Water turbine
device · 1827 · Industrial Revolution
A turbine driven by flowing water (Fourneyron, Francis, Kaplan).
What it is made of
- Turbine runner — has part. Blades turned by the flow.
- Turbine guide vanes — has part. Adjustable guide vanes admit the water.
- Spiral turbine casing — has part. It distributes water evenly around the circle.
- Draft tube — has part. It carries away water and recovers some of the energy.
Principles and materials it uses
- Cast iron — is made of. Fourneyron’s turbine is cast iron.
- Gravity flow — uses. It is turned by falling water.
Where it is used
- Hydroelectric power station — is part of. Water turbines.
- Pumped-storage station — is part of. Reversible hydro units.
- Tidal power station — is part of. Turbines in the dam.
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Water wheel — evolved from. The turbine is a development of the water wheel.
What it is a kind of
- Turbine — is a kind of. A kind of turbine.