runner

A runner is a key component of a turbine, specifically a water turbine. It is the part that rotates and converts the energy of the moving fluid into mechanical work. In impulse turbines, like the Pelton wheel, the runner has curved buckets designed to be struck by a high-velocity water jet. In reaction turbines, such as Francis, Kaplan, or propeller types, the runner's blades extract energy from the water as it flows through, causing a pressure drop and driving the rotor. The design of the runner, including the shape and adjustability of its blades, is crucial for optimizing efficiency across different water heads and flow rates.12