Low Turbine Research Articles

Investigation of the transient characteristics of the Francis turbine during runaway process

Transient hydraulic phenomena, including flow separation, vortex structure and high amplitude pressure fluctuation, occur in the turbine during runaway process, significantly affecting the safe and stable operation. To clarify the unsteady flow characteristics in the runaway process, this paper focus on a low head model Francis turbine, examining the transient flow dynamics from rated speed to runaway speed. Numerical simulations show good agreement with experimental test results for the runaway speed and discharge. Results identify that two typical cavitation vortex structures within the runner: A cloud cavitation vortex near the hub on the pressure side and a columnar cavitation vortex on the suction side. Further analysis reveals that the pressure fluctuation induced by the former are low-frequency (0.08fn and harmonics), whereas those induced by the latter are high-frequency (1.16fn and harmonics). Entropy production analysis in homogeneous flow indicates that energy dissipation mainly occurs in the runner and draft tube during the runaway process. Turbulent entropy production within the turbine comprises a significant portion of the total entropy production. Additionally, areas around the recirculation zone exhibit considerable high entropy production, indicating that the energy of the fluid is dissipated by cavitation vortex structures generated in these areas. Additionally, the analysis indicates that the entropy production rate correlates with vapor generation, underscoring the cavitation vortex as the primary cause of energy dissipation. This investigation can provide valuable insights into the energy dissipation mechanisms during the runaway process.

Investigating Methods to Generate Models for Turbine Maps Using Machine Learning

<div>For turbocharged engine design, manufacturer-provided turbocharger maps are typically used in simulation analysis to understand key engine performance metrics. Each data point in the turbocharger map is generated by physically testing the hardware or through CFD analysis—both of which are time-consuming and expensive. As such, only a modest set of data can be generated, and each data map must be interpolated and extrapolated to create a smooth surface, which can then be used for engine simulation analysis.</div> <div>In this article, five different machine learning algorithms are described and compared to experimental data for the prediction of Cummins Turbo Technologies (CTT) fixed geometry turbines within and outside of the experimental data range. The results were validated against xxx-provided test data. The results demonstrate that the Bayesian neural networks performed the best, realizing a 0.5%–1% error band. In addition, it is extrapolatable when suitable manually created extra data points are incorporated within the dataset at low and high turbine speeds.</div>

Numerical study on flow control mechanism of endwall fence in a high-lift turbine rotor with open separation

The enhanced cross pressure gradient and the interference effect between secondary flow and separation bubble on the suction side make the refinement of flow organization in the endwall region a key role in improving the performance of low Reynolds number turbine stages. This influence is further amplified in high-lift turbines with open separation. The flow control method of applying endwall fence on a high-lift rotor of a low-speed turbine stage has been numerically studied. By analyzing the transformation of separation bubble on the suction surface and the development of vortices in the endwall region, the flow control mechanism of the endwall fence at low Reynolds numbers is presented. The influence of different fence design parameters on aerodynamic performance has been summarized. The research results indicate that the induced generation of fence vortex can effectively suppress passage vortex. After installing the fence, the intensification of blockage in the endwall region near the leading edge effectively delays the occurrence of laminar separation. Due to the introduction of additional endwall losses, the flow control effect of the fence mainly comes from the suppression of separation. The flow field in the endwall region and flow control effect are significantly affected by the pitchiwse position and height of the fence, while the width of the fence has a slight impact. The flow control effect can be more effectively achieved by designing the height variation of the fence reasonably. In addition, numerical results indicate that the optimized fence all exhibit good control effectiveness under different operating conditions.

