Experimental research on flow field of high head pump turbine based on PIV test

Abstract

Pump turbine operating conditions are complex, mainly covering turbine mode and pump mode. Pump turbines have various instability problems during operation, such as S-shaped, pump hump, pressure pulsation and cavitation. PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) is a very effective test technique for the internal flow field observation of pump turbines. In this paper, the S-shaped, pump hump and pressure pulsation of the pump turbine are tested by PIV technology. The experimental observations show that the internal flow of the pump turbine is extremely complicated. For example, the full quadrant flow characteristics of the S-shaped working condition are observed. It is found that there is a phenomenon of single vortex and double vortex coexisting in the Vane-less area between guide vane and impeller blade of the pump turbine. Through the experimental research in this paper, it can provide useful help for understanding the vortex separation on different quadrant working conditions inside the pump turbine.