Abstract
The utilization of pump as turbines (PATs) within water distribution systems for energy regulation and hydroelectricity generation purposes has increasingly attracted the energy field players’ attention. However, its power production efficiency still faces difficulties due to PAT’s lack of flow control ability in such dynamic systems. This has eventually led to the introduction of the so-called “variable operating strategy” or VOS, where the impeller rotational speed may be controlled to satisfy the system-required flow conditions. Taking from these grounds, this study numerically investigates PAT eventual flow structures formation mechanism, especially when subjected to varying impeller rotational speed. CFD-backed numerical simulations were conducted on PAT flow under four operating conditions (1.00 QBEP, 0.82 QBEP, 0.74 QBEP, and 0.55 QBEP), considering five impeller rotational speeds (110 rpm, 130 rpm, 150 rpm, 170 rpm, and 190 rpm). Study results have shown that both PAT’s flow and pressure fields deteriorate with the machine influx decrease, where the impeller rotational speed increase is found to alleviate PAT pressure pulsation levels under high-flow operating conditions, while it worsens them under part-load conditions. This study’s results add value to a thorough understanding of PAT flow dynamics, which, in a long run, contributes to the solution of the so-far existent technical issues.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe use of fossil fuels as main energy sources goes with a number of shortfalls, environmental disruption, and possible reserves for depletion, among others [1]
Though the experimental tests were conducted on a wide range of flows, this study has only considered four operating conditions, namely 1 QBEP, 0.82 QBEP, 0.74 QBEP, and has only considered four operating conditions, namely 1 QBEP, 0.82 QBEP, 0.74 QBEP, and
This study numerically investigated the evolution of flow dynamics in a mixed-flow
Summary
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe use of fossil fuels as main energy sources goes with a number of shortfalls, environmental disruption, and possible reserves for depletion, among others [1]. Fossil fuels are linked to the widely condemned greenhouse gas emission, i.e., gases which are believed to be at the source of climate change and other detrimental effects [2]. The non-renewable nature of fossil fuels itself poses a threat of resources exhaustion in the near or far future [3]. With the international will on reducing the CO2 emissions, renewable energy sources (REN) have been advocated, and countries have taken action to involve RENs in their power systems, but to continue increasing RENs annual productions [4,5]. Hydropower technology is linked to different advantages when compared to other REN technologies, including their huge energy storage iations
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