Romeo Susan-Resiga

Analysis of the swirling flow downstream a Francis turbine runner

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the flow at the outlet of a Francis turbine runner is carried out in order to elucidate the causes of a sudden drop in the draft tube pressure recovery coefficient at a discharge near the best efficiency operating point. Laser Doppler anemometry velocity measurements were performed for both axial and circumferential velocity components at the runner outlet. A suitable analytical representation of the swirling flow has been developed taking the discharge coefficient as independent variable. It is found that the investigated mean swirling flow can be accurately represented as a superposition of three distinct vortices. An eigenvalue analysis of the linearized equation for steady, axisymmetric, and inviscid swirling flow reveals that the swirl reaches a critical state precisely (within 1.3%) at the discharge where the sudden variation in draft tube pressure recovery is observed. This is very useful for turbine design and optimization, where a suitable runner geometry should avoid such critical swirl configuration within the normal operating range.

Unsteady Pressure Analysis of a Swirling Flow With Vortex Rope and Axial Water Injection in a Discharge Cone

The variable demand of the energy market requires that hydraulic turbines operate atvariable conditions, which includes regimes far from the best efficiency point. The vortexrope developed at partial discharges in the conical diffuser is responsible for large pres-sure pulsations, runner blades breakdowns and may lead to power swing phenomena. Anovel method introduced by Resiga et al. (2006, “Jet Control of the Draft Tube in FrancisTurbines at Partial Discharge,” Proceedings of the 23rd IAHR Symposium on HydraulicMachinery and Systems, Yokohama, Japan, Paper No. F192) injects an axial water jetfrom the runner crown downstream in the draft tube cone to mitigate the vortex rope andits consequences. A special test rig was developed at “Politehnica” University of Timi-soara in order to investigate different flow control techniques. Consequently, a vortexrope similar to the one developed in a Francis turbine cone at 70% partial discharge isgenerated in the rig’s test section. In order to investigate the new jet control method anauxiliary hydraulic circuit was designed in order to supply the jet. The experimentalinvestigations presented in this paper are concerned with pressure measurements at thewall of the conical diffuser. The pressure fluctuations’ Fourier spectra are analyzed inorder to assess how the amplitude and dominating frequency are modified by the waterinjection. It is shown that the water jet injection significantly reduces both the amplitudeand the frequency of pressure fluctuations, while improving the pressure recovery in theconical diffuser. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4007074]Keywords: decelerated swirling flow, vortex rope, water injection method, unsteadypressure, experimental investigation

Axisymmetric Swirling Flow Simulation of the Draft Tube Vortex in Francis Turbines at Partial Discharge

The flow in the draft tube cone of Francis turbines operated at partial discharge is a complex hydrodynamic phenomenon where an incoming steady axisymmetric swirling flow evolves into a three-dimensional unsteady flow field with precessing helical vortex (also called vortex rope) and associated pressure fluctuations. The paper addresses the following fundamental question: is it possible to compute the circumferentially averaged flow field induced by the precessing vortex rope by using an axisymmetric turbulent swirling flow model? In other words, instead of averaging the measured or computed 3D velocity and pressure fields we would like to solve directly the circumferentially averaged governing equations. As a result, one could use a 2D axi-symmetric model instead of the full 3D flow simulation, with huge savings in both computing time and resources. In order to answer this question we first compute the axisymmetric turbulent swirling flow using available solvers by introducing a stagnant region model (SRM), essentially enforcing a unidirectional circumferentially averaged meridian flow as suggested by the experimental data. Numerical results obtained with both models are compared against measured axial and circumferential velocity profiles, as well as for the vortex rope location. Although the circumferentially averaged flow field cannot capture the unsteadiness of the 3D flow, it can be reliably used for further stability analysis, as well as for assessing and optimizing various techniques to stabilize the swirling flow. In particular, the methodology presented and validated in this paper is particularly useful in optimizing the blade design in order to reduce the stagnant region extent, thus mitigating the vortex rope and expending the operating range for Francis turbines.

