Xianzhu Wei

Numerical investigation on transient flow of a high head low specific speed pump-turbine in pump mode

Transient process of a pump-turbine, in which the inlet discharge decreases rapidly in pump mode, usually appears due to its frequent switch between pump mode and turbine mode. In order to ensure safe and stable operation, the mechanism of flow characteristics during the transient process was investigated combining numerical and experimental methods. First, steady and unsteady simulations were carried out using the shear-stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model under 19 mm guide vane opening. External and internal characteristics under different discharges were presented using numerical simulations based on experimental validation. The results show that the position and area of flow separation as well as appearance of vortices vary with time in the transient process. Finally, the variation of the transient frequency characteristics was obtained through short time Fourier transform. It indicates that main frequencies are blade passing frequency and its harmonic frequencies at the beginning of the transi...

Flow characteristics prediction in pump mode of a pump turbine using large eddy simulation

To obtain more accurate flow characteristics of pump turbines, the method of large eddy simulation with wall-adapting local eddy viscosity model is applied in simulating several operating points in the pump mode. Firstly, based on the experimental validation, the method of large eddy simulation could better predict the external performance and internal flow characteristics in a pump turbine in the pump mode compared with the method of Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes with two-equation turbulence model shear stress transport k–ω. Then, flow characteristics under 1.00QBEP (best efficiency point), 0.91QBEP, 0.88QBEP, and 0.85QBEP operating points are investigated to find out the causes of the head drop in the energy-discharge curve through large eddy simulation. The detailed analysis reveals that the head drop at the point 0.85QBEP is related to the recirculation flow at the runner inlet. Finally, unsteady studies confirm that vortex movement at the runner inlet lead to the variation of the amplitudes and directions of the velocity, which generates the rotation of the separation vortices in the runner and stay vane channels.

Entropy production analysis for hump characteristics of a pump turbine model

The hump characteristic is one of the main problems for the stable operation of pump turbines in pump mode. However, traditional methods cannot reflect directly the energy dissipation in the hump region. In this paper, 3D simulations are carried out using the SST k-ω turbulence model in pump mode under different guide vane openings. The numerical results agree with the experimental data. The entropy production theory is introduced to determine the flow losses in the whole passage, based on the numerical simulation. The variation of entropy production under different guide vane openings is presented. The results show that entropy production appears to be a wave, with peaks under different guide vane openings, which correspond to wave troughs in the external characteristic curves. Entropy production mainly happens in the runner, guide vanes and stay vanes for a pump turbine in pump mode. Finally, entropy production rate distribution in the runner, guide vanes and stay vanes is analyzed for four points under the 18 mm guide vane opening in the hump region. The analysis indicates that the losses of the runner and guide vanes lead to hump characteristics. In addition, the losses mainly occur in the runner inlet near the band and on the suction surface of the blades. In the guide vanes and stay vanes, the losses come from pressure surface of the guide vanes and the wake effects of the vanes. A new insight-entropy production analysis is carried out in this paper in order to find the causes of hump characteristics in a pump turbine, and it could provide some basic theoretical guidance for the loss analysis of hydraulic machinery.

Experimental Investigation on the Characteristics of Hydrodynamic Stabilities in Francis Hydroturbine Models

This paper presents an experimental investigation of flow phenomena related to the characteristic frequencies of pressure fluctuation in Francis hydroturbine models. The experiments were carried out on two test rigs with two model runners having hydraulic similarities. Flow field around the guide vanes was measured with a particle image velocimetry (PIV) on the first PIV test rig. Flow structures at the inlet region of runner and in draft tube at different operating conditions were visualized on another hydrodynamic test rig. Analyses of dominant frequency of unsteady hydraulic behaviors in the tested hydroturbines were performed. It was observed that the main frequency of flow over the guide vanes and the dominant frequency of channel vortex equal the blade passing frequency; the dominant frequency of flow separation at the suction side of blade inlet equals the vane passing frequency; the vortex rope in the draft tube displays a low-frequency nature. The flow instabilities and fluctuations directly influence the running of hydroturbine, thus these experimental results could provide important evidence for the stability study of a real hydroturbine.

Numerical study of francis turbine flow field under small opening condition

In order to study the cause of Francis turbine abnormal oscillation under small opening condition, CFD method was adopted to analyze the flow filed and its impact on turbine stability. Numerical simulation was performed on the commercial CFD code FLUENT 6.2, using RNG κ-ε model. Through an effective validation of the computation result and detailed flow analysis, the paper showed vortices existed in runner and draft tube flow field, abnormal pressure distribution on blades and vanes, and reverse flow in guide vanes under reverse pump condition. The result shows that the unstable flow under small opening condition leads to an increase of turbine instability, and is one possible reason of the abnormal oscillation.