Measurement and rating of amplitude modulation in low frequency wind turbine noise

Amplitude modulation in wind turbine noise refers to the distinct periodic variation in amplitude which can be perceived more than a constant level. A method for rating amplitude modulation in wind turbine noise, intended for noise in 1/3 octave bands between 50 and 800 Hz, is described in Final Report A Method for Rating Amplitude Modulation in Wind Turbine Noise 9 Aug 2016 Version 1, Institute of Acoustics IOA Noise Working Group (Wind Turbine Noise) Amplitude Modulation Working Group. This paper examines the measurement and rating of amplitude modulation in wind turbine noise below 50 Hz, below the intended range of the method described in the Institute of Acoustics report. A tonal analysis as per ETSU-R-97 is also made, and the results compared.

Fluid-Solid coupling analysis of PTFE impeller in hydraulic turbines for sewage resource utilization

Abstract Hydraulic turbines, vital energy-saving devices, convert pressure energy from liquid fluids into mechanical energy. As wastewater resource utilization and zero discharge industries proliferate, relevant research is of great interest. In order to design a suitable medium and low pressure hydraulic turbine for industrial water treatment, we conducted a study analyzing the stress and strain characteristics of a PTFE turbine impeller by means of bi-directional fluid-structure coupling numerical simulation. Our findings suggest that the impeller’s maximum equivalent stress and maximum deformation fall within acceptable material limits, with stress concentration at the blade-cover plate interface. The blade experiences maximum deformation at its midpoint due to high liquid pressure on the volute periphery. Fluid solid coupling reduces the maximum equivalent stress of the impeller by about 1.65MPa and the maximum deformation of the blade by about 0.05mm. The equivalent stress at the sampling point fluctuates periodically, with a significant change in stress amplitude at the sampling point of the cover plate on one side of the support surface, increasing susceptibility to fatigue damage.

Numerical study on infrared radiation intensity and suppression methods of nozzle considering multi-component effects

Improving the accuracy of infrared intensity calculation in exhaust system and expanding infrared suppression methods are of great significance for enhancing aircraft stealth performanc. In this paper, the infrared radiation (IR) intensity (3–5 µm) of nozzle considering the influence of turbine and afterburner are numerically studied. Initially, the flow field characteristics are computed using commercial software, followed by ray tracing simulations using the reverse Monte Carlo method (RMCM) and transmission calculations using the multi-scale multi-group wideband k distribution model (MSMGWB). The wall emissivity is determined experimentally. This paper quantitatively analyzes the difference between infrared intensity obtained through traditional computational methods and that of the actual model, revealing the impact of low-emissivity coating and turbine cooling on the infrared intensity of the integrated model. It emphasizes the suppression effects and physical mechanisms of the heat shield flanging structure on the infrared characteristics of the integrated model. The results indicate significant differences between infrared intensity derived from traditional computational methods and that from actual models. The influence of the afterburner and turbine infrared characteristics must be considered in infrared numerical studies. When the computation model is a standalone nozzle, the infrared intensity can increase by up to 541.78 % and decrease by a maximum of 14.02 % compared to the integrated model compose of the turbine, afterburner, and nozzle. For the model composed of nozzle and afterburner, the infrared intensity can decrease by up to 10.5 % under non-swirl flow condition, without any increase observed. Compared with turbine wall, changing the emissivity of afterburner wall has more significant effect on infrared suppression of integrated calculation model. Reducing the emissivity of all afterburner walls from 0.7 to 0.1 significantly reduces the infrared characteristics in the range of 0° to 12.5°, while increasing it in the range of 12.5° to 45°. Applying a low-emissivity coating only to the high-temperature walls of the afterburner can inhibit the increase in emitted radiation on the wall, thereby eliminating the increase in infrared intensity mentioned above and reducing the infrared intensity by up to 39.14 %. Compared to low-emissivity coating technology for turbine, implementing cooling measures on turbine blades can effectively reduce the infrared intensity of the integrated model, achieving a maximum reduction of 19.7 % when the blade temperature is lowered by 240 K. Adding flanging structure to the heat shield in the convergent section alters the flow field structure near the nozzle walls, lowering wall temperature and thereby suppressing the infrared characteristics of the integrated model between 10° and 80°. This results in a maximum reduction in infrared intensity of 14.75 % with negligible impact on thrust coefficients. This is the angle range where afterburner low emissivity coatings and turbine cooling cannot achieve infrared suppression. This is of great significance for infrared stealth in large angle range. Combined with the above effective infrared suppression measures, the infrared intensity can be reduced by up to 49.42 %.

Co-Design of a Wind–Hydrogen System: The Effect of Varying Wind Turbine Types on Techno-Economic Parameters

Green hydrogen is crucial for achieving climate neutrality and replacing fossil fuels in processes that are hard to electrify. Wind farms producing electricity and hydrogen can help mitigate stress on electricity grids and enable new markets for operators. While optimizing wind farms for electricity production is well-established, optimizing combined wind–hydrogen systems is a relatively new research field. This study examines the potential profit of wind–hydrogen systems by conducting a case study of an onshore wind farm near the North Sea. Varying turbine types from high wind-speed turbines (with high annual energy production) to low wind-speed turbines (with high full-load hours) are examined. Findings indicate that in a combined hydrogen system, the low wind-speed turbines, which are sub-optimal for mere electricity production, yield lower levelized costs of hydrogen at a higher hydrogen production. Although high wind-speed turbines generate higher profits under current market conditions, at high hydrogen prices and low electricity prices, low wind-speed turbines can yield higher total profit at this site. Therefore, an integrated optimization approach of wind–hydrogen systems can, in certain cases, lead to better results compared to an isolated, sequential optimization of each individual system.

Experimental and simulation study of energy loss mechanism of low pressure ratio radial turbine

Low-pressure ratio conditions are commonly encountered in radial turbines. When operating at low pressure ratio condition, a significant portion of the turbine energy loss occurs as residual velocity loss in the form of swirling flow at the outlet pipe. Typically, this energy can be recovered by the next stage turbine or reduced by the diffuser. However, there is a lack of experimental and simulation studies on the swirling flow at the outlet of turbines. The mechanism governing the changing pattern of swirling flow remains unclear, limiting the effective utilization and reduction of residual velocity loss. This study conducts theoretical and experimental research on turbine outlet swirling flow. Firstly, this paper introduces a novel two-dimensional hot-wire anemometry stepping mechanism for measuring swirling flow at a turbine outlet cross-section. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed measurement method effectively captures the morphological changes of turbine outlet swirling flow. The results indicate a strong coupling relationship between axial and circumferential velocity. Subsequently, to elucidate the reasons for the coupling of velocity in two directions and the development of swirling flow in the outlet pipeline, simulations of turbine performance under different velocity ratio conditions were conducted. Results show that under a wide range of velocity ratios, not only does the direction of the turbine outlet swirling flow change, but it also leads to the swirl number exceeding the critical swirl ratio under high velocity ratio conditions, resulting in the formation of a central recirculation zone (CRZ) at the pipe outlet. The main cause of the strong coupling effect between velocities in two directions is attributed to the increased swirl intensity leading to enhanced adverse pressure gradients at the core of the vortex. Lastly, a model describing the variation of VGT turbine outlet swirling flow is established, indicating a linear relationship between the swirl number and the velocity ratio, with a steeper change as the pressure ratio decreases.

Thermodynamic Analysis of Marine Diesel Engine Exhaust Heat-Driven Organic and Inorganic Rankine Cycle Onboard Ships

