Pelton Turbine 113
The
peripheral velocity u
of
turbine wheel must remain constant as speed
is
constant.
The
velocity u and speed N are connected by the formula
nON
u=--
60
where 0 is mean diameter
of
the wheel.
u
It
is also desirable to run turbine at maximum efficiency and therefore speed ratio
VI
must remain same which means the
jet
velocity must not change as head available H is
constant. The only way
to
adjust the load is to change hydraulic power input given by
p=
yQH
As
y,
specific weight
of
water and H are constant, the only variable factor is Q volume
flow rate
of
water entering the turbine. The flow rate Q is
Q = Area
of
nozzle x velocity
of
jet
Thus flow rate will change by changing the area
of
the
jet
or
more closely the diameter
of
the
jet.
This is accomplished by a spear valve and deflector plate shown
in
Fig. 5.12. The
spear alters the cross-sectioned area
ofthe
jet.
The
position
of
spear is controlled
by
a servo
mechanism that senses the load change. For a sudden loss
of
load when the turbine is shut
down, a deflector plate rises
to
remove the
jet
totally from the buckets and to allow time for
the spear to move to new position.
As seen
in
Fig. 5.12 for high load the spear valve has moved out, then increasing the area
of
the
jet,
at low loads the spear has moved in, decreasing the area
of
the
jet.
Deflector
plate in normal position and fully deflected
jet
are also seen
in
the figures.
Spear valve
Flow
-.-(=.
--i
~~:~
-_
...
---
-.--
i V
High load
Low load
Fig 5.12 Load control
by
spear valve and deflector plate.