Task 3.2: Numerical analysis to investigate the flow field and stresses in the turbine

In this task, a process for a multi-parametric turbine design will be developed. The process will combine the design tool from Task 3.1 with the available numerical tools that are found in the software package from Ansys. This will be used for numerical simulation, and it will help in assuring optimal geometry suitable for turbines operating with variable speed. The process will aim to provide comfortable adjustment and reliability of the multi-parametric design. Geometry parameters that will be optimized includes: stay vanes, guide vanes and runner, suitable for high ramping rates and many start-stops. It will also include an innovative guide vane system in the draft tube. The criteria for optimization will include the turbine efficiency and its characteristic hill chart geometry. The shape of the hill chart will be important for the variable speed operation of the turbine. it is important to see that the change of speed give a change of power output at a higher efficiency than of constant speed turbines. The task includes the development of a robust mesh process and an FSI-analysis that will result in a solution-space for the parametric design. An evaluation/ verification of results from the muilti-parametric design will be carried out based on results from the experimental study.

Deliverables and milestones