The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts. Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today, and can achieve over 95% efficiency.[1]
The process of arriving at the modern Francis runner design took from 1848 to approximately 1920.[1] It became known as the Francis turbine around 1920, being named after British-American engineer James B. Francis who in 1848 created a new turbine design.[1]
Francis turbines are primarily used for producing electricity. The power output of the electric generators generally ranges from just a few kilowatts up to 1000 MW, though mini-hydro installations may be lower. The best performance is seen when the head height is between 100–300 metres (330–980 ft).[2] Penstock diameters are between 1 and 10 m (3.3 and 32.8 ft). The speeds of different turbine units range from 70 to 1000 rpm. A wicket gate around the outside of the turbine's rotating runner controls the rate of water flow through the turbine for different power production rates. Francis turbines are usually mounted with a vertical shaft, to isolate water from the generator. This also facilitates installation and maintenance.[3]
- ^ a b c Lewis, B J; Cimbala, J M; Wouden, A M (2014-03-01). "Major historical developments in the design of water wheels and Francis hydroturbines". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 22 (1): 012020. Bibcode:2014E&ES...22a2020L. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/22/1/012020. ISSN 1755-1315.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is available under the CC BY 3.0 license.
- ^ Paul Breeze, Power Generation Technologies (Third Edition), 2019
- ^ "Design Overview". Harlaw Hydro. 2015-11-13. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
