the
unit spacing. Concrete thickness on
either side of scroll case should be at
least 2.0 to 2.5m in case of concrete
scroll case and 1.0 to 1.5 m in case of
fully-embedded steel scroll case.
Total length (L) of Power House :
L

No. x ( unit spacing) + Ls

+K

No

Number of units

Ls

Length of erection bay,

= Length required for the E.O.T.

crane to handle the last unit.
usually 3.0 to 5.0 metres.

WIDTH OF POWER HOUSE

On the upstream side provision should be
made for the following.
a) 1.5 to 2.0 m for concrete on the
upstream of scroll case;
b) A gallery of 1.5 to 2.0 m width for
approaching
the draft tube
manhole;
c) Main inlet valve pit to be provided
as per IS 7326 (Part I) : 1992 and IS
7332 (Part I) : 1991.
i.

For butterfly valve width of 0.8x

inlet dia of scroll case

ii.

For spherical valve width of 2.3 to

2.6 x inlet dia of scroll case. Inlet
valve
gallery
utilized
for
approaching the draft tube manhole and no separate gallery.

d) 1.5 to 2.0 metres for pressure relief valve in

the scroll case if required; and
e)

The spaces sufficient for accommodating

the auxiliary equipment also but may have
to be reviewed.

Height of Power House

-

The height of power house from the

bottom of the draft-tube to the centre
line of
the spiral
casing (H1).
Determined in accordance with IS
5496 : 1969. The thickness of the
concrete below the lowest point of
draft-dube 1.0 to 2.0 m.

The height from center line of the

spiral-casing up to the top of the
generator (H2 ):
H2

K - 5.5 to 7.0

Lf + hj + K

The height of the machine hall above

the top bracket of the generator
depends upon the E.O.T. crane hook
level, crane rail level, and clearance
between the ceilling and the top of the
crane. Further, height depend upon the
height of the service bay floor from
where the equipment is handled.

The E.O.T. crane hook level and crane

rail level determined by:
a) Hauling/moving major items viz.
runner, rotor, stator.
b) Hauling the main transformer.
c) Untaking transformers.
d) Unloading of largest package from
the trailors - 7 to 8.5 metres.
The height of the power house above
E.O.T. crane - 4 to 6.5 m depending
upon the width and capacity of E.O.T. .
3 metre between the highest part of
crane and the ceiling.

CONCLUSION
The guidelines are for preliminary selection
of main parameters of the hydro
generating
equipment
and
overall
dimension of the power house. However,
the final detailed design shall depend on
the hydrological, geological and other
factors peculiar to each site and also the
design
practices
followed
by
the
manufacturing concerns supplying the
equipment.