Pelton Wheel Development Project

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

Pelton Wheel
Development Project
Interim Design Report

Phil Spinden, Jennifer Jones, Ian Haynes & Kenneth Fletcher

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Front Matter

Table of Contents

Front Matter.....................................................................................................3
Executive Summary.........................................................................................4
Report Body.....................................................................................................5
Background......................................................................................................5
Problem Definition...........................................................................................6
Project Plan......................................................................................................8
Concepts Considered.....................................................................................10
Concept Selection..........................................................................................14
System Architecture......................................................................................16
Future Work...................................................................................................19
Appendices....................................................................................................21

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Executive Summary
The Pelton Wheel Development Project team is designing and fabricating a
new tank and frame for the Pelton turbine used in the Civil Engineering Hydraulics
laboratory. In addition to fabricating a new tank, we are attaching additional
components including an electrical generator, resistive load, and a torque
transducer to measure the power transfer between the turbine output and the
generator input.
The two pelton wheels that are currently implemented in the Hydraulics
Laboratory (located in the basement of Buchanan Engineering Laboratory
Building) both have distinct disadvantages.
For this reason, rather than modify either existing solutions, our team chose to
recycle components from the more powerful pump and turbine assembly, and
integrate it with a new, more efficient tank design.
This new solution will be safer, more efficient, more aesthetically pleasing,
and increase the learning outcome of future students.

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Report Body

Background
Pelton wheels are a high head, low flow, high velocity turbine. Currently,
they are used in renewable energy by integrating them with existing renewable
power systems (wind turbines, large streams, etc.). For this reason, the Civil
Engineering Department at University of Idaho has a Pelton Wheel Laboratory as
part of their Hydraulics curriculum.
Unfortunately, the quality of the two existing Pelton Wheels leaves much to
be desired. First, the current operational assembly is a smaller, integrated
package. It is in working order, but has fewer measurable quantities. This reduces
the overall learning value for students as they are unable to directly measure
Energy transfer through the system. In addition, the systems small size makes it
inefficient.
The second Pelton wheel assembly is an older, more robust, system.
However, it is currently inoperable and suffers from several design flaws. The tank
is old, top heavy, and deteriorating. For these reasons, our team designed a new
tank, frame, and mounting assembly to be used with the older three phase
motor/pump assembly and turbine.
In this new assembly, students will be able to measure quantities necessary
to analyze power transfer and energy flow through the system. Concerns for the
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students safety and learning experience made it necessary to take this ambitious
approach to improving the laboratory setup.

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Problem Definition
At a fundamental level, the goal of the Pelton Wheel Development Project is
to improve the existing implementation of a Pelton wheel inside the Civil
Engineering hydraulics laboratory. To this end, our team has several specific tasks
in order to achieve this overarching goal of improving the laboratory and the
learning value that students gain from it.
First and foremost is the design of a new mobile tank frame. It is to be
constructed with angle iron and metal sheeting that support the tank and
additional loading components on the top of the assembly. The parts for this task
have been ordered, designed for, and are ready for fabrication and welding.
Going forward, the first task that must be tackled in the new semester is
fabrication and the welding of the new assembly. In parallel with this, design and
further specification of the electrical load must be completed. The depth and
automation level of this solution is directly tied in to our budget limitations, as
well as time constraints.
The rough budget for the Pelton Wheel Development Project is altogether
about $4,000. The University of Idaho Civil Engineering Department has
committed $2,000 to our project, while the Shell Grant has given an estimate of
up to $2,000. We have already bought some mechanical components for the
system. The new tank with shipping cost $380 and framing parts so far have cost
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$260. Additional framing components will cost another $100. The most
expensive part of the design is the torque transducer, which will cost about
$1,700. The generator will be about $300 and the microcontroller and electrical
load components will be around $100.
Total spending so far has been $640 taken from the CE Department money.
The torque transducer will be purchased with the Shell Grant money, using $1,700
of their offered budget. The rest of the materials (generator, frame components,
microcontroller, and electrical load) will cost about $500. This will leave about
$860 leftover from the CE Department budget.

