![]() Gaps between the blades allow water to flow from the outer periphery of the runner to the inner section of the runner this type of flow is known as radial flow.Ī spiral case -also known as a scroll case- is used to deliver an even flow of water to the entire runner. The Francis turbine consists of a series of blades mounted between a runner crown and runner band. This type of turbine is classified as a reaction turbine, as it operates within a pressure system and relies upon a continuous body of water from the suction to pressure side of the turbine. This efficiency does not decrease until the load is below 40%.įrancis turbines convert potential energy to mechanical energy. The efficiency of Francis turbines often exceeds 90% when the right operating conditions are met. Pumped storage power plants employ Francis runners exclusively, due to this unique feature. The Francis runner can be operated as both a hydraulic pump and hydraulic turbine, this is a unique feature compared to other common hydroelectric runners such as the Kaplanand Peltonrunners. Due to this wide operating range, the Francis turbine is the most common type of hydroelectric turbine employed today. As the electrical power industry grew over the past 150 years, the Francis turbine was able to compete with other prime movers in terms of cost, which lead to its widespread use for many applications.ĭue to their versatile design, Francis turbines are suitable for a wide range of pressures and flow rates. James Francis applied mathematical principles when designing the Francis turbine and created a turbine with an efficiency exceeding 90%.Īlthough there are different variations of the Francis turbine now available, the fundamental working principles remain the same as those used over 100 years ago. Waterwheels had been used to complete useful work for over 1,000 years, but they were inefficient.
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