Publication detail

Numerical Investigation of Flow in a Runner of Low-Head Bulb Turbine and Correlation With Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Doppler Velocimetry Measurements

ŠTEFAN, D. HOUDE, S. DESCHÊNES, C.

Original Title

Numerical Investigation of Flow in a Runner of Low-Head Bulb Turbine and Correlation With Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Doppler Velocimetry Measurements

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

It is a well-known fact and a much studied problematic that the performance of low-head hydraulic turbines is highly dependent on the runner–draft tube coupling. Around the optimal operating conditions, the efficiency of the turbine follows closely the performance of the draft tube that in turn depends on the velocity field exiting the runner. Hence, in order to predict correctly the performance of the draft tube using numerical simulations, the flow inside the runner must be simulated accurately. Using results from unique and detailed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements inside the runner channel of a bulb turbine, this paper presents an extensive study of the predictive capability of a widely used simulation methodology based on unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a k-epsilon closure model. The main objective was to identify the main parameters influencing the numerical predictions of the velocity field at the draft tube entrance in order to increase the accuracy of the simulated performance of the turbine. This paper relies on a comparison of simulations results with already published LDV measurements in the draft tube cone, interblade LDV, and stereoscopic PIV measurements within the runner. This paper presents a detailed discussion of numerical–experimental data correlation inside the runner channel and at the drat tube entrance. It shows that, contrary to widely circulated ideas, the near-wall predictions at the draft tube entrance is surprisingly good while the simulation accuracy inside the runner channels deteriorates from the leading to the trailing edges.

Keywords

Computational Fluid Dynamics; Simulation; Turbines; Particle Image Velocimetry; Laser Doppler Velocimetry

Authors

ŠTEFAN, D.; HOUDE, S.; DESCHÊNES, C.

Released

8. 4. 2019

Publisher

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ISBN

0098-2202

Periodical

JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME

Year of study

141

Number

9

State

United States of America

Pages from

1

Pages to

18

Pages count

18

URL

https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/fluidsengineering/article/141/9/091403/726815/Numerical-Investigation-of-Flow-in-a-Runner-of-Low?searchresult=1

BibTex

@article{BUT160021,
  author="David {Štefan} and Sébastien {Houde} and Claire {Deschênes}",
  title="Numerical Investigation of Flow in a Runner of Low-Head Bulb Turbine and Correlation With Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Doppler Velocimetry Measurements",
  journal="JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME",
  year="2019",
  volume="141",
  number="9",
  pages="1--18",
  doi="10.1115/1.4042963",
  issn="0098-2202",
  url="https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/fluidsengineering/article/141/9/091403/726815/Numerical-Investigation-of-Flow-in-a-Runner-of-Low?searchresult=1"
}