Analysis and Prevention of Vortex Breakdown in the Simplified Discharge Cone of a Francis Turbine

We perform a numerical analysis of the decelerated swirling flow into the discharge cone of a model Francis turbine operated at variable discharge and constant head, using an axisymmetric turbulent swirling flow model and a corresponding simplified computational domain. Inlet boundary conditions correspond to velocity and turbulent kinetic energy profiles measured downstream the Francis runner. Our numerical results are validated against experimental data on a survey section further downstream in the cone, showing that the Reynolds stress turbulence model with a quadratic pressure-strain term correctly captures the flow field. It is shown that the diffuser performance quickly deteriorates as the turbine discharge decreases, due to the occurrence and development of vortex breakdown, with a central quasistagnant region. We investigate a novel flow control technique, which uses a water jet injected from the runner crown tip along the axis. It is shown that the jet discharge can be optimized for minimum overall losses, while the vortex breakdown is eliminated. This flow control method is useful for mitigating the Francis turbine flow instabilities when operating at partial discharge.

Flow-Feedback Method for Mitigating the Vortex Rope in Decelerated Swirling Flows

When reaction hydraulic turbines are operated far from the design operating regime, particularly at partial discharge, swirling flow instability is developed downstream of the runner, in the discharge cone, with a precessing helical vortex and its associated severe pressure fluctuations. Bosioc et al. (2012, “Unsteady Pressure Analysis of a Swirling Flow With Vortex Rope and Axial Water Injection in a Discharge Cone,” ASME J. Fluids Eng., 134(8), p. 081104) showed that this instability can be successfully mitigated by injecting a water jet along the axis. However, the jet discharge is too large to be supplied with high pressure water bypassing the runner, since this discharge is associated with the volumetric loss. In the present paper we demonstrate that the control jet injected at the inlet of the conical diffuser can actually be supplied with water collected from the discharge cone outlet, thus introducing a new concept of flow feedback. In this case, the jet is driven by the pressure difference between the cone wall, where the feedback spiral case is located, and the pressure at the jet nozzle outlet. In order to reach the required threshold value of the jet discharge, we also introduce ejector pumps to partially compensate for the hydraulic losses in the return pipes. Extensive experimental investigations show that the wall pressure fluctuations are successfully mitigated when the jet reaches 12% of the main flow discharge for a typical part load turbine operating regime. About 10% of the jet discharge is supplied by the plain flow feedback, and only 2% boost is insured by the ejector pumps. As a result, this new approach paves the way towards practical applications in real hydraulic turbines.

Unsteady Simulations of the Flow in a Swirl Generator, using OpenFOAM

This work presents numerical results, using OpenFOAM, of the flow in the swirl flow generator test rig developed at Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania. The work shows results computed by solving the unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations. The unsteady method couples the rotating and stationary parts using a sliding grid interface based on a GGI formulation. Turbulence is modeled using the standard k-e model, and block structured wall function ICEM-Hexa meshes are used. The numerical results are validated against experimental LDV results, and against design velocity profiles. The investigation shows that OpenFOAM gives results that are comparable to the experimental and design profiles. The unsteady pressure fluctuations at four different positions in the draft tube is recorded. A Fourier analysis of the numerical results is compared whit that of the experimental values. The amplitude and frequency predicted by the numerical simulation are comparable to those given by the experimental results, though slightly over estimated.

Unsteady pressure measurements and numerical investigation of the jet control method in a conical diffuser with swirling flow

The paper presents our numerical results and experimental measurements for swirling flow with precessing vortex rope into a conical diffuser with water jet control. A test rig was designed and developed at Politehnica University of Timisoara in order to investigate different flow control techniques. Consequently, a vortex rope like in Francis turbine cone at 70% partial discharge is generated into the test rig section. The jet control method is experimentally investigated in order to mitigate the vortex rope and its associated pressure fluctuations. The unsteady pressure is recorded in 8 transducers flush mounted on the wall of the test section at different values of the jet discharge. The amplitude and frequency of the vortex rope is obtained based on unsteady pressure measurements using Fourier analysis. The 3D computational domain corresponds to the test rig section. The three-dimensional full unsteady turbulent computation is performed with jet control for different values of discharge. In numerical simulation, the unsteady pressures are obtained on the cone wall at the same positions as those in experimental investigation. Consequently, the amplitude and frequency of the vortex rope are computed and validated with experimental data. As a result, the amplitude and frequency are diminished if the water jet discharge is increased.

