Wasserbaukolloquium

2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichendes Klimawandels

Dresdener Wasserbauliche
Mitteilungen
Heft 39
Intake Flow Problems at Low-Head
Hydropower
Petr
Lichtneger
The
questions
of intake flow conditions
mostly
associated with low-head run-off-
river
plants
are discussed in the
paper.
As an
example
an intake flow non-
uniformity
and the
arising problem
with shaft vibration is
presented
to document
the flow influence.
Finally
the IFLOW
project
is introduced which is
going
to deal
with intake flow
phenomena
and
possibilities
of their simulation and
optimisation.
Im
Beitrag
wird die Problematik der
Einlaufstfmung diskutiert,
die am meisten
mit
Wasserkraftanlagen
der
niedligeren
Fallhehen verbunden ist. Am
Beispiel
werden eine
Anstr6mungsungleichmaBigkeit
und die entstehenden Probleme mit
Wellenvibrationen
priisentiert,
unt
die
Wirkung
der
Str6mung
zil dokumentieren.
SchlieBlich wird das
Projekt
IFLOW
vorgestellt,
das sich mit der
Einstramungs-
problematik
und den
M6glichkeiten
der
Strdmungssimulation
und
Optimierung
beschitigen
wird.
1 Introduction
An effective
exploitation
of renewable resources has been
increasingly
accentuated in the recent
years. Operators
of the
existing
water
power plants
therefore
carry
out overhauls in order to increase the
efficiency
and
output
of
a
machine. First of
all,
it is the modernization of the turbine
hydraulic profile,
i. e.
modernization of the
runner.
However,
the desired
efficiency
and turbine
output
may
be reduced
by hydraulic
losses in an
incorrectly profiled
intake
part. Apart
from
these,
there are other characteristics of
impropriate hydraulic
conditions:
-
Formation of free surface
vortex
accompanied by
air
entering
the turbine
water
passage;
-
Increase in vibration caused
by
additional radial
forces,
as a result of non-
uniform influx on the runner.
High-head
water
power plants usually
have their intakes
designed
in accordance
with
well-proven
methods.
However,
with low-head run-off
power plants
(usually equipped
with a
Kaplan turbine) water
intake
structure
geometry
can
vary significantly
from case to case.
259
Intake Flow Problems atLow.Head
Hydropower
Under
optimal working
conditions of a water machine the streamlines and the
guide
vanes surfaces should be
parallel;
otherwise an additional local loss occurs
on
the
guide
vanes. Non-uniform influx causes
irregular
load on the turbine
runner
producing
additional radial forces
acting
on the rotor.
Influx
swirling
struchires also indicate an
improper
solution of the intake
configuration design.
Strong
su/face vortices
may
also suck air into the turbine water
passage,
thus
adversely affecting
the turbine
efficiency
and vibration.
2 A case
ofirregular
intake flow at run-off-river
power
plant
A
particular
case of
irregularity
of intake flow at a run-off water
power plant
will be
presented
here. The
ill-designed
intake structure induces a non-uniform
loading
of the turbine and its increased level in shaft vibration. The
objective
hydro power plant
Vrane
(1936)
with two vertical units with
Kaplan
turbines
and the
generating capacity
of 2x9 MW is situated on a
right
bank of Vltava
River in Czech. The next
figure
shows the HPP location on a satellite
picture.
The connection to the main river bed is illustrated there as well as the wake zone
at the weir
pile
which seems to be the essential
problem
of the flow
irregularity
as
will be demonstrated below.
Figure
1 The HPP Viane Situation
After the Unit Nr. 2
(the
left
one at the weir
pile)
was refurbished in 2007 the
commissioning
and field
acceptance
tests were done to
verify
the
hydraulic
machine condition.
Surprisingly
a
higher
level of shaft vibration occurred at
turbine radial
bearing.
A causal
study brought
an
explanation
in the uneven flow
at entrance section of the
pressurized part
of the turbine water
passage.
260
WasserbaukolIoquium
2009: Wasserkraft imZaichen des Klimawandels
Dresdener Wasserbauliche
Mit[eilungen
Heft 39
2.1 Fiow measurement
During
the turbine
efficiency
measurement the
discharge
was
gauged
with OTT
current meters.
