Fatigue Strength Analysis of a Prototype Francis Turbine in a Multilevel Lifetime Assessment Procedure Part I: Background, Theory and Assessment Procedure Development

Eduard Doujak, Simon Stadler, Gerald Fillinger, Franz Haller, Michael Maier, Armin Nocker, Johannes Gaßner and Julian Unterluggauer
Additional contact information
Eduard Doujak: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Simon Stadler: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Gerald Fillinger: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Franz Haller: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Michael Maier: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Armin Nocker: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Johannes Gaßner: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria
Julian Unterluggauer: Research Group, Fluid-Flow Machinery, Institute for Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien Getreidemarkt 9/302, 1060 Vienna, Austria

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-30

Abstract: Electricity generation is becoming increasingly flexible in Europe these days. Due to the integration of new renewable energy sources like wind and photovoltaic, other conventional resources, such as hydropower, operate within a brought range around their best efficiency point, thus leading to higher dynamical loads at the water-bearing parts, especially at the runner and the guide vanes (background). By scrutinizing the literature of the past years, one could summarize the outcome in that way, that research projects focused either on model measurements with higher visual accessibility or, less often, on prototype measurements in existing power plants. Today prototype measurements are performed, if possible, to eliminate scaling effects. Moreover, increasing computing power allows prototype simulations to be carried out within a reasonable time. At the acknowledged research projects, prototype and model measurements and numerical simulations have been performed to identify the main gaps in Francis turbines’ lifetime assessment (methods). One special outcome of these investigations was the impracticality of numerical simulations and calculation time, respectively, of start and stop events. Therefore, a prototype measurement with focus at this operating point should be performed to provide more data and an insight into the unit’s behavior. The future goal is a comprehensive machine unit lifetime assessment of the water-bearing parts in a Francis turbine machine set (results). This complex task needs several steps, beginning from measurements through simulations towards data processing. A particular challenge is posed, when the assessment methods are applied to old machines.

Keywords: hydropower; hydraulic turbines; lifetime assessment; multilevel procedure (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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