Turbine Discharge Measurement by the Velocity-Area Method
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 127, Issue 9
Abstract
Developing the head-power-discharge relationship for a low-head hydroelectric turbine requires accurate measurements of discharge through the unit. Discharge measurements are commonly determined using some type of velocity-area method. The German (DIN) code is used by many utilities. In this paper a densely spaced array of Ott meter data, collected according to the German code, are used to examine the accuracy of this approach. Field data, obtained near the intake entrance (i.e., stoplog guides) of a low-head hydroelectric generating station, show clearly the complex (i.e., nonfully developed) nature of the horizontal flow. Laboratory testing of a scale model suggest that metering the flow close to the entrance of an intake, according to the German code, where the flow is not yet fully developed, will overestimate the discharge by approximately 3%.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Doering, J. C., Gawne, K. D. ( 1998). “Developing a traversing acoustic discharge measurement technique for the performance testing of low-head hydroelectric turbines.” Can. J. Civ. Engrg., Ottawa, 25(4), 777–788.
2.
German Engineering Standard (GES). ( 1948). Acceptance tests on water turbines, Beuth-Vertrieb Publishing, Kempten, Germany (in German).
3.
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ( 1991). Standard CEI/IEC-41, Field acceptance tests to determine the hydraulic performance of hydraulic turbines, storage pumps and pump-turbines, 3rd Ed., Bureau Central de la Commission Electrotechnique Internationale, Geneva.
4.
Kraus, N. C., Lohrmann, A., and Cabrera, R. (1994). “New acoustic meter for measuring 3D laboratory flows.”J. Hydr. Engrg., ASCE, 120(3), 406–412.
5.
Lohrmann, A., Cabrera, R., and Kraus, N. C. ( 1994). “Acoustic-Doppler velocimeter (ADV) for laboratory use.” Proc., Conf. on Fundamentals and Advancements in Hydr. Measurements and Experimentation, 351–365.
6.
Mikhail, A. F. ( 1994). “Turbine performance testing using the intake current-meter system (ICMS).” Proc., Canadian Electrical Association, Power System Reliability Subsection, Power System Planning and Operating Section, Engineering and Operating Division, Toronto.
7.
Sharp, J. J. ( 1984). Hydraulic modeling, Butterworth & Co., Ltd., Toronto.
8.
Voulgaris, G., and Trowbridge, J. H. ( 1998). “Evaluation of the acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) for turbulence measurements.” J. Atmospheric and Oceanic Technol., 15, 272–289.
9.
Winstone, C. R. ( 1989). “Ott meter program: Long Spruce generating station.” Tech. Rep. 89-04, Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Received: May 6, 2000
Published online: Sep 1, 2001
Published in print: Sep 2001
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.