Optimal Rotational Speed of Kaplan and Francis Turbines with Focus on Low-Head Hydropower Applications and Dataset Collection
This article has been corrected.
VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 12
Abstract
The rotational speed estimation of Francis and Kaplan turbines is of primary importance in the design of hydropower plants. However, most rotational speed equations were conceived for power outputs higher than 1 MW, i.e., for heads typically higher than 10 m for Kaplan turbines and 50 m for Francis turbines. Therefore, the accuracy of these equations is low when applied to reaction turbines with power outputs below 1 MW (mini-hydropower), which means the personal know-how of hydropower companies is generally used to select rotational speed. In light of this, a database composed of hundreds of full-scale Francis and Kaplan miniturbines was collected. Full-scale data were used in combination with the Buckingham -theorem to determine a nondimensional equation for the rotational speed estimation of collected turbines. Flow rate and head were used as input variables. The dimensional analysis was also extended to high-head Kaplan and Francis turbines. A universal equation valid for both Francis and Kaplan turbines was obtained. Finally, the dimensionless terms obtained from the analysis were proposed as characteristic numbers for the selection of the hydraulic turbine type. The new equations were proposed as engineering tools for the design of hydroturbines.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to explicitly thank the following hydropower companies (HCs) and irrigation consortia (IC) for their direct contribution to data collection and personal communications: Est-Sesia (IC), Zeco Hydropower (HC), Orengine (HC), 45Engineering (HC), and Ghiggia Ingegneria d’Impianti (HC) (not all the realized turbines of these HCs were included in this paper). Thanks also to Koessler (HC) for its database.
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 12 • December 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 9, 2018
Accepted: Apr 10, 2019
Published online: Oct 14, 2019
Published in print: Dec 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Mar 14, 2020
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