253:
193:
73:
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20:
160:). As the water jet hits the blades, the direction of water velocity is changed to follow the contours of the blades. The impulse energy of the water jet exerts torque on the bucket-and-wheel system, spinning the wheel; the water jet does a "u-turn" and exits at the outer sides of the bucket, decelerated to a low velocity. In the process, the water jet's momentum is transferred to the wheel and hence to a turbine. Thus, "
205:
243:
fixtures for water delivery. These small units are recommended for use with 30 metres (100 ft) or more of head, in order to generate significant power levels. Depending on water flow and design, Pelton wheels operate best with heads from 15–1,800 metres (50–5,910 ft), although there is no
171:
Maximum power and efficiency are achieved when the velocity of the water jet is twice the velocity of the rotating buckets, which, assuming that water jet collides elastically with the bucket, would mean the water leaves the bucket with zero velocity, thus imparting all kinetic energy to the wheel.
63:
than Pelton's design. Water leaving those wheels typically still had high speed, carrying away much of the dynamic energy brought to the wheels. Pelton's paddle geometry was designed so that when the rim ran at half the speed of the water jet, the water left the wheel with very little speed; thus
606:
Assuming that the jet velocity is higher than the runner velocity, if the water is not to become backed-up in runner, then due to conservation of mass, the mass entering the runner must equal the mass leaving the runner. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible (an accurate assumption for most
108:
which consumed vast amounts of wood as their fuel. Some water wheels were used in the larger rivers, but they were ineffective in the smaller streams that were found near the mines. Pelton worked on a design for a water wheel that would work with the relatively small flow found in these streams.
120:
to build the first commercial models in iron. The first Pelton Wheel was installed at the
Mayflower Mine in Nevada City in 1878. The efficiency advantages of Pelton's invention were quickly recognized and his product was soon in high demand. He patented his invention on 26 October 1880. By the
1072:. Originally the penstock was the name of the valve, but the term has been extended to include all of the fluid supply hydraulics. Penstock is now used as a general term for a water passage and control that is under pressure, whether it supplies an impulse turbine or not.
179:
Typically two buckets are mounted side-by-side on the wheel, with the water jet split into two equal streams; this balances the side-load forces on the wheel and helps to ensure smooth, efficient transfer of momentum from the water jet to the turbine wheel.
121:
mid-1880s, the Miners
Foundry could not meet the demand, and in 1888, Pelton sold the rights to his name and the patents to his invention to the Pelton Water Wheel Company in San Francisco. The company established a factory at 121/123 Main Street in
183:
Because water is nearly incompressible, almost all of the available energy is extracted in the first stage of the hydraulic turbine. "Therefore, Pelton wheels have only one turbine stage, unlike gas turbines that operate with compressible fluid."
1209:
304:
The specific speed is the main criterion for matching a specific hydro-electric site with the optimal turbine type. It also allows a new turbine design to be scaled from an existing design of known performance.
128:
The Pelton Water Wheel
Company manufactured a large number of Pelton Wheels in San Francisco which were shipped around the world. In 1892, the Company added a branch on the east coast at 143 Liberty Street in
384:
176:
will remain in the water, which causes the bucket to be emptied at the same rate it is filled, and thereby allows the high-pressure input flow to continue uninterrupted and without waste of energy.
1060:
varies only with the efficiency of the nozzle and wheel, and does not vary with hydraulic head. The term "efficiency" can refer to: Hydraulic, Mechanical, Volumetric, Wheel, or overall efficiency.
156:
Nozzles direct forceful, high-speed streams of water against a series of spoon-shaped buckets, also known as impulse blades, which are mounted around the outer rim of a drive wheel (also called a
133:. By 1900, over 11,000 turbines were in use. In 1914, the company moved manufacturing to new, larger premises at 612 Alabama Street in San Francisco. In 1956, the company was acquired by the
239:
The smallest Pelton wheels are only a few inches across, and can be used to tap power from mountain streams having flows of a few gallons per minute. Some of these systems use household
1056:. As the equations indicate, when a real Pelton wheel is working close to maximum efficiency, the fluid flows off the wheel with very little residual velocity. In theory, the
1001:. This quantity exactly equals the kinetic power of the jet, so in this ideal case, the efficiency is 100%, since all the energy in the jet is converted to shaft output.
288:
301:" design. Thus it is most suitable to being fed by a hydro source with a low ratio of flow to pressure (meaning relatively low flow and/or relatively high pressure).
476:
454:
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The ideal runner speed will cause all of the kinetic energy in the jet to be transferred to the wheel. In this case the final jet velocity must be zero. If −
1429:
573:. For simplicity, assume that all of the velocity vectors are parallel to each other. Defining the velocity of the wheel runner as: (
310:
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remains constant relative to the runner. So as the jet recedes from the runner, the jet velocity relative to the runner is: − (
197:
24:
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at low flow rates. Pelton wheels are made in all sizes. There exist multi-ton Pelton wheels mounted on vertical oil pad
148:
produced Pelton waterwheels for the local market. One of these is on outdoor display at the Thames
Goldmine Experience.
