Study on the Effect of a Splitter-Blade Runner on the Flexibility Improvement of Existing Francis Turbine Units

Chi Lu, Heng Zhang, Zhengwei Wang (), Yijing Lv and Baig Mirza Umar
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Chi Lu: Huadian Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China
Heng Zhang: Huadian Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China
Zhengwei Wang: State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Yijing Lv: Huadian Electric Power Research Institute Co., Ltd., Hangzhou 310030, China
Baig Mirza Umar: State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-18

Abstract: The transition toward renewable-dominated power systems is increasingly constrained by the shortage of flexible regulation resources. Hydropower, with its rapid response and strong load-adjustment capability, remains a cornerstone for enabling large-scale integration of intermittent wind and solar energy. Splitter-blade runners are widely employed in medium- and high-head conventional hydropower plants and pumped-storage stations due to their broad high-efficiency operating range and superior stability. In this study, based on a runner replacement project at an existing hydropower station, refined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out to design a splitter-blade runner under strict dimensional constraints. The optimized runner expanded the unit’s stable operating range from 50–100% to 0–100% rated power, while also improving overall efficiency and reducing pressure pulsations. The optimized splitter-blade runner improved efficiency by 1–2%, reduced pressure pulsations in the draft tube by ≈25%, and decreased the runner radial force by ≈12% compared with the baseline configuration. Importantly, this work demonstrates for the first time that splitter-blade runners can be successfully applied at head ranges below 100 m, thereby extending their applicability beyond traditional limits. The results provide both theoretical and practical guidance for flexibility retrofits of existing Francis turbine units in China, offering a feasible pathway to support the adaptability of future renewable energy systems.

Keywords: Francis turbine; splitter-blade runner; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); hydropower flexibility; power station refurbishment (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: 2025
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