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Hydraulic performance prediction of a prototype four-nozzle Pelton turbine by entire flow path simulation

Author

Listed:
  • Zeng, Chongji
  • Xiao, Yexiang
  • Luo, Yongyao
  • Zhang, Jin
  • Wang, Zhengwei
  • Fan, Honggang
  • Ahn, Soo-Hwang

Abstract

This paper presents entire flow path simulations in a prototype four-nozzle Pelton turbine under three water heads, from pipe flow to nozzle jet water sheet flow on rotating bucket and drop from bucket brim on the air. Different type flows in the Pelton turbine are analyzed by adopting the three-dimensional transient air-water two-phase flow simulation method. Hydraulic performance of stationary parts and rotating runner are evaluated along the entire flow path. Flow analyses indicate that the pressure pulsation is very low and the water flow could be regarded as steady flow in the stationary parts. The hydraulic loss in these parts drops as the water head increases due to a reduction of the frictional loss. Afterwards, the interactions between the jets and buckets in the rotating runner are discussed. The pressure pulse on the bucket surface pulsates with the spreading of the water sheet flow and takes up 10%–25% water energy. The hydraulic performance of the bucket is highest at optimal water head and decreases as the water head varies. Unsteady flow analyses show that there is a potential for interference between the two adjacent jets if the water head or the angle between the two jets decreases.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeng, Chongji & Xiao, Yexiang & Luo, Yongyao & Zhang, Jin & Wang, Zhengwei & Fan, Honggang & Ahn, Soo-Hwang, 2018. "Hydraulic performance prediction of a prototype four-nozzle Pelton turbine by entire flow path simulation," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 270-282.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:125:y:2018:i:c:p:270-282
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.02.075
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gupta, Vishal & Prasad, Vishnu & Khare, Ruchi, 2016. "Numerical simulation of six jet Pelton turbine model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 24-32.
    2. Liu, Xin & Luo, Yongyao & Karney, Bryan W. & Wang, Weizheng, 2015. "A selected literature review of efficiency improvements in hydraulic turbines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 18-28.
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    Cited by:

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    3. Chitrakar, Sailesh & Solemslie, Bjørn Winther & Neopane, Hari Prasad & Dahlhaug, Ole Gunnar, 2020. "Review on numerical techniques applied in impulse hydro turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 843-859.
    4. Guo, Bao & Xiao, Yexiang & Rai, Anant Kumar & Liang, Quanwei & Liu, Jie, 2021. "Analysis of the air-water-sediment flow behavior in Pelton buckets using a Eulerian-Lagrangian approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    5. Suyesh, Bhattarai & Parag, Vichare & Keshav, Dahal & Ahmed, Al Makky & Abdul-Ghani, Olabi, 2019. "Novel trends in modelling techniques of Pelton Turbine bucket for increased renewable energy production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 87-101.
    6. Raúl R. Delgado-Currín & Williams R. Calderón-Muñoz & J. C. Elicer-Cortés & Renato Hunter-Alarcón, 2025. "Effect of Electrical Load and Operating Conditions on the Hydraulic Performance of a 10 kW Pelton Turbine Micro Hydropower Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-16, August.
    7. Xiao, Yexiang & Guo, Bao & Rai, Anant Kumar & Liu, Jie & Liang, Quanwei & Zhang, Jin, 2022. "Analysis of hydro-abrasive erosion in Pelton buckets using a Eulerian-Lagrangian approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 472-485.
    8. Zhao, Haoru & Zhu, Baoshan & Xu, Ronglong & Tan, Lei & Zhang, Haiku & Chen, Lei & Liu, Zhendong & Yang, Jin & Deng, Feiyuan, 2025. "Evaluating the predictive potential of modeling frameworks for Pelton turbine energy performance and guiding engineering modeling in hydroelectric applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 330(C).
    9. Shi, Guangtai & Liu, Zongku & Xiao, Yexiang & Wang, Zhengwei & Luo, Yongyao & Luo, Kun, 2020. "Energy conversion characteristics of multiphase pump impeller analyzed based on blade load spectra," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 9-23.
    10. Wang, Xiao-Dong & Wang, Wen-Quan & Zhang, Chang-Bing & Xu, Yong, 2025. "Old wine in a new bottle: Energy loss evaluation in a six-nozzle Pelton turbine with entropy production theory," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    11. Rai, Anant Kumar & Kumar, Arun & Staubli, Thomas & Yexiang, Xiao, 2020. "Interpretation and application of the hydro-abrasive erosion model from IEC 62364 (2013) for Pelton turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 396-408.
    12. Ibarra, G.A. & Ladino, J.A. & Larrahondo, F.J. & Rodriguez, S.A., 2024. "Optimization and reconstruction of pelton buckets based on statistical techniques, artificial neural networks and CFD modelling," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).

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