Numerical study of erosion on labyrinth seals of Francis turbine

Abstract

Sediment erosion is one of the most challenging problems in hydropower plants in Nepal. The sediments like quartz erode the turbine components like runner blades, labyrinth seals and others. This study has focused on the erosion effects in different labyrinth seals of the Francis turbine. Labyrinth seals are non-contact seals used for minimizing unwanted leaks between stationary and rotating parts. The labyrinth consists of two parts: a static seal connected to the turbine covers and a rotating part connected to the runner. The labyrinth gap is small for a new turbine and so the leakage is low. The leakage grows as the gap widens due to erosion in the seals. This causes a reduction in the efficiency of the turbine. Thus, numerical analysis performed on 2-dimensional straight-through (unilateral and bilateral), stepped, and full-length labyrinth seals of Francis turbine have been covered in this research paper. The numerical models were constructed with a structured grid using ICEM. CFD simulation in OpenFOAM was carried out to understand the flow with sediment particles in different labyrinth seals. The volume eroded was evaluated using the Finnie erosion model. The pressure, velocity profile and volume eroded in labyrinth seals were investigated. The study showed stepped labyrinth seal had a maximum volume eroded on both the stator wall and rotor wall compared to other seals. Similarly, the study revealed that the rotating part of the labyrinth seal is more affected by sediment erosion than the stationary part of the seal. This is due to the high accumulation of sediment particles in the rotor wall of the labyrinth seal.