The hydro turbine solution for very low head and low output hydro power station

Nowadays, very low heads can be used for power generation in a way that is economically feasible. So far, Forster hydro turbine has supplied more than 100 units, ranging from heads from 2m up to 22 m, with a maximum runner diameter of 800 mm and outputs from 10 KW up to 400 KW.
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The most important feature of a bulb tubular turbine is the horizontal positioning of the shaft, which results in a reduced size compared to a vertical shaft arrangement.

After the intake, the water passes through the moveable wicket gates, which are another device besides the runner for adjusting the water discharge and, as a result, the turbine output. Levers and links connect the wicket gates to the regulating ring, which is moved by two double acting servomotors. After passing the runner, the water exits from the turbine through the draft tube.

The generator is located in a watertight housing called the “bulb”.

For hydropower stations with very low heads, it is sometimes more economical to use a pit turbine or generator concept by forster hydro turbine. A step-up gearbox increases the speed of the generator to make this component more compact and, therefore, less expensive. This increases the feasibility of these projects.Forster hydro turbine teams have extensive experience in bulb tubular turbine technology.