Impulssturbines

Impulssturbines, also known as impulse turbines, are a type of reaction turbine that convert the potential energy of a fluid into kinetic energy before it enters the turbine. This is achieved by passing the fluid through a nozzle, where its pressure drops and its velocity increases. The high-velocity jet then strikes buckets or vanes on the turbine's runner, causing it to rotate. The most common example of an impulse turbine is the Pelton turbine, often used in hydroelectric power generation for high head and low flow applications. In a Pelton turbine, the water jet is directed tangentially onto the runner, which consists of a series of double-cupped buckets. The shape of the buckets is crucial, as they split the jet and deflect it backward, maximizing the transfer of momentum to the runner. The force exerted by the water jet on the buckets creates torque, which drives a generator to produce electricity. Impulse turbines are characterized by operating at atmospheric pressure within the turbine casing, as the entire energy conversion happens in the nozzle. The efficiency of an impulse turbine is highly dependent on the nozzle design and the runner's speed relative to the water jet velocity.