200 kW Francis Hydro Turbine Generator Set

Overview

How it works

Water from the penstock enters the Francis runner radially and leaves axially, turning the shaft that drives the generator. The Francis design suits medium-head sites with steady flow, which is why it is the most common choice for small hydropower stations. Our 200 kW set is built around this turbine, with the generator, governing and control equipment selected to match your site.

What decides the final design

Head and flow set the runner size and speed. A given 200 kW output can be reached with different head and flow combinations, so the rated head and speed are set from your site data. The same family covers 50 kW to 20 MW, with vertical or horizontal shafts, steel plate or stainless steel parts, and either grid-connected or off-grid operation.

Where it is used

Typical customers are developers of small hydropower stations on rivers and canals, rural electrification projects, and factories or farms that want their own supply. In remote areas the set can run off-grid; where a grid is available it can be synchronized and sell power back.

Choosing a configuration

The main choices are generator voltage and frequency (400 V up to 10 kV, 50 or 60 Hz), vertical or horizontal arrangement based on the powerhouse layout, runner and casing material for sediment-laden water, and the governor and control cabinet scope, including grid synchronization.

Installation and site

The set is built and tested in our factory before shipping. Drawings for foundations and piping are provided so your civil contractor can prepare the powerhouse. The scope of supply, including valves, governor and control cabinets, is itemized in the quotation, and our engineers can guide installation and commissioning.

Francis or another turbine type?

A Francis turbine is the general-purpose choice for medium head. It works well from about 20 m to a few hundred meters and accepts a wide flow range through its guide vanes. Our other hydro sets cover the cases where a Francis is not the best fit. At 10 m head and similar power, the 200 kW Kaplan set has adjustable blades and runs more efficiently at part flow. Below about 25 m head with larger flow, the 500 kW tubular set gives a straight water path with a simpler civil layout. The 100 kW axial flow set suits very low heads on rivers and canals.

At the other end, the 1 MW Pelton and 100 kW inclined-jet sets are impulse machines for 35 m heads and above, where a Francis would need a very high rotational speed. If your site falls between categories, send head and flow records for a dry and a wet season. A Francis set at this size normally has a horizontal shaft, so the powerhouse floor needs space for the spiral case, a draft tube pit and a crane or lifting beam for maintenance.