• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.387-394
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• 2020

A parametric study of a 2.5 kW class propeller type micro hydraulic turbine was performed. In order to analyze the internal flow characteristics in the hydraulic turbine, three dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with shear stress transport turbulence model were used and the hexahedral grid system was used to construct computational domain. To secure the reliability of the numerical analysis, the grid dependency test was performed using the grid convergence index method based on the Richardson extrapolation, and the grid dependency was removed when about 1.7 million nodes were used. For the parametric study, the axial distance at shroud span (L) between the inlet guide vane and the runner, and the inlet and outlet blade angles (β₁, β₂) of the runner were selected as the geometric parameters. The inlet and outlet angles of the runner were defined in the 3 spans from the hub to tip, and a total of 7 geometric parameters were investigated. It was confirmed that the outlet angles of the runner had the most sensitive effect on the power and efficiency of the micro hydraulic turbine.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.400-408
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• 2009

Optimization of seal geometries can reduce significantly the energetic losses in a hydraulic seal [1], especially for high head runner turbine. In the optimization process, a reliable prediction of the losses is needed and CFD is often used. This paper presents numerical experiments to determine an adequate CFD model for straight, labyrinth and stepped hydraulic seals used in Francis runners. The computation is performed with a finite volume commercial CFD code with a RANS low Reynolds turbulence model. As numerical computations in small radial clearances of hydraulic seals are not often encountered in the literature, the numerical results are validated with experimental data on straight seals and labyrinth seals. As the validation is satisfactory enough, geometrical optimization of hydraulic seals using CFD will be studied in future works.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.179-190
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• 2011

The swirling flow developing in Francis turbine draft tube under part load operation leads to pressure fluctuations usually in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 times the runner rotational frequency resulting from the so-called vortex breakdown. For low cavitation number, the flow features a cavitation vortex rope animated with precession motion. Under given conditions, these pressure fluctuations may lead to undesirable pressure fluctuations in the entire hydraulic system and also produce active power oscillations. For the upper part load range, between 0.7 and 0.85 times the best efficiency discharge, pressure fluctuations may appear in a higher frequency range of 2 to 4 times the runner rotational speed and feature modulations with vortex rope precession. It has been pointed out that for this particular operating point, the vortex rope features elliptical cross section and is animated of a self-rotation. This paper presents an experimental investigation focusing on this peculiar phenomenon, defined as the upper part load vortex rope. The experimental investigation is carried out on a high specific speed Francis turbine scale model installed on a test rig of the EPFL Laboratory for Hydraulic Machines. The selected operating point corresponds to a discharge of 0.83 times the best efficiency discharge. Observations of the cavitation vortex carried out with high speed camera have been recorded and synchronized with pressure fluctuations measurements at the draft tube cone. First, the vortex rope self rotation frequency is evidenced and the related frequency is deduced. Then, the influence of the sigma cavitation number on vortex rope shape and pressure fluctuations is presented. The waterfall diagram of the pressure fluctuations evidences resonance effects with the hydraulic circuit. The influence of outlet bubble cavitation and air injection is also investigated for low cavitation number. The time evolution of the vortex rope volume is compared with pressure fluctuations time evolution using image processing. Finally, the influence of the Froude number on the vortex rope shape and the associated pressure fluctuations is analyzed by varying the rotational speed.

• Proceedings of the Korea Committee for Ocean Resources and Engineering Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.99-104
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• 2006

There are several advantages to make use of a bridge pier for the tidal power generation. Current velocity increases near the pier, therefore the tidal power generation becomes more efficient because the power is proportional to the cubic of the current velocity. The pier is convenient for access and maintenance of the hydraulic turbine and the power unit. The project is now underway at the Ikitsuki Bridge in Tatsuno-Seto Strait of Nasasaki Prefecture, where the tidal current was measured by the bottom mount ADCP for almost one year. Model experiments for a Darrieus water turbine with two and three straight blades were carried out in the circulating water channel, in which the power coefficients of the turbine were obtained as a function of blade section and the attaching angle of a blade to the rotor. Those experimental results are discussed to obtain an optimum Darrieus turbine for tidal power generation.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.19-25
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• 2005