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Project Plan
A list of design parameters for both the tank and torque transducer has
been compiled and verified. Mechanical components have been purchased and
the new tank will be fabricated, primarily due to efforts by Ken and Phil, by
February. Meanwhile, Ken, Ian, and Jenny, will be designing loading logic that
allows for fast and precise variations in induced torque. Simulations of the
generators performance will be developed by Ian and Phil prior to implementation
to rate the resistive elements in the array, the wires transferring the power to the
load architecture, and the relays that will be used to implement the control logic.
Once this has been accomplished the loading system can be purchased and
tested. Ken, Ian, and Jenny, will monitor the interactions of the control system and
load architecture and compare the results to expectations. The design will then be
revised as needed to maximize system performance. Once the design has been
finalized the system can be mounted on the assembly and used in
demonstrations.

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Concepts Considered
Mechanical:
The two primary options for the pelton wheel lab station were to modify one
of the existing solutions or to create a new solution that would suit our needs.
There were two existing lab stations which were available to be modified: an older
and larger model, or a newer, smaller model.
The older model was a long, shallow, two-part tank mounted on a tubular
metal chassis. The pump was mounted under the upper part of the tank, and the
turbine was solidly mounted on top of the upper tank above the pump. Output
power and torque were obtained by measuring the force from a lever arm on a
brake clamped and tightened on the output shaft. Flow rate was measured by a
v-notch gauge. Trundle bearings on the pump allow the mechanical power
produced by the pump motor to be measured. A wattmeter is available for
measuring the electrical power into the motor.
While testing was not possible on this lab station due to a missing force
gauge, our client informed us that in prior tests the overall efficiency of this
station was low, mainly due to poor tank and pump design and placement. This
lab station would not have been difficult to modify as there was a lip on the inside
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of the top of the tank, allowing for easy mounting of additional components. The
long, narrow shape of this lab station would require that a generator be mounted
axially along the tank, with the electrical load further down the length of the tank.
The newer lab station is shorter, with a larger cross section. The tank,
frame, and pump compartment form an integrated structure, while the turbine is
mounted to a plate which can be repositioned over the trough the water falls in.
As with the older model, torque is measured with a brake, however this one is a
band tightened around the pulley from both ends rather than clamped to the
pulley. Flow measurement is very imprecise as it is done by timing how long it
takes for a smaller reservoir to fill to a specified level. Power into and out of the
pump cannot be directly measured.
The pump motor on this lab station is 580W, according to the nameplate,
however the pelton wheel produces approximately 38W of power at most, for an
overall system efficiency of less than 10%. Modification of this assembly would be
more difficult due to the integrated nature of the tank and frame. The generator
and electrical load could be placed in a number of configurations as there is more
free space on the top of the assembly.
In addition to modifying the two existing solutions, we considered building a
new tank/chassis assembly that existing components, as well as future
components, could be integrated into.

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The tank for the new assembly had multiple options, each with their own
advantages and disadvantages. A short, wide tank would provide more stability
to the final design, as it would have a wider footprint and a lower center of gravity.
However, a taller tank would provide better net positive suction head to the
pump, as well as reduce the chance of a vortex forming which could allow
introduction of air into the pump inlet. A custom tank design was briefly
considered as it could allow for inclusion of the advantages of both, however it
was quickly ruled out due to cost.
The main options for the material for the frame were flat metal strips, metal
tubing, and angle iron. The metal strips were the cheapest option but provided
the least support. The metal tubing was more expensive than the flat metal,
however provided more support. The round sides would present challenges in
mounting the tank. The angle iron provided the greatest deal of support and ease
of mounting the tank; however it was the most expensive.
There were two main geometric arrangements considered for the chassis.
The first had the pump mounted sideways next to the tank at the bottom of the
assembly, with a metal frame holding the tank and the turbine/generator
assembly in place. This option reduces the height to improve stability while
maintaining the pump near the bottom of the assembly. Alternately, a two-level
frame was considered which would allow the pump to be underneath the tank.
This option provides more space for the motor controller, as well as allowing for
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pump to be positioned so a longer run of straight piping could be provided to the
pump inlet.

