We look down on the Ras turbine during inspection.

Our turbines

From mill wheel to turbine

The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used water to power mills, sawmills and irrigation systems. Until around 1900, hydropower was used exclusively for mechanical purposes. It was only through the development of the generator and the further development of turbines that electricity could finally be generated using hydropower.

Here, we present the different types of turbines that operate in our hydropower plants.

Kaplan turbine

The Kaplan turbine is a revolutionary Austrian invention by Viktor Kaplan and is primarily used for large volumes of water and low drop heights. The Kaplan rotor is like a ship's propeller.

Kaplan turbines are usually installed vertically so that the water flows through the turbine from top to bottom. The generator is located directly above the Kaplan turbine. The generated kinetic energy is transmitted from the Kaplan turbine to the generator with the aid of a vertical shaft. The Kaplan turbine has adjustable runner blades and guide vanes, which make it possible to optimally adjust the Kaplan turbine to the amount of water and drop height. Efficiency of 80% to 95% can be achieved. Kaplan turbines are used for river-based power plants because this type of turbine works well even with low drop heights and fluctuating flow rates. The water pressure steadily decreases from the inlet to the impeller to the outlet, which is why the Kaplan turbine falls into the category of reaction turbine.

The picture shows the turbine of the Altenwörth run-of-river power plant during inspection. The entire picture is dark and employees are working on the turbine.

Francis turbine

Named after James Francis, this turbine was developed and improved by him in the United States. Francis invented the first guide apparatus. Francis turbines are the most widely used because they have a wide range of applications.

In a Francis turbine, a spiral-shaped pipe makes the water spin. The water is then directed via the guide vanes onto the movable impeller inside. The pressure of the water sets the Francis impeller in motion. The rotational speed and the output of the turbine can be controlled with the aid of the guide vanes. Once the water has passed through the turbine wheel, it flows away downward. The Francis turbine is suitable for medium drop heights of 50 to 700 metres and medium flow rates. It is therefore used in run-of-river power plants and storage power plants.

We see a close-up of a Francis turbine. It has a nameplate on it: Voith.

Pelton turbine

The Pelton turbine was developed by American inventor Lester Pelton. This turbine most closely resembles the classic water wheel. In the Pelton turbine, the water strikes the buckets, which are shaped like two half-shells.

A Pelton wheel has between 20 and 40 rotor buckets, depending on its size. The water hits the splitter between the half-shells at high pressure from one or more controllable nozzles. The water jet is deflected by almost 180° in the buckets. This means the energy is transferred almost entirely to the turbine. This type of turbine is advantageous in terms of drop height. Pelton turbines are suitable for drop heights of 50 to 1,500 metres. With a drop height of 1,000 metres, the water jet can reach a speed of 500 km/h. The efficiency of this turbine is between 85% and 90%. Since drop height plays a major role in Pelton turbines, this turbine is typically found in power plants in high mountain regions. Relatively small amounts of water are used. A major advantage of the Pelton turbine is that each individual nozzle can be controlled independently, so fluctuations in the amount of water are no problem. The Pelton turbine is in the constant pressure turbine category because the pressure of the water entering and leaving the turbine wheel is the same.

Discover our turbines in action

With our interactive map, you can explore the various types of turbines in VERBUND’s hydropower plants. Find out what types of turbines are used where and how they contribute to sustainable energy generation. Use the filter functions to search for specific turbine types and learn more about the innovative technology behind our power plants.

Be inspired by engineering excellence and find out how VERBUND is developing state-of-the-art solutions for a sustainable energy future.

Hold the ALT key and use the scroll wheel to zoom in on the map.

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Our turbines

From mill wheel to turbine

Kaplan turbine

Francis turbine

Pelton turbine

Discover our turbines in action

Working with the
power of nature.
Together.

Hydropower

Energy sources

Take a closer look

Our turbines

From mill wheel to turbine

Kaplan turbine

Francis turbine

Pelton turbine

Discover our turbines in action

Working with the power of nature.Together.

Working with the
power of nature.
Together.