Performance analysis of Kaplan turbine with semi-spiral case at large flow conditions

Abstract: The performance of a Kaplan turbine in partial operation conditions is often limited by cavitation and stability, especially at the large flow rate operation conditions. Many problems such as vibration, efficiency dropping, cavitation, and blade cracks caused by unstable flow in each of the flow passage components of the turbine seriously affect the safe operation of the unit, and because of these problems, many power plants are forced to undergo downtime for repairs or renovation. In this paper, a model Kaplan turbine with a semi-spiral case was taken as the research object and the optimal operating point and a large flow rate operating point was chosen as the operating point for research. In order to reveal the reasons that cause the performance deterioration of the turbine at the large flow rate conditions, the comparative analysis of the Kaplan turbine performance at these two operating points was conducted by using the numerical simulation methods. It was found that the following factors caused the poor performance in the large flow rate conditions :1）In the spiral case, the discharge in the non-snail-shaped part was much more than the snail-shaped part relatively, the inertia of water made most of discharge flow into the guide vane at the non-snail-shaped part of the spiral case directly, this led to the axial symmetry of flow field distribution in the semi-spiral case along the circumferential direction deteriorate significantly, and all these imbalance hydraulic factors were passed to the guide vanes and runner, and could not be eliminated. 2) In the guide vane region, the flow distribution along the height direction of the guide vane was uneven, the flow rate increased from the top to the bottom of the guide vane, there were some vortices between the guide vanes located at the snail-shaped part of the spiral case, and these vortices between the guide vanes formed a circumferential unstable source, which not only can lead to the destruction of the guide vane surface, but also have an serious influence on the runner. 3) The destabilizing hydraulic factors generated in the spiral case and guide vanes could be transmitted to the flow passage components behind, lead to the poor axis of symmetry of the hydraulic elements in the runner, and make the blades located in different positions of the runner suffer different hydrodynamic moments. These produced alternating dynamic stress on the blades during rotating, and led to blade cracks and damage. Therefore, at the large flow rate conditions, all these instability hydraulic factors will cause a serious threat for the stability and strength of the unit. This research provides a reference for the Kaplan turbine hydraulic design and actual operating at the large flow rate conditions.