Due to increasing emissions and global warming, in parallel with the increasing world population and energy needs, IMO has introduced severe rules for ships. Energy efficiency on ships can be achieved using the organic and inorganic Rankine cycle (RC) driven by exhaust heat from marine diesel engines. In this study, toluene, R600, isopentane, and n-hexane as dry fluids; R717 and R718 as wet fluids; and R123, R142b, R600a, R245fa, and R141b as isentropic fluids are selected as the working fluid because they are commonly used refrigerants, with favorable thermal properties, zero ODP, low GWP and are good contenders for this application. The cycle and exergy efficiencies, net power, and irreversibility of marine diesel engine exhaust-driven simple RC and RC with a recuperator are calculated. For dry fluids, the most efficient fluid at low turbine inlet temperatures is n-hexane at 39.75%, while at high turbine inlet temperatures, it is toluene at 41.20%. For isentropic fluids, the most efficient fluid at low turbine inlet temperatures is R123 with 23%, while at high turbine inlet temperatures it is R141b with 23%. As an inorganic fluid, R718 is one of the most suitable working fluids at high turbine inlet temperatures of 300 °C onboard ships with a safety group classification of A1, ODP of 0, and GWP100 of 0, with a cycle efficiency of 33%. This study contributes to significant improvements in fuel efficiency and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, leading to more sustainable and cost-effective maritime operations.

Numerical study of a low power hydrokinetic turbine

ABSTRACT In a hydrokinetic turbine, the flow completely surrounds the turbine allowing it to convert the kinetic energy of the water to mechanical power. The general objective of this work is the numerical study of a low power axial flow hydroelectric turbine using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). The scope of this work includes a CFD analysis of a hydroelectric turbine, including the rotor, hub and casing, a comparison between results of steady and transient solvers, and the turbine performance in design and off-design conditions. Three-dimensional simulations were carried out using ANSYS Fluent software, with the aim of estimating the design loads and determining the nominal operating conditions, including results of steady and transient simulations. Results were obtained with the k-ω SST turbulence model and the SIMPLEC calculation algorithm, in structured and unstructured meshes, which involve stationary and rotating domains.

Design, Simulation, and Experimental Validation of a New Fuzzy Logic-Based Maximal Power Point Tracking Strategy for Low Power Wind Turbines

Design, Simulation, and Experimental Validation of a New Fuzzy Logic-Based Maximal Power Point Tracking Strategy for Low Power Wind Turbines

Loss Analysis by Impeller Blade Angle in the S-Curve Region of Low Specific Speed Pump Turbine

Loss Analysis by Impeller Blade Angle in the S-Curve Region of Low Specific Speed Pump Turbine

Basic performance, cavitation and runaway investigations of a high specific speed Francis turbine with emphasis on cavitation analysis: A case study

The paper presents comprehensive experimental research on a high specific speed model Francis turbine with a characteristic runner diameter of 250 mm under the head of 12 m. Essentially, the turbine was designed for use at heads between 10 and 50 m, which are typical for installations with low specific speed Kaplan turbines. The basic performance, cavitation and runaway characteristics of the machine, which were determined as a result of the work, are quite rarely available in the literature in the case of high specific speed Francis turbines. The turbine achieved the maximum efficiency of 91%, kinematic specific speed of 82, and relatively wide operation range, so that it can be attractive as an alternative to the low specific speed Kaplan, semi-Kaplan or propeller turbines.In result of the basic laboratory tests, the performance characteristics of the machine operation in a wide range of guide vane opening angles between 9° and 36° as well as the shell efficiency characteristics were determined. On the characteristics plotted vs. rotational speed, the saddle effect was identified for the guide vane opening angles with values greater than the optimal one (22°). During the operation of the machine in the area of saddles, the change in the flow rate took quite surprising patterns. The share of the turbine thrust torque in the total torque was also determined, the characteristics of which are also burdened with a similar saddle effect.In the case of cavitation tests, a multi-aspect approach to cavitation diagnostics was used to characterize the cavitation phenomenon from the viewpoint of various criteria. Following this approach, the signals of the draft tube wall acceleration, acoustic emission at the draft tube cone upper flange, and pressure fluctuations inside the draft tube were used. The determined cavitation characteristics indicate little cavitation susceptibility of the Francis turbine blade system, despite the presented turbine having been designed to operate at higher flow rates than the classic high head Francis turbines with long interblade channels. The cavitating flow in the draft tube, directly below the runner, was also visualized during the cavitation tests. The paper presents the results of visualization for all cavitation states at five selected settings of the guide vane opening angle (two states in Partial Load, two states in High Load area and one state in the Best Efficiency Point), thanks to which it was possible to track the development of vortices during pressure reduction in the flow system.The runaway coefficient was determined as a result of the runaway tests. The value of 1.497 was reached at the optimum guide vane opening angle.Additionally, the work also presents in detail the efficiency scale effects to be expected at prototype turbines, i.e. those intended for operation at a higher head and with larger runner diameters. The efficiency of the machine with a runner diameter of 1.5 m and working at a head of 50 m reaches ∼93%. The influence of water viscosity on the change in efficiency of the prototype turbine is also shown.The presented methodology can be used for the proper selection of turbines intended for hydropower plants and for the proper installation of the runner in respect to the tailwater level in order to avoid the phenomenon of cavitation erosion.

