COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NOZZLE BLADE PRESSURE IMPACT ON PELTON TURBINE BUCKETS

Abstract

The Pelton turbine is a hydroelectric power generation technology whose performance is greatly influenced by the nozzle design, particularly the angle of the water spray to the blades. This study aims to analyze the effect of varying nozzle angles (15°, 30°, and 35°) on the pressure and force distribution on the Pelton turbine blades. Fluid flow simulations were performed using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method with SolidWorks Flow Simulation to model the fluid interaction with the blades in detail. The simulation results show that an angle of 15° produces maximum impact force in the FY direction with a very sensitive response to increasing pressure, while an angle of 35° dominates the force in the FZ direction at high pressure. An angle of 30° provides a more stable force distribution. The conclusion of this study confirms that selecting the right nozzle angle is crucial for optimizing energy transfer and maintaining the structural durability of the Pelton turbine.