Abstract
The appropriate design of the turbine intake structure of a hydropower plant is based on assumptions about its suitable function, and the design will increase the total efficiency of operation. This paper deals with optimal design of the turbine structure of run-of-river hydropower plants. The study focuses mainly on optimization of the hydropower plant location with respect to the original river banks, and on the optimal design of a separating pier between the weir and the power plant. The optimal design of the turbine intake was determined with the use of 2-D mathematical modelling. A case study is performed for the optimal design of a turbine intake structure on the Nemen river in Belarus.
Highlights
A suitable design for the water power plant inlet is a basic condition for the proper functioning of the plant, and increases the overall efficiency, optimizing the operation of the plant
The objective of this study is to optimize the hydrodynamic conditions in the area of the inlet of a running water power plant using 2-D mathematical modelling of the flux
The main emphasis is placed on the design of the separating pier between the weir and the power plant, since the wrong width and shape may cause detachment of the current from the face side of the pier, infringing the flux
Summary
A suitable design for the water power plant inlet is a basic condition for the proper functioning of the plant, and increases the overall efficiency, optimizing the operation of the plant. The main emphasis is placed on the design of the separating pier between the weir and the power plant, since the wrong width and shape may cause detachment of the current from the face side of the pier, infringing the flux. This disturbance propagates to the inlet of the nearest aggregate. Measurements conducted on completed water works have demonstrated a decrease in the efficiency of such an aggregate by as much as 30% [3] This methodology can be used for optimization of pier shapes, in order to direct the inlet flux towards the individual turbine blocks. These piers serve as supports for coarse screens and for the footbridge
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