• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.225-232
• /
• 2017

Several maintenance issues related to cavitation erosion and fatigue cracks in the water turbine subcomponents of pumped-storage plants, such as a runner and a draft tube, have been reported in the past. Generally, the pumped-storage plants provide ancillary services, such as black-start and system stabilization. The ancillary services are responsible for cyclic low opening operation of the guide vanes. It has been empirically established that this low opening operation further damages the water turbine subcomponents. In this study, the acceleration effect of the low opening operation on the cavitation erosion and fatigue of the water turbine is quantitatively assessed through finite element flow analysis, finite element stress analysis, and fatigue analysis. As a result of the assessment, it is identified that the cavitation potential increases and the turbine efficiency decreases with a decrease in the opening of the guide vane. Also, the low opening operation has an insignificant effect on the fatigue even though it increases the maximum stress values at the runner blade roots.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.36 no.10
• /
• pp.1267-1274
• /
• 2012

A guide vane plays a key role in controlling the flow rate of water supplied to the turbine of a hydropower plant. It has been reported that guide vane bearing bushings are subjected to considerable wear, which requires them to be maintained. An ancillary service such as frequency control and black start causes cyclic low opening operation of the guide vanes. It is empirically well known that such operation increases the wear rate of the guide vane bearing bushing. In this study, the effect of low opening operation on the increasing wear of the guide vane bearing bushing is quantitatively assessed via finite element flow analysis, finite element stress analysis, and relative wear evaluation. As a result of the assessment, it is identified that the pressure applied on the guide vane surface increases and the contact length between the outer surface of the guide vane stem and the inner surface of the bearing bushing decreases with a decrease in the opening of the guide vane. In addition, low opening of the guide vanes results in an increase in the relative wear owing to the generation of high contact pressure on the bearing bushing surfaces.