Pelton Turbine

Pelton wheel turbine is a high efficiency water turbine.  Water turbines are used to make electricity and serve as industrial power sources. The Pelton wheel works by extracting energy from the forward momentum of the water. It is an impulse turbine. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in 1870.

A Pelton wheel consists of two basic parts, the turbine and the penstock. The turbine is shaped like a wheel. The rim of the wheel is covered with buckets shaped like spoons. As water hits these spoons, it changes direction. Most of the energy in the water is transferred to the wheel, which causes it to turn. The wheel is attached to a shaft and the shaft is connected to a generator, which converts the rotational energy into electricaenergy.

The penstock is the apparatus that brings water to the wheel. The penstock has a nozzle with an opening smaller than the width of the pipe. Nozzle contains a spear which helps to increase the velocity of water and also regulate the amount of water striking the buckets, the spear is controlled by handle in either outward or inward direction. As water is forced through this smaller opening, the water pressure decreases, but the speed at which the water moves is increased.

For the Pelton wheel to reach maximum efficiency, the water must be moving twice as fast as the buckets.