490:, due to the 5/4 exponent being greater than unity, and given the characteristically low specific speed of the Pelton.
867: = 0). On a plot of torque versus runner speed, the torque curve is straight between these two points: (0,
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1548:
1434:
1190:
212:
Pelton wheels are the preferred turbine for hydro-power where the available water source has relatively high
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60:
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imposed by the jet on the runner is equal but opposite to the rate of momentum change of the fluid, so
717:
112:
By the mid 1870s, Pelton had developed a wooden prototype of his new wheel. In 1876, he approached the
64:
his design extracted almost all of the water's impulse energy—which made for a very efficient turbine.
852:). When the speed of the runner is equal to the initial jet velocity, the torque is zero (i.e., when
1204:
1391:
881:, 0). Nozzle efficiency is the ratio of the jet power to the waterpower at the base of the nozzle.
542:
134:
55:
from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to water's dead weight like the traditional overshot
1543:
1111:
117:
1226:
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577:), then as the jet approaches the runner, the initial jet velocity relative to the runner is: (
266:
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liquids). Also, it is assumed that the cross-sectional area of the jet is constant. The jet
1249:. Green Energy and Technology. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 86.
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8:
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639:. In the standard reference frame (relative to the earth), the final velocity is then:
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1143:. Vol. XLV, no. 210. Tasmania, Australia. 22 August 1885. p. 3
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The conduit bringing high-pressure water to the impulse wheel is called the
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1464:
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A wheel power divided by the initial jet power, is the turbine efficiency,
545:). Equating these two equations and solving for the initial jet velocity (
105:
97:
59:. Many earlier variations of impulse turbines existed, but they were less
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1444:
1439:
1081:
56:
72:
1449:
1407:
934:. To find the runner speed at maximum power, take the derivative of
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most suitably for applications with relatively high hydraulic head
298:
240:
19:
172:
In practice, a very small percentage of the water jet's original
379:{\displaystyle \eta _{s}=n{\sqrt {P}}/{\sqrt {\rho }}(gH)^{5/4}}
297:
of the Pelton wheel implies that the geometry is inherently a "
204:
52:
1207:, L. A. Pelton, "Water Wheel", issued Oct. 26,1880
104:
activity. At this time many mining operations were powered by
1376:
1115:. No. 1661. South Australia. 24 November 1922. p. 6
609:
837:
The torque is maximal when the runner is stopped (i.e. when
554:) indicates that the theoretical (maximum) jet velocity is
233:
88:
in 1829. In 1850, he traveled overland to take part in the
1424:
290:
parameter is independent of a particular turbine's size.
905:
is the angular velocity of the wheel. Substituting for
1343:"Technical derivation of basic impulse turbine physics"
942:
and set it equal to zero, . Maximum power occurs when
293:
Compared to other turbine designs, the relatively low
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442:
420:
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1227:"Showplace Square Historic Resource Survey Findings"
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is the wheel diameter, the torque on the runner is.
137:, which company ended manufacture of Pelton Wheels.
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282:
1430:List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
1243:Wagner, Hermann-Josef; Mathur, Jyotirmay (2011).
695: = 0, then the optimal runner speed will be
493:
92:. Pelton worked by selling fish he caught in the
1530:
256:Sectional view of a Pelton turbine installation.
482:The formula implies that the Pelton turbine is
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1306:Hydraulic and Compressible Flow Turbomachines
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1279:"Renewable Energy in the Heart of the Alps"
1193:. American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
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1385:
1232:. San Francisco Planning Department. 2012.
1151:– via National Library of Australia.
1123:– via National Library of Australia.
1296:
1161:
799:is the volume rate of flow of fluid. If
1323:
1164:Lester Pelton and the Pelton Water Wheel
971:/2. Substituting the initial jet power
251:
203:
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71:
51:in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts
18:
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1219:
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708:/2, or half the initial jet velocity.
677:
232:complex in Switzerland – are over 400
198:Walchensee Hydroelectric Power Station
25:Walchensee Hydroelectric Power Station
1380:
601:
1246:Introduction to Hydro Energy Systems
1166:. Nevada County Historical Society.
1063:
226:Bieudron Hydroelectric Power Station
1372:Example Hydro at Dorado Vista ranch
1340:
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13:
1155:
590:). The initial velocity of jet is
14:
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1455:Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity
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208:Bucket detail on a small turbine.
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84:Lester Allan Pelton was born in
1435:Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
1349:
499:Energy and initial jet velocity
247:
187:
80:'s original October 1880 patent
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1236:
1197:
1127:
1099:
718:Newton's second and third laws
494:Turbine physics and derivation
386:(dimensionless parameter),
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349:
196:Assembly of a Pelton wheel at
47:invented by American inventor
1:
1092:
1004:
507:) case, all of the hydraulic
412:= Frequency of rotation (rpm)
135:Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Company
1162:Lescohier, Roger P. (2011).
