Pelton Turbine Bucket Curved Outlet Edge for Reverse Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Pelton turbine buckets with flat outlet edges struggle to achieve high efficiency due to suboptimal flow control and energy transfer, leading to inefficiencies in hydraulic performance.
Innovation Solution
The bucket design incorporates a rear hump with a center of curvature below the outlet edge and a peak closer to the cup base, along with a front hump, to enhance flow control and optimize energy transfer, reducing reverse flow and improving dynamic characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If flat outlet edges are used in Pelton turbine buckets, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but energy transfer optimization and flow control are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The outlet edge is transformed from a flat configuration to a curved configuration with a rear hump. The curved outlet edge with specifically positioned center of curvature and peak location optimizes water flow control and energy transfer, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and hydraulic efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The rear hump is positioned specifically in the radial inner half of the bucket with its peak located closer to the cup base than to the bucket face. This localized geometric modification targets the specific region where flow control is most critical, improving energy transfer without requiring complete redesign of the entire bucket structure
2Productivity
If curved outlet edges are added to optimize flow, then hydraulic efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A curved outlet edge with a rear hump is introduced, where the center of curvature is positioned below the outlet edge and the peak is located closer to the cup base than to the bucket face. This specific curvature configuration optimizes flow control and hydraulic efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple geometric form that can be manufactured using conventional methods
3Productivity
If the rear hump peak is positioned closer to the cup base, then flow control and energy transfer are optimized, but the geometric design becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rear hump peak is positioned in the radial inner half of the bucket, closer to the cup base than to the bucket face. This localized geometric feature with specifically positioned center of curvature optimizes the flow in both radial outer and rear regions, improving energy transfer to the runner while concentrating the geometric complexity only where it is most needed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design increases outlet height, enhances flow control, and improves hydraulic efficiency by allowing innovative bucket profiles with varied geometry, angles, and curvatures, resulting in increased energy transfer and reduced reverse flow.
Implementation Method 1
an outlet height of the water jet can be increased, whereby a better control of the exiting flow is achieved, which in turn results in an increase in the efficiency
Implementation Method 2
optimize the reverse flow of water from the cup, in order to reduce the reverse flow to the nozzles and the runner
Implementation Method 3
optimize the energy transfer to the runner for a better hydraulic efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A bucket of a Pelton turbine with an outlet edge curved at least in segments. To achieve a particularly high efficiency the outlet edge forms a rear hump in a side view, wherein a center of curvature of the hump is positioned below the outlet edge in the side view and a peak of the hump is located closer to the cup base than to the bucket face.