Abstract
Flow in the runner of a radial turbine was visualized using a water table model and a camera rotating with the rotor. The observed flow pattern is not much different from predicted streamlines based on a potential flow analysis. Agreement is the best at zero incidence. At negative incidence including shockless inlet conditions, the vortex zone on the pressure side of the blades is larger than the prediction. It is caused by accumulation of a boundary layer in the decelerating zone. Under positive incidence conditions agreement is fair although a small separation zone is observed along the suction side starting at the leading edge. The separation is removed by a small modification of the leading edge shape, and the flow is similar to the potential flow.
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