Influences of runner optimization on the stability performance of hydraulic turbine in the low-load range under the condition of multi-energy complementary

Hydropower is often required to adjust the load in the multi-energy complementary system, due to the strong volatility, intermittency, and instability of new energy power generation. Therefore, the turbine is forced to operate in a low-load area with the low efficiency and severe vibration over a long time. The operating conditions vary frequently to threaten the stability and operating life of the unit. It is necessary to optimize the overcurrent components of the turbine for the hydroelectric unit in the multi-energy complementary system. The hydraulically unstable flow can be suppressed to broaden the high-efficiency operation range of the turbine. In this study, a multi-operating optimization of the runner was implemented to consider the weight coefficient in the operation of the turbine under the condition of multi-energy complementation of wind, solar and water. The runner of turbine was obtained suitable for the multi-energy complementary condition. The unsteady numerical analysis and comparison were also carried out on the turbines before and after optimization. The research results show that: An appropriate increase in the weight coefficient of the operating conditions in the low-load area was effectively improved the cavitation performance and the efficiency of the turbine after the multi-condition optimization, particularly with the operational performance of the turbine in the high-load area. There was an increase in the inlet and outlet placement angles of the optimized runner blades, leading to effectively reduce the attack angle of the heading edge of the blade and the flow angle of the tailing edge of the blade under low-load conditions. The vortex was better restrained from the heading edge to the back of the blade. There was an increase in the flow separation area at the tailing edge of the blade, and the inflow conditions of the draft tube. The strength of the vortex band in the draft tube was significantly reduced. Under the low load conditions, the pressure pulsation in the draft tube was mainly the 0.2fn low-frequency pressure pulsation that caused by the vortex, and the low-amplitude pressure pulsation with the blade passing frequency at the inlet of the draft tube that caused by the rotation of the runner. The pressure pulsation in the runner was mainly the 0.8fn pressure pulsation that caused by the flow separation area at the tailing edge of the blade, while the 24fn high-frequency pressure pulsation was caused by the dynamic and static interference between the guide vane and the runner near the band. The 0.2fn low-frequency pressure pulsation was passed up from the draft tube. The pressure pulsation amplitudes of different frequencies in the runner and the draft tube were effectively reduced after optimization of the runner blade, indicating the particularly outstanding improvement of pressure pulsation in the draft tube. The amplitudes of pressure pulsation were reduced by 45% and 40%, respectively, in the draft tube with the frequency of 0.2 and 14fn under the low load condition (OP1). There was no pressure pulsation with the frequency of 0.2fn in the draft tube under rated condition (OP4). The amplitude of pressure pulsation of 14fn was reduced by 31%. The operation stability of the turbine was better improved in the low load area. The finding can provide a strong reference to optimize the operation of the turbine runner in the multi-energy complementary system.