CASE STUDY OF THERMAL POWER PLANT (FRANCIS TURBINE)

INTRODUCTION:

The role of new and renewable energy has been assuming increasing significance in recent times
with the growing concern for the country’s energy security. The renewable energy industry has
approximately USD 500 million as turnover, the investment being’ about USD 3 billion. Of the
estimated potential of approx. 10,00,000 MW from RE only about 69022 MW has been exploited to
date. Current installed capacity hydro power is 45,403 MW which is more than 26% of the assessed
potential. In the beginning of year 2018, the total installed capacity of electrical energy from all
sources is 3,43,778 MW. India has set a new target of achieving 175 GW from all renewable
sources and out of which 100 GW is from solar power alone by 2022. Four of the top seven largest
solar plants worldwide are in India including the second largest solar park in the world at Kurnool,
Andhra Pradesh, with a capacity of 1000 MW[17] India at the centre of its “Sunshine Countries”
International Solar Alliance project promoting the growth and development of solar power
internationally to over 120 countries. India set a target of achieving 40% of its total electricity
generation from nonfossil fuel sources by 2030, as stated in its Intended Nationally Determined
Contributions statement in the Paris Agreement[16]. The estimated potential for power generation
in the country from small hydro plants is about 20,000 MW. The mission aims is that at least 50%
of the potential in the country is harnessed in the next 10 years[18]. The public sector accounts for
92.5% of India's hydroelectric power production. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation
(NHPC), Northeast Electric Power Company (NEEPCO), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVNL),
THDC, and NTPC-Hydro are some of the public sector companies producing hydroelectric power
in India. The private sector is also expected to grow with the development of hydroelectric energy
in the Himalayan mountain ranges and in the northeast of India[14]. A map is given below to show
major hydroelectric plants in India.
Cost effective and efficient project we need to study the optimal selection of hydro turbine.An
analysis of cost of electro-mechanical equipment for small hydropower has been made and a co-
relation is developed[8,9]. The power availability will change the livelihood of the villagers,
resulting into creation of jobs such as small business enterprises. This will add some income to the
village community[5].

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF

POWERPLANT IN INDIA :

Captive power:
The installed captive powergeneration capacity (above 1 MW capacity)
associated with industry-owned plants is 70,000 MW as of 31 March 2021.In
fiscal year 2020-21, captive power generation was 200,000 Gwh. Diesel power
generation sets of 75,000 MW capacity (excluding sets of size above 1 MW and
below 100 kVA) are also installed in the country.In addition, there are a large
number of diesel generators of capacity less than 100 kVA to cater to
emergency power needs during power outagesin all sectors.
CONSTRUCTION AND WORKING OF FRANCIS TURBINE POWER
PLANT :

Spiral Casing
The spiral casing is the inlet medium for water supply to the turbine.

This pipe allows passing the water flow from the dam or reservoir with

high pressure. The turbine blades are arranged circularly, which

means the water hitting the blades of the turbine must flow within the

circular axis for efficient hitting. This is the reason to use spiral casing

but because of the circular water movement, it loses its force. To keep

the same force, the diameter of the casing will be gradually reduced.

Guide Vanes

These vanes are not immobile, but they transform their angle based

on the requirement to control the hitting angle of water toward turbine

blades to enhance efficiency. They also control the water flow rate into
the runner blades so the power output is controlled for a turbine based

on the load of the turbine.

Stay Vanes

Stay vane’s function is to guide the water flow toward the runner

blades. These vanes stay motionless at their place & decrease the

swirling of water because of radial flow. Once it enters the runner

blades, then the turbine will become very efficient.

Draft Tube

The force at the outlet of the runner in the turbine is usually low as

compared to atmospheric force. The water supply at the outlet cannot

be discharged directly to the tailrace. So, a pipe or tube is used for

water discharging from the outlet of the turbine toward the tailrace.

This tube is known as Draft Tube where one finish of the tube is

directly connected to the exit of the runner whereas another end is

immersed under the water level within the tail-race.

Runner Blades

Runner blades are very essential components in this turbine. These

are arranged at the center of the turbine where the water hits & the

tangential power of the impact causes the shaft to turn for generating

torque. These blades mainly include two parts where the lower half is

designed in a small bucket shape to revolve the turbine with the help

of the impulse action of the water supply. The upper half of the turbine
blades utilize the reaction power of water supplied through it. So the

runner turns through these two forces.

Penstock

Penstock plays a key role in transferring the water from the dam to the

Francis turbine and it is made with cement or cast steel.

Francis Turbine Working

The water from the penstock enters into the spiral casing of the

turbine, after that it flows through the guide vanes & stay vanes. The

spiral case in the turbine is kept in decreasing diameter to maintain

the pressure of water flow.

The stay vanes are motionless at their position to remove the spins

from the water supply, which are produced because of the spiral

casing & try to make the water flow more linear to be turned aside

through changeable guide vanes.

The angle of guide vanes will decide the angle of the strike of water

supply at the runner blades. The runner blades in the turbine are

motionless & cannot change their position so the guide vanes control

the turbine’s power output.

The turbine efficiency & performance mainly depends on the runner

blades’ design. In this turbine, runner blades are mainly separated into

two parts like the upper part and the lower part.
The lower part of the turbine is made in a small bucket shape so that it
can use the impulse action of the water supply to revolve the turbine.
The upper or higher part of the turbine uses the reaction pressure of
the water supply through it. So runner blades use both the pressure &
kinetic energies of the water supply to turn the runner in the most
efficient mode.
Once the water exit from the runner blade then it will lack both the

energies of kinetic & pressure, so we utilize the draft tube to improve

the force when it moves forward to the tailrace. However, we still

cannot improve the force to that level that we can prevent air to go

into the runner housing thus causing cavitation.

Francis Turbine Characteristics:

Francis turbine characteristics include the following.

•The main characteristic of a Francis turbine is that water flow

changes direction when it supplies throughout the turbine.
•The flow of water entering into the turbine is in the radial direction,
flowing in the direction of its axis, however after hitting &
cooperating with the blades of the turbine, it outlets along the axis
direction.

Advantages:
The advantages of the Francis turbine include the following.

•Its runner size is small

•Simple control even with changeable heads.
•Efficiency change with time is very little.
•No head breakdown happens still at the less water discharge.
•The variation within the operating head can be simply controlled.
 •The maximum & minimum least operating head ratio is even two
within these turbines.
•The head range covered by this turbine unit mainly ranges from 20
to 700 M & their o/p changes from kilowatts to megawatts
•These turbines are mainly designed for an extensive range of flows
& heads.

Disadvantages
The disadvantages of the Francis turbine include the following.

•The water contains contaminants which may cause problems to the

turbine.
•It is very expensive.
•Its design is very complex.
•The number of moving parts is considerable within this turbine.
•The runner is not obtainable usually because it has a typical spiral
casing.
•Its maintenance is complicated and costly
•It faces the risk of cavitation.
•Current losses within the turbine are expected.

Applications
The applications of the Francis turbine include the following.

•These turbines are the most efficient hydro-turbines.

•These turbines are used widely to produce electricity.
•This turbine is particularly designed for the site to work at the
highest efficiency like above 90%.
•These turbines are mainly designed for a wide range of heads &
flows.
LIST OF HYDRO POWER PLANTS IN INDIA: