Numerical investigation of alleviation of undesirable effect of inter-blade vortex with air admission for a low-head Francis turbine

In order to compensate for the stochastic nature of the power grid due to the tremendous development and the integration of renewable energy resources and meet its other requirements,the hydraulic turbines are forced to operate more frequently under partial load conditions with singular and misaligned flows inevitably excited by the inter-blade vortex.This paper presents numerical investigations of the unsteady characteristics of the inter-blade vortex for a low-head model Francis turbine.The SST k-ωturbulent model is used to close the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS)equation.The flow structure of the inter blade vortex predicted by the numerical simulation is confirmed by experimental visualizations.It is shown that the total vortex volume in the runner sees a quasi-periodical oscillation,with significant flow separations created on the suction side of the runner blade.A counter measure by using the air admission into the water from the head cover is implemented to alleviate the undesirable effect of the inter-blade vortex.The analyses show that the development of the inter-blade vortex is significantly mitigated by the injecting air that controls and changes the spatial distribution of streamlines.Furthermore,the flow aeration with a suitable air flow rate can reduce the energy dissipation caused by the inter-blade vortex and plays a critical role in preventing the excessive amplitudes of the pressure fluctuation on the suction side of the runner blade.This investigation provides an insight into the flow mechanism underlying the inter-blade vortex and offers a reference to alleviate and mitigate the adverse consequences of the inter-blade vortex for the Francis turbine.

Experimental Investigation of Inter-Blade Vortices in a Model Francis Turbine

The inter-blade vortex in a Francis turbine becomes one of the main hydraulic factors that are likely to cause blade erosion at deep part load operating con- ditions. However, the causes and the mechanism of inter- blade vortex are still under investigation according to present researches. Thus the causes of inter-blade vortex and the effect of different hydraulic parameters on the inter-blade vortex are investigated experimentally. The whole life cycle of the inter-blade vortex is observed by a high speed camera. The test results illustrate the whole life cycle of the inter-blade vortex from generation to separation and even to fading. It is observed that the inter- blade vortex becomes stronger with the decreasing of flow and head, which leads to pressure fluctuation. Meanwhile, the pressure fluctuations in the vane-less area and the draft tube section become stronger when inter-blade vortices exist in the blade channel. The turbine will be damaged if operating in the inter-blade vortex zone, so its operating range must be far away from that zone. This paper reveals the main cause of the inter-blade vortex which is the larger incidence angle between the inflow angle and theblade angle on the leading edge of the runner at deep part load operating conditions.

Numerical simulation of cavitation turbulence in Francis turbine runner with splitter blades

Cavitation will reduce the turbine performance and even damage the turbine components.To verify the effects of splitter blades on improving the cavitation performance,the cavitation flow inside a Francis turbine runner with splitter blades was numerically simulated by using the Singhal cavitation model and the standard k-ε turbulence model.The distributions of static pressure and gas volume fractions on the surface of the runner blades were predicated under different conditions,and the cavitation in the flow field of the runner was analyzed.The results show that the static pressure and gas volume fractions are more uniformly distributed on the short blades than those on the long blades in Francis turbines with splitter blades,and there is almost no cavitation on the short blades;their distributions are more uniform under small flow conditions than those under large flow conditions;and large gas volume fractions are concentrated at the outlet tip near the band on the suction side of the long blade.The installation of splitter blades can improve the cavitation performance of conventional Francis turbines.

Numerical Study on the Blade Channel Vorticity in a Francis Turbine

A relevant way to promote the sustainable development of energy is to use hydropower.Related systems heavily rely on the use of turbines,which require careful analysis and optimization.In the present study a mixed experimental-numerical approach is implemented to investigate the related mixed water flow.In particular,particle image velocimetry(PIV)is initially used to verify the effectiveness of the numerical model.Then numerical results are produced for various conditions.It is shown that an increase in the guide vane opening can reduce the extension of the region where the fluid velocity is 0 at the inlet of the runner blade,i.e.,it can counteract the generation of the channel vortex;an increase in the guide vane opening also contributes to mitigate the pressure acting on the runner blade;no matter what the working conditions are,the surface pressure is usually higher than that on the suction surface,and there is a cliff-like drop of pressure at the tail of the blade,which indicates that the runner blade tail is more prone to develop backflow.

A Fatigue Analysis of a Hydraulic Francis Turbine Runner

In this work, the estimation of crack initiation life of a hydraulic Francis turbine runner is presented. The life prediction is based on the local strain approach to predict the initiation life. First, the analysis is carried out in air and in water condition and the runner’s natural frequencies were calculated using the finite element (FE) method. The analysis in air is compared with experimental analysis in order to have a representative model of real runner and subsequently the numerical analysis was perform in water. In the case of the runner immersed in water, the added mass effect due to the fluid structure interaction (FSI) is considered. Second, the static and dynamic stresses were calculated according to life estimation. For the calculation of static stresses, the pressure distribution of water and the centrifugal forces were applied to the runner. The dynamic stresses were estimated for interactions between the guide vane and the runner. Lastly, the estimation of the crack initiation life of the runner was obtained.

Prediction of Hydraulic Stability of Francis Turbines of Three Gorges Hydropower Station

The Francis turbine of Three Gorges hydropower station is one of the large turbines with great head variation in the world. The operational stability of the turbine has been the top subject for departments of design, research, manufacture and operation to be concerned about. During the course of preparing bid invitation documents and executing the contract for the Three Gorges left power plants turbogenerator units, the hydraulic stability of the turbine was regarded as the most important problem and specific stability indexes of the model turbine and the prototype turbine were respectively specified in the contract. In the model tests for turbine model acceptance, pressure fluctuation phenomena in the case of partial load were found to be different from the usual ones as people had known. Within the range of operating water head, there existed a peak value zone of pressure fluctuations with higher frequencies, and large amplitude pressure fluctuations simultaneously occurred in several localities from the spiral case entrance to the draft tube. On the basis of test results from the model, the influence of cavitation coefficient and aeration on pressure fluctuations is analyzed, and some measures to improve the hydraulic stability of turbines of Three Gorges hydropower station are expounded.

Francis Turbine and Governor Improved Models Considering Step Closing Law of Guide Vanes for Power System Stability Analysis

The Francis turbine governing system models in PSD-BPA can’t precisely reflect the actual characteristics. Endeavor was done in this paper to solve the problem. An improved model of actuating mechanism was developed, which could reflect the step closing characteristic of hydro guide vanes. The effect of the inflection point value of actuating mechanism on load rejection was analyzed based on simulation. The non-linear Francis turbine model with power versus gate position module was researched in this paper. Based on field test, comparisons of simulation results with measured data were presented. The analysis demonstrates that the improved models of Francis turbine and governor proposed in this paper are more realistic than the models of BPA, and can be applied in power system simulation analysis better.

Improving the Energy Performance of a High-Pressure Hydraulic Turbine by Researching the Flow in the Flow Part

In this study, the goal is to increase the efficiency of a high-pressure hydraulic turbine. The goal is achieved by numerical flow simulation using CFX-TASCflow. This approach reduces costs and time compared to the experimental approach and allows for improving the turbine productivity and its design. The analysis of energy losses in the flow part of the turbine Fr500, as well as the analysis of the influence of the opening of the guide vanes on changes in energy losses. The results showed that the greatest losses occur in the guide vane 3.02% based on the two-dimensional model and 2.5% based on the 3D model, which significantly affects the efficiency. The analysis was carried out using programs for calculating fluid flow in two-dimensional and three-dimensional formulations. With the help of the study, the main energy problem is solved—increasing efficiency.

混流式水轮机流动特性及寿命分析

混流式水轮机流动为一个不稳定的瞬态过程,启动和停机时的水力冲击压力脉动均会对水轮机的部件产生不利影响。为了获取水轮机内部流场及关键部位材料流场变化及压力载荷信息,以滩坑水电站水轮机为例,利用Creo 3D建模软件完成对整个水轮机全流道1∶1的三维数值仿真模拟,采用Meshing构建水轮机的流体网格模型,采用Fluent进行准确计算,对不同转速下混流式水轮机进行流场分析及寿命评估。结果表明,由于水轮机的旋转作用,其接近尾水管区域负压尤为明显,随着转速的增加,其负压更加明显。随着水轮机转速的增加,尾水管边缘区域流体流速更大,且尾水管出口区域流速分布不均,更容易产生较大的阻力;转轮下方空化情况逐步剧烈,这是由于转轮后方负压区逐渐增加所致,空化区域均分布于叶片背面靠近转轴部分,水轮机叶片正面和背面压力有明显减小趋势,转轮叶片背面负压范围接近20%,因此会发生汽蚀破坏;同时转轮所受应力也在增加,应力主要集中在叶片尖端,最大应力的增加使得转轮寿命减小,更容易产生裂纹,研究结果可为实际运行提供参考依据。

