Runner optimal position in a gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine with spiral inlet channel and a conical basin

Abstract

A gravitational water vortex hydraulic turbine (GWVHT) is a low head hydropower technology with a vertical runner for extracting energy from the water vortex. To determine the optimal position (h) of the runner for the hydropower plant efficiency to be increased, a runner in three different positions was compared using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The position of the runner was a function of the basin height (H). The maximum efficiency (44.15%) was established when the runner was located at 60% of H. The angular velocity associated with the maximum efficiency was 14 rad/s.