Hydraulic Performance of a Francis Turbine with a Variable Draft Tube Guide Vane System to Mitigate Pressure Pulsations

Jesline Joy (), Mehrdad Raisee and Michel J. Cervantes
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Jesline Joy: Division of Fluid and Experimental Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden
Mehrdad Raisee: Hydraulic Machinery Research Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran 1417935840, Iran
Michel J. Cervantes: Division of Fluid and Experimental Mechanics, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: The present paper demonstrates a proof-of-concept by introducing a variable guide vane system in the draft tube of a high-head Francis model turbine. The aim is to examine the hydraulic performance of the turbine while mitigating the pressure pulsations in the draft tube. The guide vanes can rotate about an axis up to ±45°. The pressure pulsations mitigation studies were performed at lower- and upper-part loads. The hydraulic performance was examined at all operating ranges within the turbine head. There were six guide vane configurations considered between ±45°. The findings demonstrate that the highest efficiency loss with a guide vane configuration that mitigates the pressure pulsations is marginal, with modest improvements at the best efficiency point. The pressure pulsations are 100% mitigated at the lower part load, and there is a maximum decrement in the pressure pulsations up to 80% at the upper part load. The study demonstrates that such a system can improve the operational flexibility of the hydro-turbine by mitigating the pressure pulsations and marginally affecting its hydraulic performance.

Keywords: Francis turbine; rotating vortex rope mitigation; turbine performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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