Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines

with advanced turbulence models

D. Jot1, A. kerlavaj1, P. Menar1, M. Morgut1, E. Nobile2

1 Turbointitut, Ljubljana, Slovenia

2 University of Trieste, Department of Engineering and Architecture, Italy

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Presentation:
1. Kaplan turbine
2. Bulb turbine
3. Steady state simulations
4. Transient simulations by SST, SAS SST and zonal LES
5. Comparison of results with measurements
6. Conclusions

Kaplan turbine for middle head

- 12 stay vanes,
- 32 guide vanes,
- 6 runner blades
Bulb turbine for low head
- two pears in the inlet part,
- 16 guide vanes,
- 3 runner blades

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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6-blade Kaplan turbine Number of nodes in all turbine parts

Semi spiral casing with 1,480,999
stay vanes
Guide vane cascade 2,755,496
Runner 1,858,374
Draft tube 1,786,432
Draft tube extension 398,056
Total 8,279,357

Energy coefficient
=2gH/(r)2
Operating Angle of Q/QBEP y/yBEP
runner blades
point
b (deg.)
OP1 12 0.64 0.86
OP2 20 0.95 0.86
OP3 28 1.31 0.86

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Steady state analysis by different turbulent models at local BEP for three runner
blade angles

Input: geometry, head , rotational speed

Output: discharge, torque on the shaft, flow losses, efficiency

Numerical modelling:
- turbulence models: k-e, k-w, BSL, SST and SSG RSM
- Curvature Correction
- Kato-Launder limiter of production term
- high resolution scheme for advection term
- scalable wall function for k-e and SSG RSM

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Transient analysis by SST, SAS SST and SAS SST ZLES at operating point OP3
(maximal runner blade angle b = 28 deg.)
Input: geometry, velocity components at the inlet of guide vane cascade, rotational speed
Output: head, torque on the shaft, flow losses, efficiency

SAS SST - blue

ZLES - red

ZONAL LES MODEL:

Eddy Viscosity Ratio Limit = 5.
HFG Length Scale Factor = 1.0
Refined grids for the draft tube and the draft tube extension HFG Time Scale Factor = 1.0
HFG Velocity X Scale Factor = 1.
Number of nodes HFG Velocity Y Scale Factor = 1.
HFG Velocity Z Scale Factor = 1.
Draft tube 6,169,935 Number of HFG Modes = 1024
Draft tube extension 1,728,255 Option = Forcing with Harmonic Flow Generator
Smagorinsky Model Constant = 0.2
Start Timestep Number = 21

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Flow in the draft tube at OP3

Eddy Viscosity / Dynamic Viscosity

Turbulence model
Maximal value Volume averaged value
Steady state SST CC KL 10,000 2,526.78
Transient SST CC KL 5,570 1,944.45
SAS SST CC KL 4,200 429.34
SAS SST CC KL ZLES 850 89.71

Vortex structures in the draft tube, Isosurfaces of velocity invariant Q = 0.1, coloured by Viscosity ratio

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Comparison of results obtained by SST, SAS SST and SAS SST ZLES with measurements for OP3

0 - measurement
1 - steady state SST HR scheme, FG
2 - transient SST, HR scheme, FG
3 - SAS, HR scheme, FG
4 - SAS, bounded CDS, FG
5 - ZLES, bounded CDS, FG
6 - ZLES, bounded CDS, BG

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Calculated flow energy losses in the draft tube.

DH/H*100 (%)
Simulation type OP1 OP2 OP3
Steady state SST CC KL 1.83 2.2 6.03
Steady state SSG RSM 2.02 2.18 7.26
SAS SST CC KL ZLES 1.12 1.56 3.30

Iso-surfaces of velocity invariant Q = 0.1 coloured by ratio

between eddy viscosity and dynamic viscosity
Steady state SST CC KL
OP1 OP2 OP3

Logaritmic
scale

Transient SAS SST CC KL ZLES

OP2 OP3
OP1

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flow in a bulb turbine

We investigated effects of:
- analysis type (steady or unsteady),
- turbulence model,
- discretization scheme,
- grid density

Inlet part Guide Runner Draft Draft Total

vane tube tube number
cascade extension of nodes
Basic grid 1,394,720 2,059,568 2,076,603 1,936,188 1,573,336 9,040,415
Very coarse grid 223,375 1,032,976 531,603 211,428 170,332 2,169,714
Coarse grid 223,375 1,032,976 531,603 1,936,188 1,573,336 5,297,478
Fine grid 1,394,720 2,059,568 2,076,603 16,324,636 13,176,576 35,032,103

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Steady state analysis at local BEP for three runner blade angles and two values of head
Input: geometry, head , rotational speed
Output: discharge, torque on the shaft, flow losses, efficiency

Operating point b(deg.) /BEP y/yBEP Energy coefficient

OP1 12 0.73 0.97 =2gH/(r)2
OP2 20 1.00 0.97
OP3 28 1.30 0.97 Discharge coefficient
OP4 12 0.66 0.61 =Q/(pwr 3)
OP5 20 0.96 0.61
OP6 28 1.29 0.61

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Flow in the draft tube at local best efficiency points, y/yBEP = 0.61
b=120 b=200 b=280
Frozen rotor condition

Stage condition

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Efficiency prediction by steady state simulations

OP4 OP5
OP6

Velocity distribution on interface between

the runner and the draft tube
Stage condition Frozen rotor Transient

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
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Transient analysis by SST, SAS SST and SAS SST ZLES at OP6

SST, Basic Grid

Evolution of turbine
efficiency during
transient simulations

SAS SST, Basic Grid

ZLES, Basic Grid ZLES, Fine Grid

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Evolution of results
Transient simulation by SAS SST ZLES model on basic grid, OP6

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Flow in the draft tube

Steamlines and velocity contours at the inlet and outlet of the draft tube, OP6

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Vortex structures in the draft tube, OP6

Isosurfaces of velocity invariant Q = 0.1 coloured by Viscosity ratio

Viscosity ratio = Eddy Viscosity/Dynamic Viscosity

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Efficiency prediction for a low head bulb turbine with SAS SST and zonal LES turbulence models
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Comparison of numerical results obtained by SST, SAS and ZLES on

different grids to the measurements, OP6

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Efficiency prediction for a low head bulb turbine with SAS SST and zonal LES turbulence models
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Efficiency prediction for different operating conditions

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
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_____Simulation Conference in Vienna -
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusions:
- Steady state analysis failed to predict turbine efficiency due to
underestimated torque on the shaft and especially overestimated flow energy
losses in the draft tube.
- With transient simulations using SAS SST and especially the ZLES
models large improvement was achieved.
- Comparing the results of SAS HRS and SAS BCDS better agreement
with measurements was obtained with the latter one due to smaller losses and
better prediction of torque on the shaft.
- Too long CPU time is main disadvantage of transient simulations and
the reason for their limited use in design process. It can be expected that with
future development of hardware and software the problem will be overcome.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015
 Improvement of efficiency prediction for axial turbines with advanced turbulence models
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgements
The first part of the research (about Kaplan turbine) was partially funded
by Slovenian Research Agency ARRS, Contract No. P2-0196 and Contract
No. 1000-09-130263.

The second part of the research (bulb turbine) was funded by

the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's
Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA grant
agreement n612279 and from the Slovenian Research Agency ARRS -
Contract No. 1000-15-0263.

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Simulation Conference in Vienna - ANSYS Conference & 10th CADFEM Austria Users' Meeting 2015