The hydraulic turbine, also known as a water turbine, is a rotating machine dedicated to convert potential energy into mechanical work. An turbine underwater is essential in power plants dedicated to producing energy using water.

Below, you will find all the information related to the operation of a water turbine. It is the first step to start opting for hydropower for your home or business.

First of all, what is a hydraulic turbine?

Hydraulic turbines are a prime mover that extracts energy (potential and kinetic energy) from the fluid it secretes and transfers most of the energy to mechanical work. That is, the rotation of the turbine runner shaft.

The hydraulic turbine is a device that converts hydraulic energy into electrical energy. It is essential to achieve adequate self-consumption and savings in electricity.

When the flowing water hits the turbine blade, the turbine blades rotate, which rotates the turbine blade shaft and a generator is connected to the turbine shaft so that the rotation of the shaft is transferred to the generator and electricity is produced.

The operation of the hydraulic turbine

Basically, the operation of hydraulic turbines is by means of the force generated by water, which can be due to the fall of a waterfall or to a simple flow of liquid. For this reason, they are usually located at the water outlets of reservoirs or rivers.

The force of the water is responsible for turning the turbine and the shaft, helping to operate the generator coupled to the turbine, initiating the process of converting the energy generated into electricity.

Therefore, the more water power there is, the more energy you can enjoy from the turbine. Since its discovery, it has been an essential tool for generating electricity in large countries and cities.

In addition, it is one of the best sources of energy because it is renewable and clean, causing no harm to the environment.

Types of hydraulic turbines available in the market

Generally, you will find them classified into two main types, they are defined according to the pressure change in the runner and the degree of reaction considered according to the runner design. In this case, we can classify them in the following ways:

• Action turbines: simply put, they are those where the working fluid has no relevant pressure change when passing through the runner.
• Reaction turbines: unlike the previous one, the fluid does have an important pressure change once it passes through the runner.

To understand each one more easily, you only need to know the degree of reaction of the hydraulic turbine. When talking about action turbines, these are the ones in charge of taking advantage of the water flow.

On the contrary, the reaction turbines, not only take advantage of the flow, but also of the pressure loss produced inside the turbine while it works. In conclusion, hydraulic turbines are of great importance in future energy production.