Examples – Surge tank and Turbines

Example 1. Given: H0 = 152 m, As = 29 m2, Dt = 3.0 m,

Lt = 915 m, and Q0 = 23.9 m3/s
Required: Zmax and T
Solution:
At=32xp /4 = 9p/4 m2
Example 2.

In a hydropower project, water is delivered from an

impounding reservoir through a low-pressure tunnel and
four high-pressure penstocks to the four turbine units. The
elevation of the reservoir water level is 1500 m a.m.s.l,
and the elevation of the tailwater is 1200 m a.m.s.l. The
maximum reservoir storage which can be utilized
continuously for a period of 48 hours is 15 x 106 m3.
The low-pressure tunnel is constructed as follows:

 Length, Lt = 4 km
 Diameter, Dt = 8 m
 Friction factor, f =0.028
The high-pressure penstocks (4 in no.) are constructed as follows:

 Length of each penstock, Lp = 500 m

 Diameter of each penstock, Dp = 2.0 m

 Friction factor, f = 0.016
 Turbine efficiency, ηt = 90%
 Generator efficiency, ηg =90% (16 poles, 50 Hz)
i. Determine the maximum power output from the installation;

ii. Estimate the specific speed and specify the type of turbine;

iii. Determine the safe turbine setting relative to the

downstream reservoir water level;

iv. If a simple surge tank 6 m in diameter is provided at the end

of the low-pressure tunnel, estimate

a) The maximum upsurge and downsurge in the surge tank

for a sudden rejection of one unit, and

b) The maximum downsurge for a sudden demand of one

unit
,

Solution
 The discharge available, Q = 15 x 106/48 x 60 x 60 = 86.8 m3/s
i. Power output
 Velocity in tunnel,

 Therefore, head loss in tunnel,

 Discharge per penstock, Qp = 86.8/4 = 21.7 m3/s

 Velocity in penstock, Vp = 21.7x4/4p = 6.91 m/s
 Head loss in penstock,

 Gross head at the turbine = 1500 – 1200 = 300 m

 Hence, net head, H = 300 – 2.13 – 9.73 = 288.14
m
 Power output per turbine,

 Total power output,

Ptot = 4 x 55.20 = 220.80 MW
 The net output of the generator
Pnet= 0.90 x 220.80 = 198.72 MW
ii) The generator speed, N = 120f/p = (120 x50)/16 = 375 rpm
(acceptable synchronous speed)
iii) The specific speed;

Ns = [375/60 x (198.72x1000000)^(1/2)]/(288.14)^(5/4) = 74
Francis type turbine is suitable (efficiency, specific speed, and
head match this type of turbine)
iv) Turbine setting;

 = 0.0432 (74/100)^2 = 0.0237

Therefore,
Ys = 10.3 – 0.0237 x 288.14 = 3.47 m or 1203.4 m asl.
The distributor elevation,

The approximate runner diameter,

D = 4.43(21.7/375)^(1/3) = 1.72 m

Therefore,

Yt = 3.47 + 0.025 x 1.72 x 74^(0.34) = 3.47 + 0.186 = 3.656 m

or 1203.66 m asl
iv) Surge Tank
 Area of surge tank, As = p x 62/4 = 28.27 m2
 Area of tunnel, At = p x 82/4 = 50.27 m2
 Length of tunnel, Lt = 4000 m
a) Sudden rejection of one unit
 Therefore, maximum upsurge, Z, will be,

 Hence, Z = Zmax x 0.8817 = 11.62 x 0.8817 = 10.25 m

 Maximum downsurge, Z,

Z(min.) = 11.62 x (- 0.70) = - 8.14 m

b) Maximum downsurge for sudden demand of one unit,

Z(min.) = 11.62 x (-1.023) = -11.9 m