Guide vanes in Francis turbines

El Cajon, HONDURAS
Revelstoke, CANADA
P = 169 MW
H = 72 m
Q = 265 m
3
/S
D
0
= 6,68 m
D
1e
= 5,71m
D
1i
= 2,35 m
B
0
= 1,4 m
n = 112,5 rpm
La Grande 3, Canada
La Grande 3, Canada
La Grande 3, Canada
Guide vane cascade, Francis
Guide Vane End Seals
High efficiency
Less erosion
Less leakage in closed pos.
Guide vanes
Main function:
Adjust the turbine load
The guide vanes consist of number of blades that can be adjusted
in order to increase or reduce the flow rate through the turbine.
The vanes are arranged between two parallel covers normal to
the turbine shaft.
Pressure distribution and torque
L L
D D
Torque
Arm
L L
D D
Guide vanes in closed position
Z
D
l
0

=
l B H g F
0 0
=
0 0 0
a F M Torque = =
Guide vanes in open position
T
r
a
i
l
i
n
g

e
d
g
e
T
r
a
i
l
i
n
g

e
d
g
e
Contour of the guide vane
Pressure distribution along the contour of the guide vane:
|
|
.
|

\
|

+ =
g 2
c
g 2
c
H h
losses
g 2
c
h H
2 2
2
Pressure distribution can be found
using Bernoullis equation:
Pressure distribution along the contour of the guide vane:
Stagnation-
Point at Leading Edge
Small flow rate
Large flow rate
Guide vane contour
g
c
2
2
Variation of the torque when the guide vane
opening changes:
( )
0
2
0
m
f
Q
D M 2
C =


=

0
3
4
1
2
Sin
0
c
m
1
c
m
1
4 5
s
H
Horsepower
n n =

0
n
s
Powerplant
0
n
s
Powerplant
38 365 Solbergfoss 34 198 Nore II
37 346 Gravfoss 23 113 Grnsdal
36,5 308 Fiskumfoss 18 104 Rssga
40,5 308 Fiskumfoss 13 78 Mesna
31,5 269 Iverland 13 72 Hol I
38,5 264 Oltesvik 12 69 Nedre Vinstra
27,5 208 Dynjafoss 12 66 Skjrka
38 365 Solbergfoss 14
34 198 Nore II 7
31,5 269 Iverland 10
38,5 264 Oltesvik 9
27,5 208 Dynjafoss 8
36,5 308 Fiskumfoss 12
40,5 308 Fiskumfoss 11
37 346 Gravfoss 13

0
n
s
Powerplant
23 113 Grnsdal 6
18 104 Rssga 5
13 78 Mesna 4
13 72 Hol I 3
12 69 Nedre
Vinstra
2
12 66 Skjrka 1
The guide vane maximum angle
0
at full load
NB: This is for Norwegian designed GE-turbines
4 5
s
H
Horsepower
n n =
Specific speed, n
s
Guide vane angle
The servos work
The servo has to:
Take care of the torque from all guide vanes
for all guide vane angles
The torque consist of:
Hydraulic torque
Friction torque
Hydraulic torque
2
0 m
Q
D C 2
M


=
( )
0 m
f C =
The hydraulic
torque can be
found from a
CFD-analysis
Friction torque
( )
Z
D B H d
, f M
f f


=
d
f
f
(,)= empirical value
= friction factor
H = Head
Stroke
Friction
C
l
o
s
i
n
g
O
p
e
n
i
n
g
H
y
d
r
a
u
l
i
c

f
o
r
c
e
s
F
u
l
l
y

o
p
e
n
Opening
High head Francis turbine
Measurements of the servos work
F
o
r
c
e

i
n

1
0
0
0

k
g
Horse shoe vortex damage
Cavitation damage
Sand erosion in the guide vanes
Jhimruk Hydro Power Plant
Head cover
Head cover
k
Bottom cover
Guide vane shaft
Head cover
Z
Y
1
2
The deflection of the head cover
H = 435, P = 25 MW
Reduction of clearance
Efficiency of repaired turbine
[MW]
H = 430 m
Design of the Guide Vane Inlet Angle
The inlet angle can be
calculated by assuming a
free vortex from the flow
coming from the spiral
casing
StayVane inlet StayVane inlet u GuideVane inlet GuideVane inlet u
r C r C =
B D
Q
C
GuideVane inlet
GuideVane inlet m

