Overshot Waterwheel/Water Turbine

Overshot waterwheel / water turbine works when the water that flows down into the upper edge of blades, and gravity of water will rotates paddle wheel (water turbine). Overshot waterwheel is waterwheel which is most widely used compared to other types of water wheel.

Figure 1: Overshot Waterwheel/Water Turbine

The following below is the advantages and disadvantages of using the overshot water wheel or water turbine:

The advantages of water wheel:

1. High level of efficiency can reach 85%.
2. Does not require a heavy flow.
3. Construction is simple.
4. Easy to maintenance.
5. The technology is simple and easy to implement in an isolated area.

The disadvantages of water wheel:

1. Because the flow of water from above, so reservoir water or dam water usually requires more investment.
2. Overshot waterwheel cannot be applied to high speed-rotation machine.
3. Overshot waterwheel requires a broader space for placement.
4. The power will be generated is relatively small.