1000 MW水轮机转轮径向安装偏差对流动特征的影响

本文以百万千瓦混流机组为研究对象,使用ANSYS软件进行三维全流道稳态数值分析。探究在额定工况下,当转轮出现Y轴负方向0.1 mm、0.3 mm、0.5 mm、1.5 mm、2.5 mm的径向安装偏差时,间隙分布不均匀对于百万千瓦大型水轮机组内部流动特征的影响。研究发现,在一定偏差数值内,随着间隙的减小,该区域压力逐渐上升,但超过该数值以后,流体无法流入则变为了低压区。另外,上冠腔和下环腔均出现了相同数量的旋涡演变周期,但旋涡的发生位置不同,上冠腔旋涡较剧烈,且数量与叶片数呈非整数倍关系。最后阐明了下环腔内壁面受到的旋涡流动冲击程度要大于上冠腔内壁面。因此,本研究可以应用于其他大中型混流式水轮机的设计与安装,对于提高水轮机运行质量、降低运行成本和提高水电站效益具有重要意义。

多能互补条件下水轮机转轮改造深化设计研究

为适应新型电力系统的多能互补需求,本文以李家峡水电站水轮机适用多能互补改造为研究对象,对多能互补系统中的常规水电站机组进行了深化设计研究,提出了水轮机改造深化设计理念,阐明了多能互补系统要求下机组的运行加权因子计算方法,并提出了机组改造深化设计的水力设计目标,为水轮机改造的深化设计提供了方向指导。根据水轮机改造深化设计后的水力模型试验表明:深化设计后的水轮机比前期改造的水轮机(未经过深化设计)在空化、压力脉动和叶片应力水平相当的情况下,有更高的水力模型额定效率和加权平均效率。深化设计后的水轮机不仅满足新型电力系统对水电站电能负荷调节能力的要求,而且机组的水力性能也得到了明显提升,可为类似水电站的水轮机改造设计提供借鉴。

巨型机组下导轴承安装偏差对油膜特性的影响

水电机组在“碳达峰、碳中和”中发挥着非常重要的作用。下导轴承是水电机组轴系的重要组件,用于径向支撑和约束主轴,在水轮发电机运行过程中发挥重要作用。本文建立了考虑喷淋系统的下导轴承整体三维模型,对其油膜润滑性能以及安装偏差对轴承负荷的影响开展研究。分析发现,喷淋系统减少了油箱内的油搅,但瓦块间的润滑油流动是混乱的,损失主要是由瓦块之间的混乱流动所造成。对瓦块均沿径向偏移的偏差模型,随着瓦块沿径向向内偏移,其油膜压力与温度均逐渐升高;对瓦块均向一侧偏移的偏差模型,随着瓦块均向x轴正向偏移,压力与温度呈不对称分布,瓦面的最大压力与最高温度随偏差的增加而增加,不平衡径向力随偏差的增加而增加。因此,在下导轴承的安装过程中,必须注意瓦块均布圆周与主轴的同轴度。本研究对提高水轮发电机运行质量、降低运行成本和提高水电站效益具有重要意义,为保障百万千瓦水电机组的稳定安全运行提供参考依据。

基于弱可压的混流式水轮机流动特性数值研究

高水头混流式水轮机由于水轮机上下游具有较高的压差,水流在高压力下呈弱可压缩性,影响机组内流特性的分布规律。为进一步探究弱可压缩性对水轮机压力脉动及涡流特性的影响,本文考虑水流的弱可压缩性,对Francis99高水头模型水轮机部分负荷流动特性开展非稳态数值研究。结果表明,在忽略和考虑可压缩两种模式下,水轮机无叶区及转轮内压力脉动信号脉动规律较一致。可压缩模式同时预测到尾水管内的低频高振幅和高频低振幅压力脉动信息,且与测试结果更为吻合,表明弱可压缩性对尾水管内流动信息的准确捕捉有重要影响。对压力信号进行同步和非同步分解后发现,表征涡带旋转的非同步分量主导了尾水管涡带的运动。进一步,考虑水流的可压缩性捕捉到的螺旋状尾水管涡带在整个演化周期内均显示为连续结构,且回流区与涡带位置相对应,表明涡带所占据的区域内主要由回流运动主导。

大型混流式水轮机转轮应力研究综述

混流式水轮机转轮的裂纹问题,降低了转轮的使用寿命,给机组运行带来了安全隐患,也是制约大型机组宽域运行的主要因素之一。混流式水轮机在低负荷工况的水力稳定性,决定了其运行的安全稳定范围。而叶片裂纹的产生及发展,与叶片在不同工况下的应力特性密切相关。本文总结了混流式水轮机裂纹出现的不同原因,分析了裂纹处理及预防的不同案例,详细对比了三种转轮应力研究方法的不同,最终对大型混流式水轮机转轮应力的研究前景做了总结和展望。

