Development and laboratory testing of improved Action and Matrix hydro turbines designed by advanced analysis and optimization tools 7th Framework Programme: ENERGY ESHA Hydroaction Seminar, Brussels, April 13, 2011

Participants and Key topics National Technical University of Athens, Greece (Coordinator)

Development of innovative design methodology Institut Polytechnique de Grenoble, France

that can be easily customized at affordable manufacturing costs for SME manufacturers

ANDRITZ Hydro GmbH, Austria ANDRITZ Hydro GmbH, Switzerland

Identify current needs of SHP manufactures for the new design methodology

Application in three different turbine types: Pelton, Turgo and Matrix.

Assessment of economic and environmental impacts - Market penetration strategy École Centrale de Lyon, France

Training for engineers and workshops to inform SMEs about possibilities of new design approach

Techniques Hydro Electriques, France

WIP – Renewable Energies GmbH, Germany

European Small Hydropower Association (ESHA), Belgium

Research Platform

Pelton buckets optimization

Turgo runner design

Advanced and new parameterization and

flow analysis methods (CFD Eulerian and Lagrangian)
Modern optimization framework (parallel, multilevel evolutionary algorithms - EASY, metamodels, artificial intelligence ).

Exploitation of experience accumulated during years of small hydraulic turbines production.

Manufacturing of prototype turbine models

and experimental analysis/verification of optimal designs

Matrix runner design

Distribution section and injector design

Mapping the small-hydro sector in the EU Main objectives

Mapping the small-hydro sector in the EU

Parallel CFD & Optimization Unit, NTUA

The EASY Platform EASY: Evolutionary Algorithms SYstem

Enriched & customized for the needs of the Hydroaction Project

The EASY Platform Grid Computing or Robots-based Optimization Three-layer middleware: 1. Local resource management S/W: CONDOR. 2. Grid deployment: GLOBUS Toolkit 4. Discovery and monitoring of resources: GANGLIA. 3. Exploitation of resources: GRIDWAY.

Metamodel-assisted Eas The Inexact Pre-Evaluation (IPE) Scheme

Multilevel optimization

EASY Applications A. Hydraulic turbomachinery

B. Other areas

Lab. of Hydraulic Turbomachines, NTUA Water tank of 320 m3

Lab. of Hydraulic Turbomachines

Control board with real time monitoring and analysis of measurements (LabView)

LHT - Software Fast Lagrangian Solver, FLS FLS / Measurements

0.9

6 mm nozzle 12 mm 20 mm 32 mm 40 mm 6 mm nozzle 12 mm 20 mm 32 mm 40 mm

Turbine efficiency

0.8

0.7

Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, SPH

0.6

0.5

0.4 0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

Flow rate parameter, Ă–

Artificial compressibility & Free surface adaptation

Commercial Software (Fluent, CFX)

Open source software

Turgo turbine design

New methodology: Prototype model

New methodology: Parameterization

Parametric design
Quadratic variation of the blade angle along meridian stream lines
Use of Bezier polynomials and interpolation techniques.
Introduction of 12 free variables for wide shape modifications
Addition of hub and shroud axisymmetric surfaces .

New methodology: Flow simulation and Design optimization

Jet Jet--bucket interaction analysis: FLS model (left); SPH model (right)

Initial design

Optimum design

Design optimization (EASY) results

Validation – comparison with Eulerian model results (Fluent)

Jet-runner interaction analysis

Flow pictures obtained by the SPH model

Piping and injectors system design

Piping and injectors system design

90째 (reference)

70째

90o Curve 3

Surface

Ptot (Pa)

Losses (Pa)

pressure_outlet.18

1438.934

720.7506

pressure_outlet.19

1438.731

720.953

velocity_inlet.17

2159.684

pressure_outlet.18

1448.735

511.4458

pressure_outlet.19

1449.423

510.7574

velocity_inlet.17

1960.18

pressure_outlet.18

1441.313

379.2711

pressure_outlet.19

1438.368

382.2162

velocity_inlet.17

1820.584

Max helicity

Area (m2)

Welding Length (m)

126

3.719709

8.090476

72.85

4.296013

8.146408

79.35

3.725127

9.141367

Piping and injectors system design

Improved runner performance Real turbine

Improved designs 88

Efficiency (%)

84

80

76 'Conventional' design Optimum design Optimum - Turgo adjusted

72 84

68 0

0.4

80

1.2

1.6

60 76

72

Net head (m)

Efficiency (%)

0.8

Load (Q / Qdesign)

Lower injector Upper injector FLS results

68 0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2

Load (Q / Qdesign)

FLS results

83

55

83

50

84,2

45 82

40

80

35 30 20

40

60

81

78

74

80

74

100

Flow rate (lt/sec)

76

120

140

Model turbine construction drawings

Model turbine computer views

Design of the casing and of the injectors of the model of Turgo turbine

Runner fabrication

Separate fabrication of runner parts (blades, hub and shroud)
Hub and Shroud with precision machining.
Proper slots for blades fitting.
Prototype blade constructed by composites using 3D-printing
Use of plastic prototype to produce aluminium prototype
Blades fabrication by bronze casting
Internal blade surface polishing
Final blade assembly with bronze welding
Runner balancing Features More complex but more accurate construction methodology Enhanced axial symmetry of the runner Capability for particular mechanical manufacturing of the hydrodynamic profile of each separate blade if necessary

Test rig construction / adaptation

Closure

HYDROACTION develops a methodology for optimizing the design of hydro turbines up to 5 MW, with regard to productivity and cost. The standardisation and application of the methodology will contribute to the development of cost-efficient, tailor-made turbines for small hydro plants with optimum performance.

Thank you! www.hydroaction.org