The Kaplan turbine was invented in 1913 by an Austrian professor, Viktor Kaplan. It is a hydraulic reaction turbine that works with small pressure heads to few dozen meters. It is a propeller-type turbine, and can be single or double regulation.
In these latter, the runner blades can be regulated according to the distributor position, allowing it to maintain an high efficiency to flow rates of 20-30% of the nominal one.
The water reaches the runner first via a particular shaped room, which distributes the entire flow on the circumference of the distributor, and then this latter, which has the function of adjusting the flow and rotates the water along the axle of the wheel. The water then invest axially the runner blades, which transforms the hydraulic energy into mechanical.
When the water leaves the runner pass through a divergent diffuser, whit the function of kinetic energy recover.
Our Kaplan turbines can be installed on pressure heads of between 2 and 30 metres. We trade open flume, concrete spiral case and circular section steel spiral case types of Kaplan turbines.
http://www.ghiggia.it/en/products/kaplan-turbines#sigProGalleria8ebd61887c