Francis turbine of commercial small hydropower plants under 10kw which is investigate a flow characterist and an efficiency in the research which it sees, the problem and an improvement is investigate. In the research which it is simply model with casing, guide-vane, runner, draft tube for simulation numerical analysis of small-sized Francis turbine. Model uses the Gambit and it composes with approximately 800,000 non-uniform lattices. Solutions are investigate the hydraulic characteristics against an outward angle of guide vane, the number of guide vane, head(inlet velocity) by using FLUENT which is a commercial business code.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.250-254
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• 1998

Pump-storage power plants, which pumps water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir using the extra electronic power at night and generates the electronic power in the daytime, are more increasing. Currently it has a tendency to be high-head large-capacity machines. So in the processing of design, we need to know the vibration characteristics of pump-turbine shaft system sufficiently. In this paper, we developed the computer programs for analyzing pump-turbine shaft system considering magnetic force of generator, hydraulic force at runner, dynamic characteristics of guide bearings and the effect of add mass of water. And the superiority of this program was verified by applying it to the real model and calculating high quality critical speed, natural mode and unbalance response.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.296-296
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• 2015

The aim of this paper is to numerically explore the feasibility of designing a Mini-Hydro turbine. The interest for this kind of horizontal axis turbine relies on its versatility. For instance, in the field of renewable energy, this kind of turbine may be considered for different applications, such as: tidal power, run-of-the-river hydroelectricity, wave energy conversion. It is fundamental to improve the turbine performance and to decrease the equipment costs for achievement of "environmental friendly" solutions and maximization of the "cost-advantage". In the present work, the commercial CFD code ANSYS is used to perform 3D simulations, solving the incompressible Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (U-RANS) equations discretized by means of a finite volume approach. The implicit segregated version of the solver is employed. The pressure-velocity coupling is achieved by means of the SIMPLE algorithm. The convective terms are discretized using a second order accurate upwind scheme, and pressure and viscous terms are discretized by a second-order-accurate centered scheme. A second order implicit time formulation is also used. Turbulence closure is provided by the realizable k - turbulence model. In this study, a mini hydro turbine (3kW) has been considered for utilization of horizontal axis impeller. The turbine performance and flow behavior have been evaluated by means of numerical simulations. Moreover, the performance of the impeller varied in the pressure distribution, torque, rotational speed and power generated by the different number of blades and angles. The model has been validated, comparing numerical results with available experimental data.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.495-498
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• 2006

The Kaplan turbine model has been tested and analyzed. The blade angle and the guide vane opening of the turbine model were designed to be varied according to the best combination of guide vane and runner blade opening. When the changes in head and output were comparatively large, the efficiency drop were small, so the efficiency characteristics and stability of the entire operating condition were maintained in good condition. These results showed that the developed model in this study will be suitable for small hydropower stations with large changes In head and load such as agricultural reservoir.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.421-440
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• 2018

In this study, a computational method for wall shear stress combined with an implicit direct-forcing immersed boundary method is presented. Near the immersed boundaries, the sub-grid stress is determined by a wall model in which the wall shear stress is directly calculated from the Lagrangian force on the immersed boundary. A coupling mathematical model of the transition process for a model Francis turbine comprising turbulent flow and rotating rigid guide vanes is established. The spatiotemporal distributions of pressure, velocity, vorticity and turbulent quantity are gained with the transient process; the drag and lift coefficients as well as other forces (moments) are also obtained as functions of the attack angle. At the same time, analysis is conducted of the characteristics of pressure pulsation, velocity stripes and vortex structure at some key parts of flowing passage. The coupling relations among the turbulent flow, the dynamical force (moment) response of blade and the rotating of guide vane are also obtained.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 2001

The paper presents a speed control algorithm for a full pitch-controlled wind turbine system. Torque of a blade generated by wind energy is a nonlinear function of wind speed, angular velocity, and pitch angle of the blade. The design of the controller, in general, is performed by linearizing the torque in the vicinity of the operating point assuming the angular velocity of the blade is constant. For speed control, however the angular velocity is on longer a constant, so that linearization of the torque in terms of wind speed and pitch angle is impossible. In this study, a reference pitch model is derived in terms of a wind speed, angular velocity, and pitch angle, which makes it possible to design a controller without linearizing the nonlinear torque model of the blade. This paper also suggests a method of designing a hydraulic control system for changing the pitch angle of the blade.