Power production and large-scale wake effects of offshore wind turbines with low specific rating

With the aim to increase the energy yield of large offshore wind farm clusters, especially during low wind speeds, innovative rotor concepts with low specific ratings are being developed. We use mesoscale simulations, to compare wakes and power production of a wind farm cluster with a rated power of 1.17 GW, equipped with a turbine featuring a low specific rating turbine concept, and the IEA 15 MW offshore reference turbine. While the IEA turbine resembles typical offshore wind turbine concepts, the HL rotor features a very large rotor diameter compared to its rated power, thus resulting in a very low specific rating for an offshore turbine. We simulate two wind farms made up of either of the two turbines that have the same installed capacity and farm layout. We found an improved power production of 86 % to 100 % for the HL wind farm in partial load conditions and comparable power production at rated operation. While the HL wind farm exhibits a more pronounced cluster wake during partial load operation, the IEA wind farm induces a larger wind speed deficit in the wake during rated operation. We discuss observed differences in wake behaviour, attributing them to the larger rotor diameter and lower thrust coefficient of the HL concept.

Rancang Bangun Low Cost Wind Turbine Untuk Pengisian Baterai

Renewable energy is increasingly popular and in demand throughout the world as an alternative to increasingly limited fossil energy, one of which is wind turbines. Wind turbine research on ships has great potential in developing renewable energy at sea. The aim of this research is to increase the efficiency of converting wind energy into electrical energy by designing a low cost wind turbine and analyzing the design efficiency of the wind turbine blade angle, namely 90˚, 95˚, 100˚. This research uses an experimental method with observation techniques, as well as measurement and recording as data collection techniques. This research was conducted on the Bung Tomo training ship for 3 days. The research results show that making a wind turbine using PVC as a base material costs Rp. 243,000.00 and produces the largest average voltage of 73.8 Wh. The influence of variations in the angle of the wind turbine blade can be seen that at an angle of 100˚ it has the largest average power output, namely 1.23 watts per minute and the battery charging time is based on an average current of 0.28 A, namely 12.5 hours when fully charged, whereas at The 90˚ angle produces the smallest average power of 0.76 watts per minute and the battery charging time is 16.6 hours when fully charged. So the 100˚ angle is more effective in charging the battery than the 95˚ and 90˚ angles. The greater the blade angle, the greater the rotation and produce greater voltage, this is influenced by the area of the turbine exposed to wind.

Peripheral air jet injection at part load operation of a low head Francis turbine

Peripheral air jet injection at part load operation of a low head Francis turbine

Energy Needs and Sustainable Development of the World Heritage Site: A Proposition in Lumbini

The energy need of people is growing worldwide and the same appears in Nepal. The energy sources apart from petroleum products are hydropower which is in majority and solar are also scattered for household consumption but the use of wind power from traditional methods is evident in the country which is distant from the use of turbines to harness the power of the wind. Focusing on heritage sites with potential such as Lumbini which is a world heritage site faces a lot of problems with energy need as the supply of hydropower and solar are not sufficient enough to fulfill the energy demand. Though the flow of wind is not consistent and high the alternative solution of a low speed wind turbine seems feasible through the preliminary study of wind pressure around the place as the average wind of the place around the year is 4m/s. The speed wind as low as 1.8 m/s could be harvested (Trongtorkarn, M.et.al 2017). The energy need and its sustainable attainability has implications on the involvement of the people for the wellbeing of heritage sites which can be a symbiotic relationship though it has to go through challenges. To reduce the energy demand in heritage areas, in this paper an hybrid solar-wind and hydro-oxygen model is developed. The proposed model is performed using thermodynamic analyses techniques. The result of the model shows, the proposed hybrid approach improves the energy sustainability in heritage areas.

