COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BLADE ANGLE AND NUMBER ON THE ROTATIONAL PERFORMANCE OF A PELTON TURBINE

Abstract

The Pelton turbine is a type of impulse turbine ideal for hydroelectric power plants with high head and low discharge. However, the energy conversion efficiency of this turbine is greatly influenced by the blade design, especially the angle and number of blades. The main problem often found is the suboptimal pressure distribution and rotational stability due to variations in blade geometry. This study aims to analyze the effect of variations in blade angle (15°, 20°, 25°) and number of blades (18, 20, 24) on the rotational performance of a laboratory-scale Pelton turbine. The method used is Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation to evaluate pressure, fluid velocity, force, and torque in each configuration. The results show that the combination of a 15° angle with 18 blades produces the highest fluid acceleration, while a 20° angle with 24 blades provides the best pressure distribution and stability. This study recommends a design according to power and operational requirements.