Abstract
With the increasing demand for the clean sustainable power, the turbine design urgently turns to increase the capability significantly toward higher head for generating larger power. Currently, there are many studies in the field of the bulb turbine with single-stage runner, though reports about counter-rotating tandem-runner are rare. However, the further high-head application with the single-stage runner is very difficult to achieve due to the limit of the specific speed. In this paper, a new bulb turbine with the tandem-runner is designed in order to substantially increase the applicable limit toward higher head with larger power. A half of the net head is absorbed by the frontal runner which can generate output power, while the remaining half is absorbed by the rear runner. To generate the Euler energy required for the rear runner, the frontal runner has the counter-rotation against the rear runner so that the counter-rotating tandem-runner can meet the purpose of double head and power under the same size as the conventional bulb turbine. Supply and demand of Euler energy between the two runners are thoroughly optimized through the detailed flow analysis, in order to secure the stable operation. As a result, the interference of Euler energies between the outflow from the frontal runner and the inflow to the rear runner is confirmed to be very small on the counter-rotating interface between the two runners. The prediction method of on-cam performance between the two adjustable runners is also developed numerically, which provides optimal flow between the two runners. This research provides a theoretical basis for the optimal design and operation of the counter-rotating tandem-runner bulb turbines.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
LAI Xide. Hydraulic optimization design for hydraulic turbine based on performance estimation[J]. Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser. A, 2002, 17(6): 656–663. (in Chinese)
SONG Wenwu, LIN Qiyu. Research and design of bulb-Francis turbines[J]. Journal of Sichuan University of Science and Technology, 2002, 22(2): 60–63. (in Chinese).
WANG Zhengwei, ZHOU Lingjiu, CHENG Yanguang, et al. Hydraulic loss analysis in bulb turbine[J]. Large Electric Machine and Hydraulic Turbine, 2004, 5: 40–43. (in Chinese)
WU Jiasheng, OU Qingshu, HAN Fengqin, et al. Prediction of on-cam operation of bulb turbine by geometrical blade analysis[J]. Water Resources and Power, 2009, 27(3): 141–143. (in Chinese)
MA Qifeng, HAN Fengqin, AN Yuan, et al. Design of on-cam opening of guide vane for low solidity tubular water turbine[J]. Water Resources and Power, 2010, 28(1): 116–117, 156. (in Chinese)
CHO Chong-Hyun, CHO Bong-Soo, KIM Chaesil, et al. Performance characteristics on a double chamber rotor with various vanes[C]//The 23rd IAHR Symposium, Yokohama, Japan, 2006: F2921–F29210.
HAN Fengqin, KANEMOTO T. Research on hydraulic performance of counter-rotating runners for hydro-turbine[J]. Water Resources and Power, 2006, 24(5): 37–39. (in Chinese)
HAN Fengqin, HUANG Leping, YANG Lijing, et al. Geometrical analysis of guide vanes for bulb turbine[J]. Journal of Engineering Thermo Physics, 2010, 31(2): 263–266. (in Chinese)
LIU Pan, HAN Fengqin, YAN Shijie, et al. Hydraulic performance of high head tubular water turbine at over opening of runner blade[J]. Water Resources and Power, 2010, 28(1): 114–115, 123. (in Chinese)
SHEN Na, HAN Fengqin, KUBOTA T. Prediction of Euler energy at channel outlet of runner[C]//Asia-Pacific Power and Energy Engineering Conference(APPEEC 2009, IEEE), Wuhan, China, 2009: 1–4.
JOHNSON R W. The handbook of fluid dynamics[M]. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press LLC, 1998.
SSUZUKI R, DIACONU D, POPESCU E, et al. Development of bulb pump-turbine for refurbishment of lower olt project[C]//The 23rd IAHR Symposium, Yokohama, Japan, 2006: F1331–F1339.
HAN Fengqin, IDA T, KUBOTAT. Experimental loss analyses in high-specific-speed hydro turbines with adjustable blade runner (4th report, relative scalable loss and loss distribution coefficient)[J]. Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Part B, 1996, 62(594): 645–651.
HAN Fengqin, KUBOTA T, KANEMOTO T. Coaxial-shaft counter-rotating double-runner bulb turbine: China, ZL 2009 2 0244619.1[P/OL].2010-09-01[2010-10-18]. http://dbpub.cnki.net/Grid2008/Dbpub/Bref.aspx?ID=SCPD&subBase=all.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 50879026, 50679027)
HAN Fengqin, born in 1951, doctor, is currently a professor and a PhD candidate supervisor at College of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, China. Her main research is fluid machinery.
YANG Lijing, born in 1974, is currently a PhD candidate at College of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, China, and a lecturer at Guangdong Technical College of Water Resources and Electric Engineering, China. Her main research is the design of fluid machinery.
YAN Shijie, born in 1985, is currently a master candidate at College of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, China. His main research is numerical simulation and virtual technology of fluid machinery.
KUBOTA Takashi, born in 1934, doctor, is currently a consultant professor at College of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, China. His main research is fluid dynamics and hydraulic turbines and pump-turbines.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Han, F., Yang, L., Yan, S. et al. New bulb turbine with counter-rotating tandem-runner. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 25, 919–925 (2012). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2012.05.919
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2012.05.919