The difference between Pelton wheel turbine and the Francis turbine are following
- The basic difference between them is that Pelton wheel turbine is an impulse turbine whereas Francis turbine as a reaction turbine.
- Pelton wheel turbine operates on high head with low discharge but Francis turbine operates on low head with high discharge.
- Pelton wheel turbine has tangential flow which means that it can be either radial flow or axial flow but Francis turbine has mixed flow.
- Pelton wheel turbine is very easy to operate as well as assemble whereas Francis turbine is very complex and difficult to operate and assemble.
- Pelton wheel turbine has no guide vane mechanism but Francis turbine have.
- In Pelton wheel turbine, water jet strikes with velocity head where as in Francis turbine it strikes with partially velocity head and partially pressure head.
- The overall efficiency of Pelton wheel turbine is greater. On the otherhand, francis turbine is not stable for 40% power lower than maximum pressure.
- Pelton wheel turbine can never run full which means that there are no chances of cavitation in it but on the other hand, Francis turbine always run full which means that there are maximum chances of cavitation.
- First law of Newton is applied on Pelton wheel turbine and Francis turbine. But the second law of Newton applied only on the pelton wheel turbine and the third law applied on Francis turbine.
- The water jet in pelton wheel turbine strikes on the runner after passing through nozzle. But on the other hand in Francis turbine, water jet strikes on the runner after passing through guide vane mechanism.
- In Pelton wheel turbine there is no draft tube but Francis turbine has draft tube.
- In Pelton wheel turbine water jet strikes and leaves the runner at atmospheric pressure but in the Francis turbine water jet strikes at atmospheric pressure but leaves at less than atmospheric pressure.
Tags: Fluid, Mechanical devices, Turbines