7:
1107:"COW THAT ASSISTED SCIENCE"
1075:
224:. The largest units – the
10:
1567:
1356:Pelton Wheel Water Turbine
67:
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1255:10.1007/978-3-642-20709-9
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283:{\displaystyle \eta _{s}}
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1549:19th-century inventions
1112:The South Eastern Times
1043: = 0 and for
118:Nevada City, California
96:. In 1860, he moved to
1498:Gorlov helical turbine
1358:, Ron Amberger's Pages
1303:Sayers, A. T. (1990).
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23:Old Pelton wheel from
1191:"Lester Allan Pelton"
1135:"MINING INTELLIGENCE"
990:, this simplifies to
543:Bernoulli's principle
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471:{\displaystyle \rho }
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1205:US patent 233692
795:is the density, and
524:) is converted into
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222:hydroelectric plants
90:California Gold Rush
1539:American inventions
1140:Launceston Examiner
678:Optimal wheel speed
244:theoretical limit.
146:Thames, New Zealand
78:Lester Allan Pelton
49:Lester Allan Pelton
1513:Cross-flow turbine
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1264:978-3-642-20708-2
1173:978-0-915641-15-4
1064:System components
1058:energy efficiency
1039:. It is zero for
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1341:Calvert, J.
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1286:. Retrieved
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516:
512:
505:frictionless
502:
487:
483:
481:
388:
307:
303:
292:
259:
248:Design rules
238:
211:
188:Applications
182:
178:
170:
157:
155:
139:
127:
111:
98:Camptonville
83:
76:Figure from
36:
33:Pelton wheel
32:
30:
1518:Water wheel
1445:Micro hydro
1440:Small hydro
1082:Peltric set
841: = 0,
434:= Power (W)
57:water wheel
1533:Categories
1450:Pico hydro
1418:generation
1408:Hydropower
1093:References
1005:Efficiency
909:, we have
889:The power
648: = (−
626:) = −
200:, Germany.
27:, Germany.
1476:equipment
1288:13 August
1013: = 4
913: = 2
691: + 2
670: + 2
661: = −
541:/2) (see
466:ρ
345:ρ
316:η
272:η
234:megawatts
61:efficient
1147:10 March
1119:10 March
1076:See also
1070:penstock
1026: −
997: =
980: =
946: =
926: −
901:, where
897: =
893: =
856: =
845: =
699: =
635: +
622: −
563: =
537: =
520: =
299:low gear
241:plumbing
218:bearings
982:√
874:) and (
863:, then
565:√
389:where:
228:at the
162:impulse
68:History
41:impulse
1313:
1261:
1211:
1170:
818:/2) =
791:where
712:Torque
484:geared
158:runner
152:Design
53:energy
43:-type
39:is an
1230:(PDF)
955:/2.
885:Power
772:) = 2
610:speed
1311:ISBN
1290:2021
1259:ISBN
1168:ISBN
1149:2017
1121:2017
999:ρghQ
869:pQDV
847:ρQDV
260:The
166:work
31:The
1425:Dam
1251:doi
995:max
964:ρQV
960:max
820:ρQD
768:+ 2
761:(−2
757:= −
753:= −
731:= −
716:By
522:mgh
220:in
144:in
116:in
35:or
1535::
1325:^
1281:.
1257:.
1218:^
1182:^
1137:.
1109:.
1030:)/
986:gh
962:=
915:ρQ
899:Tω
895:Fu
833:).
829:−
810:=
787:),
783:−
774:ρQ
759:ρQ
755:ρQ
749:)/
742:−
674:.
569:gh
539:mv
236:.
125:.
1400:e
1393:t
1386:v
1345:.
1319:.
1292:.
1267:.
1253::
1176:.
1053:i
1049:V
1045:u
1041:u
1036:i
1032:V
1028:u
1023:i
1019:V
1017:(
1015:u
1011:η
992:P
984:2
977:i
973:V
968:i
957:P
952:i
948:V
944:u
940:u
936:P
932:u
930:)
928:u
923:i
919:V
917:(
911:P
907:F
903:ω
891:P
879:i
876:V
872:i
865:T
861:i
858:V
854:u
850:i
843:T
839:u
831:u
827:i
824:V
822:(
816:D
814:(
812:F
808:T
801:D
797:Q
793:ρ
785:u
781:i
778:V
776:(
770:u
766:i
763:V
751:t
747:i
744:V
740:f
737:V
735:(
733:m
729:F
722:F
705:i
701:V
697:u
693:u
688:i
684:V
672:u
667:i
663:V
659:u
654:i
650:V
645:f
641:V
637:u
632:i
628:V
624:u
619:i
615:V
596:i
592:V
588:u
583:i
579:V
575:u
567:2
560:i
556:V
551:i
547:V
534:k
530:E
528:(
517:p
513:E
511:(
488:H
444:H
422:P
400:n
372:4
368:/
364:5
360:)
356:H
353:g
350:(
339:/
333:P
328:n
325:=
320:s
276:s
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