Hydraulic characteristics of pumped storage units from startup to no-load before synchronization based on PID control

Junxun Guo, Daqing Zhou and Haobo Wang

Energy, 2025, vol. 330, issue C

Abstract: The instability of the S-characteristic region at low head conditions has long posed challenges for the grid connection of pump-turbines. Enhancing stability during the startup phase before grid connection is therefore a crucial area of focus. This study employs user-defined functions programming and dynamic mesh technology to simulate the process from startup to no-load process accurately. By considering the dynamic characteristics of pressure fluctuations and vortex structures, we explore the factors influencing the instability of the runner at no-load conditions. Notably, when the rotational speed of the turbine is appropriately matched with the magnitude of the flow rate, abrupt changes in flow have a significantly greater impact on the radial forces experienced by the runner than on axial forces. The inclusion of a governor allows for a more precise simulation of the no-load state, capturing low-frequency components that traditional boundary conditions fail to address. During the stabilized phase after PID adjustment, the periodically separated vortices with chaotic and interlaced directions and the positive vortex rings near the drainage cone becomes significant. This study aims to provide new insights and guidance for the stable operation of low-head pump-turbines.

Keywords: Pump-turbine; S-shaped characteristic; No-load condition; Start-up; Synchronization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225023898
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:330:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225023898

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136747

Access Statistics for this article

Energy is currently edited by Henrik Lund and Mark J. Kaiser

More articles in Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().