Hydro Power Virtual Laboratory

This is the second in a series of 'Virtual Laboratories' - a set of multimedia simulations for distance learning students on the 'MSc Renewable Energy' programme for CREST (Centre for Renewable Energy) at Loughborough University. In this virtual laboratory experiment, the student will evaluate and compare the performance characteristics of three types of water turbines (Kaplan, Francis and Pelton). The laboratory involves the use of a virtual 'Hydropower plant' in which the different turbines will be tested and measured under different hydraulic head and water flow measurements.

Main Objective of Lab
Student's are encourage to examine the characteristics of each turbine by taking readings for each turbine and produce relevant graphs in the software. Then to use the graphs to analyse each turbine's characteristics and comment on relationships.

• The student's can change the flow of water, guide vane anlgle of each turbine and the load put on each turbine. In this way, the students can see:
• under what conditions the maximum output power is achieved and how this relates to rotational speed and flow.
• comment on the change in flow in relation to the load.
• how the chaing load, nozzle or guide-vane angle affect the roational speed, output power, efficiency and flow rate.

SCREEN SHOTS:
Selecting the turbine
Choosing a guide vane angle
Adjusting the load
Viewing the plot output

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