Your Waterwheel Solution
Designed by a Frenchman named, Benoit Fourneyron in 1834. It was the end result of much effort by the French to design more efficient equipment to harness their streams to power their growing industry. The Fourneyron Turbine was a sensation from day one. It could handle any head from less than a foot up to many hundreds of feet efficiently. ( Up to 85% ) It could handle much more water flow than the open vertical wheels and it turned many times faster. It is as good today as it was in the 1830's. ( Maybe Better )
We at the Water Wheel Factory have chosen the Fourneyron design for our production. It is a simple design as the blades are bent only in one plane unlike most modern turbines which twist their blades. The original Fourneyron runners were cast all in one piece. The blades must to be made to exact "geometric" specifications so we have computerized the original formulas and specifications so that we can cut the individual pieces with a computer guided laser cutter and then weld them together into a modern version of the original runner. This has cut the cost of production.by half. Also the modern steel of which they are made is much stronger and smoother than the old cast iron was. It is easy to size the Fourneyron Turbine to the exact needs of the individual site where it is to be employed. We have all of the original formulas. Each turbine is fabricated for the exact flow and fall where it will operate.
As originally designed the Fourneyron had one "negative" quality. Its efficiency fell off sharply at part gate. We have fixed this and our new version can deliver near maximum efficiency down to 25% gate. The Fourneyron Turbine is of the outflow type. This means that you can see the action as the water exits all around the outside of the turbine. It needs no draft tube and you can position it just above,just below,or completely under the water with excellent efficiency.