Electrical:
One of the primary concerns of our client is coupling an electrical torque
transducer between the turbine and load. Knowing that this would a necessary
component, we had to constrain our design decisions (as well as budget) to match
these needs. Since the electrical rotary torque transducer will have an output, we
knew having some control logic, to handle inputs like torque and possibly a
venture flow-meter, would be desirable.
Moreover, this torque transducer must be coupled to an electrical generator.
The purpose of this generator is to act as the loading device on the turbine. This is
in place of the manual braking arm which was discussed earlier. The generator will
be acting as an electrical load on the turbine; a way to manually adjust load in
real-time is a necessary solution.
Since our project had a wide operating range of speeds, it was desirable to
select a machine with a large speed bandwidth, as well as a linear torque-versus
speed output characteristic. This is desirable since the lab requires students to
vary load, and the relationship between torque and speed of the pelton turbine is
also linear. With these considerations in mind, the two main machine types
considered were a synchronous induction machine, as well as a direct current

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permanent magnet machine. The consideration for each machine is further
discussed in the following section.

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Concept Selection
Mechanical:
The main decision made for the project was that a new tank and chassis
assembly was wanted. Both of the existing solutions had significant
disadvantages, and they would have given a final product that both our team and
our client would likely be unsatisfied with. The older lab station had more learning
potential. More quantities could be measured, but the tank was deteriorating and
required repairs and extensive cleaning. The new lab station was in good
condition but was very limited in the measureable quantities. Thus it was decided
to design a new assembly despite the additional work that would be required.
The tank selected for the final design was the taller one. Although it was not
ideal for stability, the increased pump efficiency was deemed to be more
important. As stated earlier, the custom tank design was not considered due to
the significant increase in price. A rectangular tank was chosen as it would be
much easier to mount than a cylindrical tank. In addition to the shape, a thicker
tank was chosen to meet client specifications.
A two-level frame was chosen for the final design. While this was
counterproductive to our goal of increased stability, it was necessary as our client
strongly desired increased pump efficiency, including a longer run of straight pipe
leading into the inlet, necessitating that the pump be mounted below the tank.
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Angle iron was chosen for the portion of the frame holding the tank as it could be
arranged in such a way as to easily hold the tank with minimal amounts of
material. It was decided that the lower frame would be made out of the metal
tubing as it is cheaper than the angle iron and did not need to interface with a flat
surface.

Electrical:
As discussed previously, it was necessary for students to operate in a wide
speed range (from 0 rpm non-moving turbine to no load conditions). For this
reason, an optimal solution would have a linear torque speed characteristic. This
is desirable since the lab requires students to vary load, and the relationship
between torque and speed of the pelton turbine is also linear. For these reasons, a
direct current permanent magnet brush machine was selected. They are very
robust machines with all the characteristics desired. A synchronous induction
machine would have been a better simulation of the large pelton wheels used in
industry. However, this solution was not practical for cost and size considerations
(small scale) of our project.
In order to control the load level of our project, as well as the output current,
a microcontroller will be used in conjunction with relays. Do to availability, low
cost, and familiarity with the PIC32MX7 Cerebot, our team plans to do initial
load testing and design with this board using the MPLab Integrated Development
Environment.
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System Architecture
Mechanical systems:
Once the tank shape and frame components had been selected, the main
mechanical considerations were providing adequate suction head, improving
stability, ensuring the frame can support the assembly, providing adequate area
to mount components, and preventing vortex formation and air introduction.
No data was available for the required net positive suction head for the
pump, so a direct calculation was not possible. Therefore, the tank height was
selected based on the height of the existing tanks. Our client informed us that
the older tank, which was approximately 1ft tall, was not sufficient for this
purpose. The newer lab station, approximately 30 inches tall, had no evidence of
cavitation when in use. Due to the lack of data on the pump, the minimum tank
height was unknown; however a tank height of 30 inches was selected, as
although this may have not been the minimum, it was sufficient to prevent
cavitation.
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In order to improve the stability, two things were done. First, the base of
the assembly was made wider. The goal was to make it larger than the existing
solution while still being narrow enough to be maneuverable through doors. An
upper limit of 2 feet was established for the entire assembly, and the width of
the main frame was decided to be 24 inches. Second, the center of gravity was
lowered by making the tank as close to the ground as possible. The lower bound
for this was determined by providing sufficient space for the piping to run under
the tank for improved pump efficiency. The wheels and lower frame are
approximately 14 inches high, which is a significant improvement over the
existing solution, which had the tank more than 2 feet above the ground.
A statics analysis was conducted to determine the stresses on the main
frame beams. While there were smaller sizes that could support the weight, 1.5
inch angle iron was selected as smaller sizes would have caused difficulties in
providing enough space for the tank to rest on. The corner posts on the tank will
extend 2 inches above the tank to attach the upper assembly consisting of the
turbine, generator, and electrical load. The lower frame is made of 1.5 inch steel
tubing (sized to match the angle iron), and extends 1 foot to the rear of the tank
to provide a place to support the motor controller and pump. The lower frame is 8
inches high to provide room for the pipe to pass under the tank.
The final mechanical concern was preventing air introduction into the pump
inlet. There are two main mechanisms that would cause air introduction are
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entrained air from the water plunging into the tank, and formation of an air core
vortex in the tank. In order to counter this, a flow spreader and a vortex breaker
were included. The flow spreader is a slanted plate mounted below the turbine,
extending into the water into the tank. Water falls onto the plate and runs down
into the water in the tank rather than plunging directly into the tank from the
turbine. The vortex breaker is a pair of crossed thin metal plates positioned on
top of the pipe inlet which prevents the circular water motion that would lead to a
vortex.

