KAPLAN
This vertically mounted turbine is ideal when the available head is low and the flow is high. Kaplan turbines are capable of working with as little as 1.5m of head and we can provide Kaplan turbines to work with up to 70m of head. You can achieve a very high efficiency over the operating range with the Kaplan turbine.
HOW IT WORKS
Kaplan turbines are reaction turbines. This turbine acquires its energy from a high flow of water. Vertical guide vanes direct water radially onto the runner blades and rotate the runner. On higher heads the unit speed of the turbine allows the Kaplan to sometimes be coupled directly onto a generator improving the overall efficiency.
While kaplan turbines are of similar design concept to Axial-Flow turbines however water flows parallel to the shaft in an Axial-Flow turbine and the water flows radially inwards and around the shaft of a Kaplan turbine.