What are the critical differences in cavitation erosion patterns between a Francis turbine runner and a Pelton turbine bucket?

Cavitation erosion occurs when vapor bubbles form and collapse rapidly near a metal surface, causing localized high-pressure impacts that damage the material. The patterns of this erosion differ significantly between Francis turbine runners and Pelton turbine buckets due to their distinct operating principles. In Francis turbines, cavitation typically occurs on the low-pressure side of the runner blades, near the inlet edge and on the back side of the blades. This is because the pressu....