A horizontal frame with 12 current meters was
slowly dragged
down and
up
across the cross-section in
grooves
of
inspection gate
behind the
fine rack. The flow measurement was done in accordance with the direct
integration
method
(refer
to ISO
3354).
Thus the
perpendicular
mean velocities
in 12
perpendiculars
were
measured for the down and
up
direction
separately,
which were then
integrated
across the width to determine the total flow rate.
Because the intake
structure was
split
into two
channels
to
achieve smaller
inspection gate area,
all measurements were done
twice,
in the left and in the
right
intake channel. The result charts
showing
the distribution of
perpendicular
mean
velocity
across
the intake width
presents
the
Fig.
2. The red shaded
regions
and arrows document the influence of the
running
unit no.
1 on the unit
no. 2 when the flow distribution
goes
to the
right
slice
yet
more. When
running
unit no. 2
only
the
right
to left slice flow ratio
equals
to 1.25 for all
discharges
(from
25 to 94
m /s),
when
running
both the unit no.
2 and no.1 the ratio
increases to 1.35
(2x40
m /s).
1-136=7
E
f
10
3, -<
1
'=
$
-1
1
*9
Ii---
-44
4
- --
- , fil -
-
-- -'-
0.0
0
pillar
Q-=94
mqs
*
.
Q,wn
=2_
ma/s
-
45
#
-
& 1J
4-
8
-I
-
62,2
.
--
--Lip.4.
L-
r*74.
r
-
*---.-X
T
67 9
*-4
=-1
.'F
Sib-i
it
1
,,
*11
10
Figure
2
Perpendicular
mean
velocity
distribution in the intake section at flow rates from25
to 94 cubic meters
per
second
261
2.0
-1_
1.5
:E
120.5
12
1 2 3
262 Intake FlowProblems at Low-Head
Hydropower
Figure
3
Hydrometry
frame with 12 current meters above the
right inspection gate
slice
opening
To
analyse
the flow
quality
more
precisely
the
multi-point
measurement
by
velocity-area
method was carried out for
discharge
67 m /s. The
resulting
velocity
fields
(see Figure 4)
in the left and
right
slice validate the intake flow
non-uniformity;
the
right
slice shows
a
flat flow distribution whereas the left
slice shows
significant regions
with smaller
velocity
values which are
supposed
to be caused
by
a wake
region
in front of fine rack in the intake
bay
and /or a
partially blinding
of the fine rack. The wake zone flow disturbances were
clearly
observed
(see
the wake zone in
Fig.
1).
'-
'#4- -'-,- 32
'
/'
.-3.'*/"
n
.0,-1
5,2: -I-
C
r= li
.%
...ap# '
4
* '=*=*-f....
918). ,
=>k. -,
4
.F37 '....-..,.*-ic-
, ,
\.
'.
.- ,-
f-,C
11
.-3'irl)(i
11-..
*
'
1
C ...0
1-)
'2..
''
C
,- 7..'f,%,
+
L

r f
aim"\
0
'-
:
.., : B
'42.
/'.
.17
70
Figure
4
Velocity
fields in the
pressurized
intake section- the left and the
right
slice
separated
with a
pillar (the regions
with maximal velocities are red
coloured,
the
regions
with minimal velocities are blue coloured;
all values are
positive)
*74
I
..11
:1*L
#'F
Wasserbaukolloquium
2009: Wasserkraft im Zeichen des Klimawandels
Dresdener Wasserbmliche
Mitteilungen
Heft 39
2.2
Shaft
displacement
measurement
The shaft
displacement
was measured in turbine radial
bearing plane
and in
lower and
upper generator bearing planes.
The
measuring plane
at turbine
bearing
was set ca 1.3 m above the
upper bearing
brass
edge actually.
The
measured maximal kinetic shaft
displacement Smax (refer
to ISO
7919)
in
dependence
on
the
discharge
is shown in
Fig.
5. It's evident that the shaft
vibration above the turbine
bearing
rises
up
with the
discharge compared
to
the
vibrations
nearby
the
generator bearings.
S
max [mm]
0.250
1.,m e.., r,;, 19#1 , ,t '11 :
'
1 1'
.