Comprehensive analysis on suitability of alkali metals with high enthalpy characteristics for space nuclear Rankine cycle

The compatibility between working fluids and high-temperature thermal systems is essential for improving system performance, stability, and safety. This article focuses on exploring the relative adaptability of alkali metals in nuclear high-temperature Rankine systems under three operating conditions: different output powers, different core powers, and different mass flow, evaluating from three dimensions: thermal, economic, and weight. The study finds that the cesium and potassium cycles represent systems for low and high turbine inlet temperatures, respectively. At a turbine inlet temperature of 1100 K, the cesium cycle can enhance thermal efficiency by 32.14 %, while with the turbine inlet temperature increased to 1500 K, the potassium cycle can improve efficiency by 28.19 %. Under varying output power and core power conditions, the high-temperature potassium cycle demonstrates more significant performance advantages. Compared to the cesium cycle, both economic and weight performances are seen an increase of approximately 20 %. Under varying mass flow conditions, the cesium cycle has a significant weight advantage. The mass flow increases from 0.5 to 2.5 kg/s, and the proportion of specific weight for the cesium cycle compared to the potassium cycle decreases from 54.90 % to 12.93 %. However, the output power of the potassium cycle is ten times that of the cesium cycle with the same mass flow. This research offers valuable insights for selecting optimal working fluids in high-temperature thermal systems considering operating conditions and mission requirements.

Research on Low Concentration Gas Catalytic Oxidation Power Generation System

In response to the difficulties in direct utilization of low concentration gas in coal mines and the slow development of industrial application of catalytic oxidation technology, a new mode of direct utilization of low concentration gas with a methane concentration of 1.0% in coal mines in catalytic oxidation gas turbine power generation is explored. And based on the development of a 30kW low concentration gas catalytic oxidation gas turbine power generation system, this paper introduces the design process of key equipment such as catalytic oxidation burners, low-temperature and low-pressure turbines, and countercurrent regenerators, providing a technical reference for the utilization of low concentration gas catalytic oxidation.

Combustion stage configurations for intercooled regenerative reheat gas turbine systems

Low-power gas turbines have been widely used for decades as combined heat and power. In the recent years, they received increasing interest with respect to applications such as range extenders in the automotive sector and for alternative fuels use.In this framework, the present work analyzes the combustion stages optimization of an intercooled regenerative reheat gas-turbine system, for a low power gas turbine. In particular, a thorough analysis was carried out to identify the optimal combustion system configuration in order to ensure suitable turbine inlet temperature and global efficiency of the thermodynamic cycle higher than 40%. Starting from the typical intercooled regenerative reheat gas turbine system, several configurations were analyzed. In particular, air bypass systems were introduced as suitable strategy able to tune the combustion chamber working temperatures and turbine inlet ones, according to operating requirements and combustion unit specifications. Furthermore, different bypass ratios were considered, analyzing the effectiveness of air bypass systems in terms of efficient combustion and reduced pollutant emissions (CO and NOx).An innovative cyclonic flow burner, assumed to operate under MILD (Moderate or Intense Low oxygen Dilution) combustion conditions, was considered as main combustion unit and in the reheat process. In this respect, the choice was motivated by the well-established high fuel flexibility and very low pollutants emission typical of such a combustion unit and the MILD process.Analyses were performed considering methane as fuel, which is currently the most used fuel in land-based applications. However, results here reported have general validity and may be directly applied with respect to the use of innovative energy vectors.