• Bhatt, Jeewan Prakash
• Subedi, Rahul
• Thapa, Bhola
• Shakya, Tejesh Man
• Sujakhu, Surendra
• Kattel, Sangit

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Most of the hydro turbines in Nepalese power plants are imported from foreign industries. Findings from the studies have shown that up to 60% of the 13,000 MW capacity hydropower projects under the survey stage in Nepal would need Francis type of turbine with unit size below 5 MW. To meet the demand for turbines, Nepal has imported turbines worth US$ 5,616,072. The imported turbines from foreign industries could not address local problems of Nepalese hydropower. In Nepal, due to the sediment-laden condition of rivers alternative design and manufacturing techniques of turbines are necessary. To provide the new manufacturing techniques of Francis turbine in Nepal local casting process can be a solution because metal casting is a hereditary profession in Nepal since ancient periods till now. Large-sized bronze cast bells that are placed in Nepalese temples were manufactured in ancient times without a proper theoretical study on them. This paper discusses the materials testing of investment cast and sand cast brass materials of 14 kW Francis runner of Turbine Testing Lab (TTL) for exploring the possibilities of manufacturing Francis turbine. Tensile, Compressive and Charpy impact tests were performed base on ASTM standards and also the microscopic study was conducted at Kathmandu university laboratory. These testing results can be helpful for further studies on alternate turbine manufacturing processes as well.</jats:p>

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• impact test
• bronze
• brass
• investment casting