Electrical systems:
At a rudimentary level, adding an electrical generator will have increased
value to students by allowing them to see energy transfer and power flow through
the entire system (electrical mechanical hydraulic mechanical
electrical). On top of this, being able to manually adjust mechanical loading by
varying the electrical load on the generator should give a better applications
understanding from a students view.
The specific torque transducer selected for the project was justified based
on the worst case possible scenario. This was used assuming maximum efficiency
in all components, as well as maximum torque. This worst case scenario is shown
in graphical format in Figure 4 of appendices. Adding this torque transducer, as
well as the electrical generator, satisfies to basic requirements of the project

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directly from our client. The quantitative analysis of the torque requirements is
shown in the calculations on Figure 3a & b.

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Future Work
Next Semester
Going forward, the team is prepared to begin fabricating the new tank frame
and chassis. In addition to construction the frame, the new tank will need to be
slightly modified from its manufactured dimensions. This will incorporate how we
are going to remount and reassemble the three phase induction motor and pump
assembly.
Ideally, mechanical construction and mounting will not extend far into the
semester. With that in mind, the team plans for the mechanical aspect of the new
assembly to be completed by early February of the New Year. This leaves the
remainder of the semester to begin debugging and testing the electrical load on
the physical assembly.
At a minimum, we would like to have a working assembly with an adjustable
load. A baseline assembly would be a manually adjustable rheostat configuration
to electrically load the machine. If team ideals are realized, well have
implemented a microcontroller to sense and measure voltage and current (with
the load being adjustable using pushbuttons). This setup would incorporate the
use of relays and an LED display.

Future Phases of Work

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There will still be plenty of work for future teams to improve upon after our
team is finished next semester. Namely, this includes further automation and
implementation in regards to real time data acquisition.
More specifically, our client had requested a change-order at preliminary
design review. This involved integrating real-time data acquisition into a program
called LabView. Due to the lateness of this request and the number of team
members qualified to incorporate this solution; it is a tertiary item. For this reason,
this would be a great project for future Computer Engineers or Computer
Scientists who could improve upon the data acquisition and interfacing with a PC
lab station.

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Appendices
Figure 1: Moment and Force calculations

Figure 2: Moment and Force diagrams

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Figure 3a: Torque and Power calculations

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Figure 3b: Torque and Power calculations

Figure 4: Power and Torque as a function of Speed

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Figure 5: New Tank Design

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Figure 6: Team Schedule

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