Pelton Wheel Development Project

Problem StatementThe effectiveness of the Civil Engineering department’s pelton wheel, as a learning tool, needs to be improved. This is to be done by showing students a visual display of the power being generated by the wheel.

Solution• Attach a generator to the pelton wheel.• Attach a load to the generator. • Mount entire recycled assembly on new tank.• Develop a new laboratory experiment.

Team MembersPhillip Spinden, Ian Haynes, Kenneth Fletcher, Jennifer Jones

SponsorsCivil Engineering DepartmentDr. LiouShell Renewable Energy GrantTechnical AdvisorsDr. Liou Don ParksDr. Law Russ Porter

http://seniordesign.engr.uidaho.edu/2012-2013/peltonwheel/

Future Tasks• Automated data acquisition• Power flow display• Labview integration

BackgroundA pelton wheel is a hydraulic turbine used to generate power from high head, low flow rate water sources such as mountain streams.

0 100 2000

2

4

6

8

10

0

100

200

T(, 200 )T(, 58 )T(, 3.56 )pw()Ppw()

Torque and Power vs. Speed

T 200( )

T 58( )

T 3.56 ( )

pw ( )

Ppw ( )

Pump TurbineTorque

Transducer

Generator

Load

System Diagram

Tank Design Final Assembly

Power and Torque Results