Smax_1 (turbinebearing measuringplane)
t- -tt-t- --i-1- -t--1-f- - -
1-- -r7-T-F--T-F-1-T--9-T-F-1-
1---t#-t-*--t-1--1-t--1-9-/0-
0.200

ISmax_2 (lowergenerator beating measuing plane)
; :,
i.
;;

:; *;
1---r-1-T- --T-r--1-T--7-4 7-
-1-
+Smax_3(uppergeneratorbearng measuling plane)
1---r-1-1-r--
r-t--1-*--
p'r-r-'-
lii,Ii,i,
ii,i iii, ,/,1 iii, 2
1-66*46:1
0.150
,
, I
, , ,Ii,
1 I
5
4 9
Ul
1// 'I I
//'t
// 1-**$ /, ,//, ,//,
O.i 00 - -t.1222-;4 +.-!.+4_.AL'r-,- Aft-|-i-
t
-1 1=f+Blb'&da,y*-1-3-
imr/7 6/MI'An
'''il 1
I[1 i,i,
a=cor Ingtolso 9 94 ;
--*#- Tz,-*-7-1.*1==4*4*-*-*** *4*-*4%*Ir:.1=t-*t-:
o.oso
71,V'kt *4+.:
i.!.# 1
1*:49'
1+!*!*:.+El '1,1' ':1
1
t
;1 i'!
*2-"-e,29 4:*'.
1 14 6
.*!,44-4,.!,!,4!*; !,.: 1
JTV-
' ;'
Ii,1, iii:,",
0.000
''. +1-t-t- -tti-t--tt-1-1-
-1-4,-tl- -tl-t-1--t-tl-
Q,m[rn3/s]-
80 90 100
Figure
5 Maximal kinetic shaft
displacement
Smax measured
by
contact less B&K
displacement
transducers
2.3 Shaft flexure
The
signal phase analysis
was done to find out what
exactly happens.
It seems
the
turbine-generator
shaft flexes the more the
discharge
rises. The
hypothesis
of
uneven loaded
runner
by
the non-uniform influx onto the
runner was checked
up
upon
the static elastic shaft line. The
turbo-generator
cored shaft was loaded
with a moment of force
couple
of trial value 20 kNm at
point
of turbine runner
junction.
The calculated flexure line matches the measured shaft
displacement
for
given
trial shaft load
qualitative very
well;
see the
Fig.
6 and 7.
263
! 1 1 1
20 30 40 50 60 70
Intake FlowProblems at Low-Head
Hydropower
-1.OOE-01 _
-5,0OE-02
_
Flexu edispl [mm].
MAX= 1.72E-01 MIN= -1.02E-01
-3
-1-6
upper
gen.
beanng
5.OOE-02
_
1.OOE-01
1.5OE-01
Awper
gen.
bearing
Figure
6 Flexure line calculated for a kial load on the runner
(note:
the
turbo-generator
is
vertical
although
there is an horizontal
drawing
in the
picture)
-1.OOE-01.
-5.OOE-02
5.OOE-02.
1.OOE-01.
Eigure
7 Flexure line from on-site measurement at
discharge
of 80 m3/s
(note:
the turbo-
generator
is vertical
although
there is an horizontal
drawing
in the
picture)
3 The IFLOW
project
Regarding
the
general support
of
power
renewable
resources,
the resolved
problems
are
very
current
nowadays.
It is
important
to deal with a
question,
to
what extent the
ill-shaped
intake structures influence the turbine behaviour.
That's
why
a
project
titled: "Intake Flow Simulation and
Optimisation
for
Hydropower"
was
proposed
with main
goals
as follows:
-
To
identify
the
negative
inf[uence of
ill-designed
intake structures at run-
off river
power plants
on the water turbine
efficiency
and the rotor
vibrations;
264
moment
2 4force

couple
turb.
p
beagn
3 2
..Zj
-P
-
Wasserbaukolloquium
2009 Wasserkraft imZeichen des Klimawandels
Dresdener Wasserbautiche
Mitteilungen
Heft 39
-
To find and
prove
the
methodology
of intake structure
geometry
optimization by
means of the numerical flow simulation and the
physical
modelling,
and to reach the best conditions for maximal turbine
efficiency
and its
output.
