Get Francis Turbine Inspection Form And Check List - Hydropower Ornl

The Francis turbine is a reaction turbine, which means that the working fluid changes pressure as it moves through the turbine, giving up its energy. The turbine is located between the high-pressure water source and the low-pressure water exit, usually at the base of a dam.

Water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir by the Francis turbine runner. The flow path is the same as when generating electricity, except the flow direction is reversed because the Francis runner is used as a pump instead of a turbine.

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).

Following are the head and flow rate under which francis turbine is preferred to operate. Head = 45 - 400 m, Flow rate = 10-700m^3/s.

turbines are the most common hydraulic turbine type in use. A Francis turbine comprises of five main components: spiral case, stay vanes, guide vanes, runner and draft tube as shown in Figure 1.

The most common application of the Francis turbine is in hydro-power plants to generate electricity. It is also used in irrigation water pumping sets for pumping water from ground for irrigation. The Francis turbine is designed to achieve a higher efficiency rate.

A comprehensive inspection checklist should include checks on the rotor, blades, bearings, couplings, valves, and seals. The rotor should be checked for cracks, erosion, and corrosion. The blades should be inspected for wear, erosion, and damage. Bearings should be inspected for wear and tear, and proper lubrication.

James Bicheno Francis (born May 18, 1815, Southleigh, Devon, England—died September 18, 1892, Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.) was a British-American hydraulic engineer and inventor of the mixed-flow, or Francis, turbine (a combination of the radial- and axial-flow turbines) that was used for low-pressure installations.