Question Bank

Module 4
Part A
1. State Impulse momentum principle.
2. Discuss on the classification of hydraulic turbines according to the head at the inlet of turbine
with examples.
3. Discuss on the classification of hydraulic turbines according to the specific speed of the
turbine with examples.
4. Differentiate between impulse and reaction turbines.
5. Draw the inlet and outlet velocity triangles for a Pelton turbine and indicate directions of
various velocities.
6. Draw the inlet and outlet velocity triangles for a Francis turbine and indicate directions of
various velocities.
7. Why Francis turbine is called a reaction turbine?
8. Distinguish between a Francis turbine and a Kaplan turbine.
9. What is a draft tube? What are its functions?
10. Define hydraulic efficiency, mechanical efficiency and overall efficiency of a hydraulic
turbine.
11. Distinguish between water power, runner power and shaft power of a hydraulic turbine.
12. Define nozzle coefficient, speed ratio and jet ratio in case of a Pelton wheel turbine.
13. Define speed ratio, flow ratio and blade friction co-efficient in case of a reaction turbine.
14. Define the specific speed of a turbine, provide its equation, and specify the units of each term.
15. Why inward radial flow reaction turbines are preferred in practice than outward flow
reaction turbines?
Part B
1. A Pelton wheel operates at an overall efficiency of 85% while running at 750 rpm. The jet
ratio is 10 and the speed ratio is 0.45. The turbine uses three jets, and the available head is
1000 m. The nozzle coefficient is 0.98. Determine the brake power of the turbine.
2. A Pelton wheel operates with a mean bucket speed of 12 m/s and is supplied with water at a
rate of 750 litres per second under a head of 35 m. The buckets deflect the jet through an
angle of 160°. Determine the power developed by the turbine and its hydraulic efficiency.
Assume the coefficient of velocity to be 0.98 and neglect friction losses in the buckets. Also,
calculate the overall efficiency of the turbine if the mechanical efficiency is 80%.
3. A Pelton wheel for a hydroelectric power plant is to be designed using the following
specifications: the required power output is 100 MW, and the net available head is 450 m.
The turbine runs at a speed of 400 rpm with a jet ratio of 10. The overall efficiency is 90%,
the nozzle coefficient is 0.98, and the speed ratio is 0.45. Determine (i) the total discharge
required, (ii) the diameter of the jet, (iii) the number of jets (nozzles) required, and (iv) the
diameter of the wheel.
4. A Pelton wheel operates under a gross head of 525 m. One-third of this gross head is lost due
to friction in the penstock. Water is supplied through a nozzle of diameter 20 cm, and the
side-clearance angle is 15°. Determine: (i) the force exerted by the water on the bucket, (ii)
the power delivered by the water to the runner, and (iii) the hydraulic efficiency of the Pelton
wheel. Assume the coefficient of velocity to be 0.98 and the speed ratio to be 0.45.
5. A Pelton wheel having a mean bucket diameter of 1.2 m is running at 1000 rpm. The net head
on the Pelton wheel is 840 m. If the side clearance angle is 15° and discharge through the
 nozzle is 0.12 cubic meter per second. Determine: (i) Power available at the nozzle (ii)
Hydraulic efficiency of the turbine.
6. A Pelton wheel is to be designed for the following specification: Shaft power = 11772 kW,
head = 380 m, speed = 750 rpm, overall efficiency =86%, jet diameter is not to exceed one
sixth of wheel diameter. Determine (i)The wheel diameter (ii) The number of jet required (ii)
Diameter of jet. Take, coefficient of velocity = 0.97, speed ratio = 0.43.
7. The following data are given for a Pelton wheel of 2.5 m diameter: the net head available is
300 m, the turbine runner speed is 300 rpm, the coefficient of velocity is 0.98, and the blade
friction coefficient is 0.95. The jet diameter is 20 cm, and the angle of jet deflection is 165°.
The mechanical efficiency is 95%. Determine the power developed by the turbine and its
hydraulic efficiency. Also, calculate the overall efficiency of the turbine.
8. A single-jet Pelton wheel operates at 300 rpm under a head of 510 m. The jet diameter is 200
mm. The jet is deflected through an angle of 165° inside the bucket, and the relative velocity
is reduced by 15% due to friction. Determine: (i) the water power, (ii) the resultant force
acting on the bucket, (iii) the brake power if mechanical losses are 3% of the power supplied,
and (iv) the overall efficiency. Assume the coefficient of velocity to be 0.98 and the speed ratio
to be 0.46.
9. An inward-flow reaction turbine has an external diameter of 80 cm and an internal diameter
of 40 cm. The turbine operates at 200 rpm and the speed ratio is 0.6. The width of the turbine
at inlet is 20 cm, and the velocity of flow through the runner is constant at 2 m/s. The guide
blades are inclined at an angle of 10° to the tangent of the runner. Assume that the discharge
at the turbine outlet is radial. Draw the inlet and outlet velocity triangles and determine the
following: (i) Discharge through the turbine, (ii) Width of the runner at outlet, (iii) Power
developed by the runner, (iv) Head at the inlet of the turbine, (v) Hydraulic efficiency of the
turbine, (vi) Blade angles at inlet and outlet.
10. An inward-flow reaction turbine with an overall efficiency of 80% is required to develop 150
kW of power under a head of 8 m. The speed ratio and flow ratio are 0.96 and 0.36,
respectively. The turbine runs at 150 rpm, and the hydraulic losses in the turbine are 12% of
the available energy. Assume that the discharge at the outlet is radial. Determine the
following: (i) Guide vane angle, (ii) Runner vane angle at inlet, (iii) Diameter of the runner at
inlet and (iv) Width of the runner at inlet.
11. An inward-flow reaction turbine is supplied with 0.233 m³/s of water under a head of 11 m.
The runner vanes are radial at inlet, and the inlet diameter is twice the outlet diameter. The
velocity of flow through the runner is constant at 1.83 m/s, and the turbine operates at 370
rpm. Determine the following: (i) Guide vane angle (α), (ii) Inlet and outlet diameters of the
runner, (iii) Inlet and outlet widths of the runner and (iv) Vane angle at exit (ϕ). Assume that
the discharge at outlet is radial and there are no losses in the runner. Take the speed ratio as
0.7 and neglect the thickness of the vanes.
12. A reaction turbine operates at 450 rpm under a head of 120 m. The inlet diameter of the
runner is 120 cm, and the flow area at inlet is 0.4 m². The guide vane angle is 20°, and the
runner vane angle at inlet is 60°. Determine: (i) The volumetric flow rate, (ii) The power
developed and (iii) The hydraulic efficiency. Assume that the whirl component of velocity at
the outlet is zero.
13. An inward-flow reaction turbine has inner and outer diameters of 80 cm and 100 cm,
respectively. The width of the runner at inlet is 20 cm, and 10% of the flow area is blocked
due to blade thickness. The velocity of flow at inlet is 2.5 m/s, and the runner rotates at 200
 rpm. The guide vanes at inlet are inclined at 12° to the tangent of the wheel. Assume that the
discharge is radial at the outlet and that the flow velocity is the same at both inlet and outlet.
Determine the following: (i) Discharge through the runner, (ii) Blade angles at inlet and outlet
and (iii) Absolute and relative velocities of water at the runner inlet.
14. An inward-flow reaction turbine is supplied with 0.25 m³/s of water under a head of 12 m.
The runner vanes are radial at inlet, and the inlet diameter is twice the outlet diameter. The
velocity of flow through the runner is constant at 1.85 m/s, and the turbine operates at 400
rpm. Assume that the discharge at outlet is radial and there are no losses in the runner. Take
the speed ratio as 0.7 and neglect the thickness of the vanes. Determine the following: (i)
Guide vane angle, (ii) Inlet and outlet diameters of the runner, (iii) Inlet and outlet widths of
the runner, (iv) Vane angle at exit and (v) the hydraulic efficiency.
15. In a Francis turbine the guide vane angle at inlet is 10°. The inlet blade angle is 90°. The
runner diameters are 1 and 0.5 m at inlet and outlet respectively. Width of the runner at inlet
is 20 cm and whirl at exit is zero. The velocity of flow is 3 m/s both at inlet and outlet.
Determine the speed of the wheel, the outlet angle of the runner and the runner power.
16. A reaction turbine works at 500 rpm under a head of 100 m. The diameter of the turbine at
inlet is 100 cm and flow area is 0.35 m2. The angles made by the absolute and relative
velocities at inlet are 20° and 60° respectively, with the tangential velocity. Determine: (i) the
volume flow rate (ii) power developed and (iii) hydraulic efficiency. Assume whirl at outlet
is zero.
17. In a hydroelectric power project, 300 m³/s of water is available under a head of 15 m. Two
alternative schemes are proposed: one using Francis turbines with a specific speed of 395,
and the other using Kaplan turbines with a specific speed of 680. If the normal operating
speed is 150 rpm, determine the number of turbines required in each case. Assume that all
units in a given installation develop equal power and that the overall efficiency is 90%. Also,
calculate the power output of each machine for both schemes.
18. A turbine works under a head of 27 m and the flow rate of water being 170 m3/s. The overall
efficiency is 90%. Determine the power developed, specific speed and the type of turbine.
The turbine speed is 160 rpm.
19. An inward-flow reaction turbine has an external diameter of 1.35 m and an internal diameter
of 1 m. The turbine operates under a head of 22.5 m. The guide vanes are inclined at an angle
of 15° to the tangent of the runner and the moving blades are radial at inlet. The velocity of
flow through the runner is constant and there is no velocity of whirl at outlet. Determine (i)
the speed of the runner in rpm, (ii) the angle of vane at outlet and (iii) specific speed of the
turbine if it develops 275000 W. Neglect frictional losses.
20. Describe the working of Pelton turbine with a neat sketch and indicate the functions of
various components.
21. Describe the working of a Francis turbine with a neat sketch. Indicate the functions of various
components.
22. With a neat sketch, explain the working of a Kaplan turbine.
23. Discuss on cavitation in hydraulic turbines.
24. Explain different types of draft tubes with sketches.
25. Explain the functions of a scroll casing and guide vanes of a Francis turbine.
26. Classify Pelton turbine, Francis turbine and Kaplan turbine based on type of energy at inlet,
direction of flow through runner, head at inlet of turbine, discharge through the turbine and
specific speed of the turbine.