=

D
inlet Guide Vane
r
inlet Stay Vane
B
Design of the Guide Vane Outlet Angle
The outlet angle can be calculated by assuming a
free vortex from the flow in the gap between the
runner and the guide vanes
1 1 0
r C r C
u o u
=
0 0
B D
Q
C
mo

=

D
0
r
1
B
0
Design of the Guide Vanes
How to choose the number of vanes
The number of guide vanes has to be
different from the number of runner vanes.
Integer
z
z
Vanes Runner
Vanes Guide

Design of the Guide Vanes

How to choose the number of vanes
The number of guide vanes has to be
different from the number of runner vanes.
Integer
z
z
Vanes Runner
Vanes Guide

Design of the Guide Vanes

How to choose the guide vane maximum
angle
0
at full load
( ) 1 13 4 4
2
+ + =
o

Design of the Guide Vanes

Overlapping of the guide vanes
Design of the Guide Vanes
Number of guide vanes
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
Speed Number
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

G
u
i
d
e

V
a
n
e
s
Design of the Guide Vanes
Diameter of guide vane shaft
1,0
1,1
1,2
1,3
1,4
1,5
1,6
1,7
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
Speed number
D
i
a
m
e
t
e
r

R
a
t
i
o

D
0
/
D
1
D
1
D
2
07 , 1 29 , 0
1
0
+ =
D
D
Statement of Problem
Givens Net head...201.5m
Flow rate...2.35m
3
/s
Turbine speed.1000rpm
Work out Design of Runner, Guide vanes,
Stay vanes, Spiral casing andDraft tube
Compare Design output with Jhimruk turbines
Calculations - based on hydraulic principles only,
Thickness of runner blades - neglected,
Designs of components - done for the best efficiency point,
Other several assumptions - mentioned locally in calculations.
Design Considerations
Design of Guide Vanes
.
1,0
1,1
1,2
1,3
1,4
1,5
1,6
1,7
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
Speed number
D
i
a
m
e
t
e
r

R
a
t
i
o

D
0
/
D
1
D
1
D
2
07 , 1 29 , 0
1
0
+ =
D
D
Diameter of guide vane axis
D
0
= D
1
(0.29 +1.07)


= Q
60
2 n
=

gH 2 / =

66 . 1 =

gH Q Q 2 / =

319 . 0 =
Chosen:
Nos. of guide vanes z =20
m D 011 . 1
0
=
037 . 0 =

Q


= Q
Design of Guide Vanes
.
Tangential and meridional velocities
05 . 1
1
) (
Cu
C
gvo u
=
s m C
gvo u
/ 64 . 39
) (
=
s m
C
gvo m
/ 58 . 8
) (
=
Assuming gap between runner and guide vanes
5% of the runner inlet diameter.
|
(
( )
(

1
1
) (
)
Cos
z
Q
t
D B
C
gvo
gvo
gvo m
tan
(gvo)
= C
m(gvo)
/C
u(gvo)

(gvo)
= 12.21
0
Value of
gvo
in full guide vane open position is selected 18
0
Design of Guide Vanes
.
Velocities at outlet, axis and inlet of
guide vanes
(depending on varing values of and t)
Outlet a
gvo
=12.21
0
t
gvo
=5mm
C
m(gvo)
= 8.582 m/sec
C
u(gvo)
= 39.65 m/sec
C
gvo
= 40.56 m/sec
Axis a
gvc
=28.04
0
t
gvc
=30mm
C
m(gvc)
= 9.521m/sec
C
u(gvc)
= 17.87 m/sec
C
gvc
= 20.25 m/sec
Inlet a
gci
=34
0
t
gvi
=15mm
C
m(gvi)
= 7.864 m/sec
C
u(gvi)
= 11.65 m/sec
C
gvi
= 14.06 m/sec
Cm(gvi)=7.86 m/sec
Cgvi=14.06 m/sec
Cu(gvi)=11.65 m/sec
Cgvc=20.25 m/sec
Cm(gvc)=9.521 m/sec
Cu(gvc)=17.87 m/sec
Cgvo=40.56 m/sec
Cm(gvo)=8.58 m/sec
Cu(gvo)=39.65 m/sec
L = 204
Design of Guide Vanes
Guide vane at Design
Position = 12.21
Guide vane at closed position
Guide vane at Max. open
Position = 18
.
Guide vanes Guide vanes Guide vanes Guide vanes Guide vanes Guide vanes
Runner inlet
( 0.870m)
Guide vane outlet for design)
( 0.913m)
Closed
Position
Max. Opening
Position
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
R a d i a l v i e w
runner guide vanes and stay vanes
Water from
spiral casing
Water
particle