Preliminary hydropower turbine sizing
Hydropower turbine sizing and selection
From net head and flow to the feasible turbine types, valid configurations and a downloadable spec sheet — a preliminary sizing in minutes, in the browser.
2,800+ registered users · 4,400+ sizings run · Pelton, Francis, Kaplan, Archimedean screw · since 2016
The problem
Every hydropower feasibility study starts the same way
Before any detailed design, you need to know which turbine fits the site — and what it roughly costs. That answer usually lives in scattered correlations, old spreadsheets and tribal knowledge.
Scattered methods
Nomograms, papers and personal spreadsheets that rarely agree.
Hard to compare
Pelton vs Francis vs Kaplan vs screw — each evaluated by hand, separately.
Slow to a number
Days to a defensible preliminary power, speed and cost estimate.
How it works
Three steps, one defensible answer
Enter your site
Net head, design flow and grid frequency. That's all the engine needs to start.
Get feasible machines
Which turbine types fit, with valid configurations, speed, efficiency and runner geometry.
Export the spec sheet
A clean, costed, downloadable PDF — ready for your feasibility report.
What you get
Feasible machines on screen, a spec sheet on paper
Every feasible configuration with its rotational speed, efficiency and cost range, then a PDF spec sheet for the one you choose.
Validated engineering
Built on a decade of turbomachinery design. 4,400+ sizings run by 2,800+ engineers, developers and researchers since 2016.
Pricing
Pay per sizing. Credits never expire.
Small sites are free. For professional sizings you buy credits — one credit per professional sizing, no subscription, no expiry.
Credits never expire · one credit per professional sizing · prices billed excluding VAT.
FAQ
Questions
What does HPP-Design do?+
It produces a preliminary sizing for a hydropower site: given net head and flow, it selects the feasible turbine types and returns valid configurations, performance and a rough cost — as a downloadable spec sheet.
Who is it for?+
Independent hydropower developers, engineers at utilities and EPCs, and technical universities — anyone who needs a fast, defensible preliminary sizing.
Which turbine types are supported?+
Pelton, Francis, Kaplan and Archimedean screw, each within its valid head and flow range: see the turbine families.
How accurate are the results?+
It's a preliminary sizing, not a detailed design — built on a decade of validated turbomachinery engineering and meant to get you to a defensible number fast.
Do credits expire?+
No. Credits never expire, and there's no subscription.
From the blog
Notes on turbine design and cost
Ready to size your next site?
Start free on small sites. Buy credits when you need a professional spec sheet.
Contact us
Talk to us
Questions about a hydroelectric project, a sizing, the platform or pricing? Send us a message and we'll get back to you by email.