The
project
combines civil
hydraulic
engineering
with mechanical
hydraulic
engineering.
Turbine
producers
focus on the
design
of a runner and
adjacent
water
passage,
whereas civil
engineers
concentrate on a broader area of free
surface. The
project
is
going
to solve the
complex
intake flow
interdisciplinary
concerning
the entire intake section
configuration.
Within this
project
the entire intake
configuration
of a low-head run-off river
power plant
is understood: the nearest weir basin
portion,
the intake
bay
connection to the weir
basin,
the intake structure itself with
emergency
and
inspection gate sections,
and the
(semi-)
spiral
case
including
the distributor and
turbine chamber.
To solve such
problems
the
optimization
methods are to be
implemented leading
to
geometrical
adjustments
of the intake
part
that for a
design
head and flow
rate
shall
ensure:
-
Uniformflow distribution in the
area in front of the
runner;
-
Streamlines
parallel
with the
guide vanes;
-
Flow without
swirling phenomena
and wake zones.
Three dimensional CFD simulations have
proved
effective for the
design
of
water turbine
hydraulic profile.
For the
design
of intake
profile
and its
location,
simplified
2D
depth-averaged
models are
used,
which however are not
quite
suitable for
computation
of flow closest to the intake stmcture. Both
approaches
meet at an
imaginary boundary
formed
by
an intake
entrance or another
given
section in water
passage.
Variant flow
computations
enable to determine the influence of tie intake
geometry
on
the
hydraulic
conditions in front of the
runner,
or on the
runner
itself. The
optimal adjustment
of the intake
geometry
will be
sought
and the
final
option
will be verified
on a miniaturized model of the
objective
water
power plant
in the
hydraulic
laboratory.
The modern advanced methods of laser
anemometry
will be used for
measurements at the
physical
model.
The
project
aims to examine the
area of
water
intakes, to simulate ow in a
wider
range (including
the intake
bay
connection to the weir
basin),
to
analyze
the
causes of undesired
phenomena
and to
suggest optimization procedures
leading
to its removal.
265
Intake Flow Problems a[Low-Head
Hydropower
The obtained results should
give
the answer to how
significant
it is to assess the
construction
part
of reconstructed water
power
stations and what
negative
effects
may ill-designed
intakes have on the turbine behaviour.
4 Conclusion
The
paper
primarily gives
information about intake flow
problems
like the non-
uniformity
influx to
the turbine. No
optimal working
conditions of low-head
hydro power plants
with inaccurate
designed
intake structure
regarding
the water
influx
(non-)uniformity
to the turbine runner as mentioned above were
the
motivation for the IFLOW
project proposal
which is assumed to
be started in
2009. The
project
with both the
computational
and the
physical modelling
part
will be
implemented
at the Dresden
University
of
Technology,
Institute of
Hydraulic Engineering
and
Applied Hydromechanics,
and with
support
of
European
Commission.
References
Standard IEC 60041: Field
acceptance
tests to
determine the
hydraulic
performance
of
hydraulic
turbines, storage pumps
and
pump-turbines.
Standard IEC 62006:
Hydraulic
machines
-
Acceptance
tests of small
hydroelectric
installations.
Standard ISO 7919: Mechanical vibration
- Evaluation of machine vibration
by
measurements on
rotating
shafts.
Standard ISO 10816: Mechanical vibration
- Evaluation of machine
vibration
by
measurements on
non-rotating parts.
Cepa,Z.
Lichtneger,P. Novotny,J.:
Field
Acceptance
Measurement HPP
Vrane after Overhaul. Technical
Report, Litostroj
Power
-
CKD
Blansko
Engineering, a.s.,
01/2008.
Stegner,P.:
The CBE Statement of the Turbine Shaft
Displacement
Measurement Results on
the Unit No.2 HPP Vrane after Overhaul.
Internal
Report, Litostroj
Power
-
CKD Blansko
Engineering, a.s,
12/2007.
Author:
Ing.
Petr
Lichtneger,
Ph.D.
CKD Blansko
Engineering,
a.s.
Capkova
2357/5,
CZ-678 01 Blansko
Tel.: 4420-533309550
GSM:+420-604546650
266