1 MW Pelton Hydro Turbine Generator Set

Overview

How it works

A Pelton turbine converts high water pressure into a fast jet. The jet strikes buckets on the runner, and the runner shaft drives the generator. Because the energy transfer happens in air at atmospheric pressure, the design is well suited to sites with a large vertical drop and modest flow, such as mountain streams.

Rated data

This set is rated at 1,000 kW at a design head of 300 m and a flow of 0.4 m³/s, with a rated speed of 750 r/min. The runner is cast in stainless steel ZG06Cr13Ni4Mo, chosen for resistance to wear and cavitation damage from fast water. The generator is a three-phase synchronous machine with brushless excitation, which removes carbon brushes and slip rings from the maintenance list. An automatic control system looks after start-up, running and shutdown.

Voltage and frequency

The set can be built for 400 V or 6,300 V and for 50 or 60 Hz. These are selectable options, matched to your grid or load requirements before building.

Where it is used

Developers use this class of unit on high-head rivers, irrigation drops and water-supply pipelines with spare pressure. It runs in parallel with a grid or as the main source for an isolated network.

Choosing a configuration

The actual net head and flow at your intake may differ from the design point, so the nozzle and runner details are checked against site data. Voltage, frequency, the scope of valves, governing and control cabinets, and the penstock layout and powerhouse dimensions complete the configuration.

Installation and site

The set is manufactured and tested in our factory. The quotation lists each item in the supply scope, foundation and piping drawings are provided, and our engineers can support installation and commissioning.

Why a Pelton set for this site

At 300 m head and 0.4 m³/s, this is a high-head, low-flow site, and an impulse turbine is the natural answer. The Pelton runner is hit by high-speed water jets in free air, so efficiency stays high even when flow drops. That is why mountain streams with a steep penstock are almost always served by Pelton or similar impulse machines rather than Francis.

Compared with the 100 kW inclined-jet set, which serves heads of 35–120 m with a simpler casing, the 1 MW Pelton is a larger, higher-pressure machine, built for long steel penstocks and a more careful powerhouse design. Compared with the 200 kW Francis set it will not tolerate high silt well, because fine sand wears buckets and nozzles quickly; sites with silt benefit from a desilting basin and stainless-steel parts. The generator runs at 750 r/min, so the powerhouse needs a rigid foundation and a straight coupling alignment. Plan for a water hammer analysis of the penstock before ordering valves.