Draft tube is a pipe of gradually increasing diameter which connects the exit of runner of turbine to tail race. In case of reaction turbine , one part of available head is converted into K.E before entry to runner and rest of energy is in the form of pressure energy. This pressure energy is gradually converted into runner, thus the velocity leaving the runner is at high velocity. Draft converts K.E to pressure head . also 1) To decrease the pressure at the runner exit to a value less than atmospheric pressure and thereby increase the effective working head. ii) To recover a part of electric energy into pressure head at the exit of draft tube. This enables easy discharge to atmosphere.
Types of draft tube:
i. Conical draft tube.
ii. Simple elbow draft tube.
iii. Moody spreading draft tube.
iv. Elbow draft tube with circular cross section at inlet and rectangular at outlet.