Decelerated Swirling Flow Control in the Discharge Cone of Francis Turbines

The decelerated swirling flow in the draft tube cone of Francis turbines is a complex hydrodynamic phenomenon, particularly when the turbine is operated at partial discharge. In this case, the self-induced instability of an incoming steady axisymmetric swirling flow evolves into a three-dimensional unsteady flow field, with precessing helical vortex (also called vortex rope) and associated severe pressure fluctuations. The paper presents the development of a swirling flow apparatus designed to generate the same flow conditions as in a Francis turbine at partial discharge, with corresponding helical vortex breakdown in a conical diffuser. This experimental setup allows the investigation of a novel flow control method aimed at mitigating the precessing vortex rope by injecting a water jet along the cone axis. Earlier investigations considered a high speed jet, with relatively small discharge, for stabilizing the flow. However, further parametric studies revealed that a jet with a discharge of up to 10% the turbine discharge and velocity close to the average value at the turbine throat is more effective for mitigating the quasi-stagnant central region associated with the vortex rope. It is shown in this paper that such a control jet can be produced by using a flow feedback method, where a fraction of the discharge is collected from downstream the cone wall and injected upstream along the axis without any additional energy input.

Numerical model for cavitational flow in hydraulic poppet valves

The paper presents a numerical simulation and analysis of the flow inside a poppet valve. First, the single-phase (liquid) flow is investigated, and an original model is introduced for quantitatively describing the vortex flow. Since an atmospheric outlet pressure produces large negative absolute pressure regions, a two-phase (cavitating) flow analysis is also performed. Both pressure and density distributions inside the cavity are presented, and a comparison with the liquid flow results is performed. It is found that if one defines the cavity radius such that up to this radius the pressure is no larger than the vaporization pressure, then both liquid and cavitating flow models predict the cavity extent. The current effort is based on the application of the recently developed full cavitation model that utilizes the modified Rayleigh-Plesset equations for bubble dynamics.

Experimental and numerical investigation of the precessing helical vortex in a conical diffuser, with rotor-stator interaction

The flow unsteadiness generated in a swirling apparatus is investigated experimentally and numerically. The swirl apparatus has two parts: a swirl generator and a test section. The swirl generator includes two blade rows, one stationary and one rotating, is designed such that the emanating flow resembles that of a Francis hydro turbine operated at partial discharge. The test section consists of a conical diffuser similar to the draft tube cone of a Francis turbine. A new control method based on a magneto rheological brake is employed in the rotating section, runner, in order to produce several swirling flow regimes. The LDV measurements are performed along three survey axes in the test section. The measured mean velocity components and its fluctuating parts are used to validate the results of unsteady numerical simulations, conducted using the FOAM-extend-3.0 CFD code. A dynamic mesh is used together with the sliding General Grid Interfaces (GGI) to mimic the effect of the rotating runner. The delayed detached eddy simulation method, conjugated with the Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model (DDES-SA), is applied to achieve a deep insight about the ability of this advanced modeling technique and the physics of the flow. The RNG k-epsilon model is also used to represent state-of-the art of industrial turbulence modeling. Both models predict the mean velocity reasonably well while DDES-SA presents more realistic flow features at the highest and lowest rotational speeds. The highest level of turbulence occurs at the highest and lowest rotational speeds which DDES-SA is able to predict well in the conical diffuser. The special shape of the blade plays more prominent role at lower rotational speeds and creates coherent structures with opposite sign of vorticity. The vortex rope is captured by both turbulence models while DDES-SA presents more realistic one at higher rotational speeds.