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Side-wall effect of runner casing on performance of Darrieus-type hydro turbine with inlet nozzle for extra-low head utilization

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Abstract

A ducted Darrieus-type turbine has been proposed for hydropower utilization of extra-low head less than 2 m. Though the hydro turbine system, in general, might consist of an intake, runner casing section and a draft tube for higher efficiency operation, it was clarified in previous experiment that there was no need of the side-walls of runner casing section and a draft-tube for keeping the efficiency high in the case of duct with an inlet nozzle. This would yield a simplification of the structure of the turbine system. In order to reconfirm this result for large-sized turbine with 560 mm×300 mm duct, instead of small-sized one with 400 mm×200 mm duct, the side-wall effect on turbine performance was experimentally investigated for three- or four-bladed runner. In the present paper, the experimental results are shown with considering flow behaviors in the runner section.

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Abbreviations

B :

duct height or span length of Darrieus blade

Ch = H t /(V*2/2g):

head coefficient

Cp = 2L/(ρ V*3BD):

power coefficient

Ct = F u /(ρ V*2BD):

torque coefficient

D :

diameter of Darrieus runner pitch circle

F d :

drag force acting on Darrieus blade

F l :

lift force acting on Darrieus blade

F u :

force in rotational direction on runner pitch circle

g :

acceleration of gravity

H down :

water level of downstream pond

H t :

head difference between up- and down-stream ponds

H up :

water level of upstream pond

L :

generated power of a Darrieus blade

L th :

consuming power of Darrieus blade

L G :

electric power from generator

LG1 = 2LG/[ρBD (2gHt)3/2]:

rated power

N :

rotational speed of runner shaft

N1= (πDN)/[60(2gHt)1/2]:

rated speed

Q :

flow rate in duct section

Q1= Q/[BD (2gHt)1/2]:

rated flow rate

S :

duct width in runner casing section with side-wall

S in :

inlet nozzle width

U :

peripheral speed on runner pitch circle

V :

oncoming absolute velocity to Darrieus blade

V*:

section-averaged velocity of inlet nozzle section

V a :

duct-axial velocity component of outlet flow from runner

W :

relative velocity at 1/2 chord point of Darrieus blade

Y :

the coordinate in direction of duct width

Z :

number of Darrieus blade

α :

attack angle of relative flow at 1/2 chord point of blade

θ :

rotational position of Darrieus blade on runner pitch circle

ρ :

fluid density

η = L /(ρ gQHt) =L1/Q1:

turbine efficiency

ηb = FuU/(FuU+FlW):

local blade efficiency

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Kai Shimokawa

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyushu University, Motooka 744, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan

    Akinori Furukawa, Kusuo OKuma, Daisuke Matsushita & Satoshi Watanabe

Authors
  1. Kai Shimokawa
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  2. Akinori Furukawa
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  3. Kusuo OKuma
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  4. Daisuke Matsushita
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  5. Satoshi Watanabe
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Correspondence to Kai Shimokawa.

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Shimokawa, K., Furukawa, A., OKuma, K. et al. Side-wall effect of runner casing on performance of Darrieus-type hydro turbine with inlet nozzle for extra-low head utilization. Sci. China Ser. E-Technol. Sci. 53, 93–99 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-0014-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-010-0014-7

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