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Impulse (Turgo and Pelton) turbine performance characteristics and their impact on pico-hydro installations

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  • Cobb, Bryan R.
  • Sharp, Kendra V.

Abstract

Pico-hydropower is a viable technology that can be integrated into a decentralized, off-grid approach to rural electrification in regions that currently have only limited access to electricity. The Turgo turbine is classified as an impulse turbine, similar to the Pelton wheel, often used in pico-hydro systems. Both offer high efficiency for a broad range of site conditions, but the primary difference is that the Turgo can handle significantly higher water flow rates, allowing for efficient operation in lower head ranges and thus potentially expanding the geographic viability. Published data on Turgo operating performance are limited; despite the differences, discussion thereof in design manuals is generally lumped in with the discussion of Pelton wheels. In this study, a laboratory-scale test fixture was constructed to test the operating performance characteristics of impulse turbines. Tests were carried out to determine the effect on turbine efficiency of variations in speed ratio and jet misalignment on two Turgo turbines. The results were compared to similar tests in the same fixture on a Pelton turbine. Under the best conditions, the Turgo turbine efficiency was observed to be over 80% at a speed ratio of approximately 0.46, which is quite good for pico-hydro-scale turbines. Peak efficiencies for both the Pelton and the Turgo turbines occurred at lower than theoretical ideal speed ratios based on a momentum balance; the reduction in speed ratio at which peak efficiency occurs is likely caused by inefficiencies in the turbine. Tests of jet misalignment showed that moving the jet to the inside or outside edge of the turbine blades caused a drop in Turgo efficiency of 10–20% and reduced the optimal speed ratio by 0.03 (6.5%). Radial misalignment had a significant adverse impact on both Turgo and Pelton turbines, however, angular misalignment of the jet is more of a concern for the Turgo turbine. The results stress the importance of proper system design and installation, and increase the knowledge base regarding Turgo turbine performance that can lead to better practical implementation in pico-hydro systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Cobb, Bryan R. & Sharp, Kendra V., 2013. "Impulse (Turgo and Pelton) turbine performance characteristics and their impact on pico-hydro installations," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 959-964.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:50:y:2013:i:c:p:959-964
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2012.08.010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Williams, A.A. & Simpson, R., 2009. "Pico hydro – Reducing technical risks for rural electrification," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1986-1991.
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    Cited by:

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    5. Borge-Diez, David & Godoy-Déniz, Juan Manuel & López-Rey, África & Colmenar-Santos, Antonio, 2021. "Pico turbines, the solution to self-supply energy to the water supply network. A case study in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    6. Vinod, J. & Sarkar, Bikash K. & Sanyal, Dipankar, 2022. "Flow control in a small Francis turbine by system identification and fuzzy adaptation of PID and deadband controllers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(P2), pages 87-99.
    7. Joe Butchers & Shaun Benzon & Sam Williamson & Julian Booker & George Aggidis, 2021. "A Rationalised CFD Design Methodology for Turgo Turbines to Enable Local Manufacture in the Global South," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-23, October.
    8. Dallison, Richard J.H. & Patil, Sopan D., 2023. "Impact of climate change on hydropower potential in the UK and Ireland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 611-628.
    9. Jiaxin Yu & Jun Wang, 2020. "Optimization Design of a Rain-Power Utilization System Based on a Siphon and Its Application in a High-Rise Building," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-18, September.
    10. Židonis, Audrius & Benzon, David S. & Aggidis, George A., 2015. "Development of hydro impulse turbines and new opportunities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1624-1635.
    11. Gaiser, Kyle & Erickson, Paul & Stroeve, Pieter & Delplanque, Jean-Pierre, 2016. "An experimental investigation of design parameters for pico-hydro Turgo turbines using a response surface methodology," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 406-418.
    12. Laghari, J.A. & Mokhlis, H. & Bakar, A.H.A. & Mohammad, Hasmaini, 2013. "A comprehensive overview of new designs in the hydraulic, electrical equipments and controllers of mini hydro power plants making it cost effective technology," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 279-293.
    13. Zaher Mundher Yaseen & Ameen Mohammed Salih Ameen & Mohammed Suleman Aldlemy & Mumtaz Ali & Haitham Abdulmohsin Afan & Senlin Zhu & Ahmed Mohammed Sami Al-Janabi & Nadhir Al-Ansari & Tiyasha Tiyasha &, 2020. "State-of-the Art-Powerhouse, Dam Structure, and Turbine Operation and Vibrations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-40, February.
    14. Elgammi, Moutaz & Hamad, Abduljawad Ashour, 2022. "A feasibility study of operating a low static pressure head micro pelton turbine based on water hammer phenomenon," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 1-16.
    15. Lin, Tzu-Yuan & Ko, Chia-Yu & Chen, Shih-Jhe & Tsai, Guo Chung & Tsai, Hsieh-Chen, 2022. "A novel total-flow geothermal power generator using Turgo turbine: Design and field tests," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 562-572.
    16. Wang, Liguo & Isberg, Jan & Tedeschi, Elisabetta, 2018. "Review of control strategies for wave energy conversion systems and their validation: the wave-to-wire approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 366-379.
    17. Jawahar, C.P. & Michael, Prawin Angel, 2017. "A review on turbines for micro hydro power plant," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 882-887.
    18. Tapia, A. & Millán, P. & Gómez-Estern, F., 2018. "Integer programming to optimize Micro-Hydro Power Plants for generic river profiles," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 905-914.
    19. Velásquez, Laura & Posada, Alejandro & Chica, Edwin, 2023. "Surrogate modeling method for multi-objective optimization of the inlet channel and the basin of a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 330(PB).
    20. Benzon, D.S. & Aggidis, G.A. & Anagnostopoulos, J.S., 2016. "Development of the Turgo Impulse turbine: Past and present," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-18.

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