Investigation on cavitation for hump characteristics of a pump turbine in pump mode

In order to get the accurate hump characteristic curve of a pump turbine in pump mode, three dimensional steady simulations were carried out using SST k-ω turbulence model with cavitation model and without cavitation model under different operation condition points with 19 mm guide vanes opening. A refinement grids were generated to adapt the turbulence model. The results obtained with cavitation model show a better agreement with experiments. The detailed analysis was undertaken to find out the relationship between the cavitation and hump region. It is concluded that the hump characteristic is related with cavitation.

Pressure fluctuation prediction in pump mode using large eddy simulation and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes in a pump–turbine

For pump–turbines, most of the instabilities couple with high-level pressure fluctuations, which are harmful to pump–turbines, even the whole units. In order to understand the causes of pressure fluctuations and reduce their amplitudes, proper numerical methods should be chosen to obtain the accurate results. The method of large eddy simulation with wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity model was chosen to predict the pressure fluctuations in pump mode of a pump–turbine compared with the method of unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes with two-equation turbulence model shear stress transport k–ω. Partial load operating point (0.91QBEP) under 15-mm guide vane opening was selected to make a comparison of performance and frequency characteristics between large eddy simulation and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes based on the experimental validation. Good agreement indicates that the method of large eddy simulation could be applied in the simulation of pump–turbines. Then, a detailed comparison of variation for peak-to-peak value in the whole passage was presented. Both the methods show that the highest level pressure fluctuations occur in the vaneless space. In addition, the propagation of amplitudes of blade pass frequency, 2 times of blade pass frequency, and 3 times of blade pass frequency in the circumferential and flow directions was investigated. Although the difference exists between large eddy simulation and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes, the trend of variation in different parts is almost the same. Based on the analysis, using the same mesh (8 million), large eddy simulation underestimates pressure characteristics and shows a better result compared with the experiments, while unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes overestimates them.

Influence of clearance parameters on the rotor dynamic character of hydraulic turbine shaft system

The study of rotor dynamic stability of hydraulic turbine system has become extremely important because of the increasing capacity, size, and inertia of large turbines. Crown clearance and band clearance in hydraulic turbines will influence the rotor dynamic characters of turbine shaft system. In this article, the character of the turbine shaft system under different clearance parameters is studied in order to observe how the clearance parameters influence the stability of hydraulic turbine. The relationship between the hydraulic turbine stability system and the turbine clearance structure is also analyzed. In this study, the force on the turbine rotor induced by fluid flow in clearances is described with the analytical solution of Reynolds equation obtained in the article, in which the fluid flow is considered to be incompressible and isothermal. And, the rotor dynamic character of the turbine system is calculated by NewMark direct integral method and non-linear forces obtained from Reynolds equation are implemented. Finally, principles related to the clearance parameters influencing the rotor dynamic character of turbine system are summarized.

Influence of guide vane setting in pump mode on performance characteristics of a pump-turbine

Performance characteristics in pump mode of pump-turbines are vital for the safe and effective operation of pumped storage power plants. They are resultant of Euler head (power input) and hydraulic losses (power dissipation). In this paper, 3-D steady simulations were performed under 13mm, 19mm and 25mm guide vane openings (GVOs). Three groups of operating points under the three GVOs were chosen based on experimental validation to investigate the influence of guide vane setting on flow patterns upstream and downstream. Analysed results show that, the guide vane setting will obviously change the flow pattern downstream, which in turn influences the flow upstream. It shows a strong effect on hydraulic losses in guide and stay vanes. In addition, at the large part load conditions, the change of GVO will increase the relative flow angle at the runner outlet. As a consequence, it decreases the Euler head. However, at other operating conditions, it only has a little influence on Euler head. Flow patterns in pump mode are very dependent on the GVO and discharge.

Investigation into the flow details of runner region in a pump turbine at off-design conditions

Due to the rapid development of large thermal power stations and nuclear power stations, it requires that the power grid should provide greater capability and flexibility. Security, stability, and economy in operation should also be taken into consideration. The pumped storage power station which has double peak regulating capability is a good choice to realize this goal. However, the existence of S shape characteristic of a pump turbine in generating mode at off-design condition makes it difficult to connect to the power grid. So it is necessary to analyze the reason of S shape characteristic in pump turbine by experimental investigation and numerical simulations. To achieve the above-mentioned object, numerical simulations of a pump turbine’s internal flow field were performed. The generating mode was analyzed by unsteady computational fluid dynamics simulation. The evolution of flow details in runner regions under the S shape characteristic conditions was observed by changing the guide vane opening. The unsteady flow structure and load on the blades in regions of S shape characteristic were obtained, which will contribute to the design of hydro-turbine.