Fluid-structure interactions in Francis turbines: A perspective review

Chirag Trivedi and Michel J. Cervantes

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2017, vol. 68, issue P1, 87-101

Abstract: Competitive electricity prices and reduced profit margins have forced hydraulic turbines to operate under critical conditions. The demand for extended operating ranges and the high efficiency of the turbine runners have forced manufacturers to produce lightweight runners. A turbine runner sometimes experiences resonance when a forced (flow-induced) excitation frequency approaches the runner’s natural frequency, resulting in failure. The cost of structural failure after commissioning is prohibitive. To attain a reliable and safe runner design, understanding of the structural response to flow-induced excitations is important. High amplitude pressure pulsations cause fatigue loading of the blades, which develop cracks over time. The amplitudes are dependent on the flow conditions, type of turbine and stator/rotor vane combinations. The structural response is dependent on the material properties, flow-induced damping and natural frequencies. Moreover, in a hydraulic turbine, changes in flow velocity from less than 1ms−1 to over 40ms−1 create challenges in predicting the response.

Keywords: Design; Fatigue; Flow; Fluid-structure interaction; Francis turbine; Numerical modeling; Pressure; Vibration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.09.121

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