混流式水轮机非定常旋涡流动研究

采用standard模型对某水电站水轮机进行全流道三维非定常数值仿真,研究转轮内部叶道涡对尾水涡带成形及演化的影响。通过对两种流量工况下的转轮及尾水管内部流场进行分析,探究并揭示叶道涡和尾水涡带的生长、溃灭及其相互干涉演化机制。研究结果表明,通过对水轮机内部流场的全流道仿真,能直观动态地展示出内部三维涡结构的形成及演变特征,且通过观察转轮内的叶道涡和尾水管内的尾水涡带,能清晰地展现出两者之间的相互干涉过程。因此,该数值模拟对探讨水轮机组的安全运行具有一定的参考价值。

基于自适应综合权重的混流式水轮机健康状态评估模型

【目的】目前,水电行业对机组状态检修的需求十分强烈,因此作为状态检修关键环节的状态评估受到了广泛关注。然而,当前健康状态评估方法存在指导检修项目优化难,确定权重时具有主观盲从性与异常指标容易被淹没的问题。因此,研究提出了基于自适应综合权重的混流式水轮机健康状态评估模型。【方法】首先,建立符合工程实际的混流式水轮机运行状态多重指标体系,分别为设备层、部件层和指标层;其次,根据混流式水轮机不同评价指标的类型,将打分值、监测值与试验值转化为状态量化值;最后,采用S-AHP(Self-adaptive Analytic Hierarchy Process)确定初始相对权重,并引入客观修正因子α来得到综合权重β,计算各个部件以及整个设备的健康值。【结果】选取某水电站3号水轮机组2021年某日的监测数据与检修数据,代入文中模型和恒权重模型,结果显示:采用模型得到当下该混流式水轮机的健康值为0.730 1,设备处于轻微病态,其中水导设备处于中度病态,相比于恒权重模型结果更符合实际。【结论】结果表明:对于混流式水轮机的健康状态评估,模型评价结果比恒权重模型更符合实际,且可以指导具体检修项目的优化,有很大的推广应用价值,为混流式水轮机的状态检修提供参考。

变速恒频水轮机变流量工况下不稳定流动数值模拟

为了研究变流量条件下变速恒频水轮机正常运转时的涡流特性和水动力特性,基于STAR-CCM+软件进行了混流式变速恒频水轮机的水动力特性数值模拟,研究了定流量和正弦流量两种工况下导叶和转轮压力脉动特性和内部流动状态,对旋转速度改变引起的涡旋演化过程进行了可视化展示。结果表明:在低转速时,尾水管进口和转轮交界处存在随转速降低而聚合产生的大尺度涡,但在转速升高后其逐渐破碎、分离,最后消散;叶片靠近叶轮流道入口的吸力面上均存在涡流,尾水管中存在两个涡核中心,且位置随转速改变;无叶空间的压力脉动相对其余位置更剧烈,脉动幅值随着转速和流量的增大而增大。研究成果可为变速恒频水轮机的设计和工程应用提供依据和参考。

低水头混流式水轮机空化研究综述

随着全球节能减排和可再生能源需求的日益增加,低水头水轮机发挥着重要作用。低水头混流式水轮机的空化空蚀现象将导致过流部件表面材料损坏,影响发电安全与效率。通过查阅国内外相关文献可知,造成水轮机空化空蚀的关键因素分为内因与外因,内因为水轮机的材料硬度、塑性及材料的抗空蚀性能,外因为水轮机过流部件的表面粗糙度、水轮机淹没深度、水体温度和水体中的气体含量。针对两方面原因,国内外学者讨论了改善措施以及数值模拟在研究水轮机空化空蚀的应用,认为多相瞬态流动的CFD分析对于了解水轮机流动特性和性能非常有帮助。基于满足工程实况与学科发展的需要,本文提出了未来研究混流式空化空蚀的部分参考方向,为低水头混流式水轮机空化空蚀的研究提供了一定的借鉴。

基于CFD的混流式水轮机优化设计及流动特性分析

为提高水轮机运行稳定性,在设计中综合采用提高设计水头、扩大活动导叶分布圆直径、加厚叶片等方法优化转轮水力参数,利用商业CFD软件,基于SST k-ω湍流模型分析改造前后内部流动特性,使新转轮在额定工况及低水头小负荷区域的流道内无明显脱流,水力性能显著改善。非定常计算结果表明,新转轮压力脉动性能良好,在低负荷区域受涡带影响较大,但幅值较低,能够满足长期安全稳定运行。

高寒大温差地区大型混流式水轮机转轮现场制作工艺研究

巴塘水电站作为金沙江上游高海拔地区的重要梯级电站,面临大型设备运输困难,各部件组装过程中加工工艺受限等问题。国内首次在厂房附近进行高寒大温差地区现场制造组装大型混流式水轮机转轮,并实现两台机组转轮静平衡试验零配重。笔者详细介绍了大型混流式水轮机转轮的现场组焊、加工、热处理、静平衡等及各工艺流程的质量控制,为后续高寒大温差地区电站的转轮组装工艺提供参考经验。