Experimental Assessment of Hydrodynamic Behavior in a Gravitational Vortex Turbine with Different Inlet Channel and Discharge Basin Configurations

Laura Velásquez, Juan Pablo Rengifo, José Urrego, Ainhoa Rubio-Clemente and Edwin Chica ()
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Laura Velásquez: Grupo de Energía Alternativa, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Juan Pablo Rengifo: Grupo de Energía Alternativa, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia
José Urrego: Grupo de Energía Alternativa, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Ainhoa Rubio-Clemente: Grupo de Energía Alternativa, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia
Edwin Chica: Grupo de Energía Alternativa, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Antioquia, Calle 70 No. 52-21, Medellín 050010, Colombia

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-27

Abstract: Gravitational vortex turbines can provide a sustainable and efficient solution for generating renewable energy from small watercourses, minimizing environmental impact, and contributing to the decentralization of energy production. Their design allows for high energy efficiency even under low flow conditions, thus benefiting rural communities and reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. This paper presents an experimental assessment of the hydrodynamic behavior of gravitational vortex turbines by examining various geometric configurations. The combinations of two types of inlet channels (spiral and tangential) and two types of discharge basins (conical and cylindrical) were investigated. Additionally, different geometries and placements of the runners were evaluated to determine their influence on the efficiency and performance of the turbine. The results indicate that the highest efficiency of 60.85% was achieved with a configuration that included a spiral inlet channel, cylindrical discharge, and a runner placement of 50%.

Keywords: gravitational vortex turbine; spiral inlet; tangential inlet; efficiency; renewable energy; conical basin; cylindrical basin (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: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:22:p:5773-:d:1524052

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