This dissertation presents a new methodology for relating turbine characteristics to hydropower site parameters. Survey of the literature and recent developments in methodologies for turbine selection have been presented. This is followed by the development and listing of alternative relationships specifying the characteristics of vertical-shaft Francis, Kaplan and vertical- and horizontal-shaft Pelton turbine units as dependent variables and hydropower site parameters as independent or explanatory variables. These new relationships are based on conventional turbine constants used in hydropower theory. The hydropower site parameters were arranged and used in the form of simple ratios to represent the independent variables while the turbine characteristics were used to represent the dependent variables. Data for the study were collected for turbines installed between 1966 and 1984 for approximately 400 Francis, Kaplan and Pelton turbines manufactured all over the world. These data were supplied by turbine manufacturers and agencies which own or operate hydropower plants.;The results of an extensive investigation of the characteristics of the conventional turbines are presented in the form of regression equations, tables and nomographs. Similar relationships between the characteristics of other types of turbines including Bulb, Tubular and Crossflow turbines and hydropower site parameters were published by the author and Professor Warnick in 1983. The regression equations of the earlier published material have been revised and presented in this dissertation for comparison with the study of Francis, Kaplan and Pelton turbines and for easy reference. The new work and the earlier published information constitute a complete coverage of turbines presently available for use.;A standardized methodology for turbine selection based on the empirical relations developed in this study is presented. This methodology is based on non-proprietary turbine characteristics of diameter and speed and hydropower site parameters of head and flow which are obtained early during planning and feasibility studies for hydropower projects;Application of the new methodology for different types of turbines has been presented in example problems that have been solved in the case of particular hydropower sites. The characteristics of the selected turbines have been compared with the results obtained by using different methodologies for turbine selection currently in use in American and European governmental agencies and private consulting firms. Finally, the dissertation provides conclusions, and makes recommendations for future research in the process of standardizing the methodology for turbine selection.
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