Numerical Investigation of Archimedes Screw Turbines under Low-Head Conditions

Abstract

The development of screw turbines for micro-hydro power generation has garnered heightened interest lately, attributed to their capability to perform efficiently despite low head and low discharge. The present numerical work aims to evaluate the prospect of low-head water energy widely available in the Aceh region. In this region, the Archimedes Screw turbine is the most commonly used. In the present numerical study, the characteristics of the Archimedes screw turbine were studied under the constant of the head of 1 meter and the inclination angle of 30o, with the flow rate served as the varying parameter. In the simulation, a three-dimensional numerical investigation of pressure characteristics, flow velocity, and kinetic energy turbulence due to the change in the flow rates was carried out using the Navier-Stokes equations. Next, the turbulence model of K-Epsilon was also implemented. The comparisons between the experimental and the simulation results were carried out to ensure the accuracy of the simulation model, and the results indicated that the changes in flow rates have a marked influence on pressure distribution, the flow velocity field, and turbulent kinetic energy. It was found that the performance of the Archimedes double screw turbine was improved by increasing the flow rate due to the uniform distribution of pressure, flow velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy. Moreover, the optimum condition was achieved in a turbine with 8 screws. Therefore, maintaining the inflow rate is crucial as it significantly impacts the efficiency of the Archimedes Screw Turbine.