Improvement of hydro-turbine draft tube efficiency using vortex generator

Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics simulation was employed in a hydraulic turbine (from inlet tube to draft tube). The calculated turbine efficiencies were compared with measured results, and the relative error is 1.12%. In order to improve the efficiency of the hydraulic turbine, 15 kinds of vortex generators were installed at the vortex development section of the draft tube, and all of them were simulated using the same method. Based on the turbine efficiencies, distribution of streamlines, velocities, and pressures in the draft tube, an optimal draft tube was found, which can increase the efficiency of this hydraulic turbine more than 1.5%. The efficiency of turbine with the optimal draft tube, draft tube with four pairs of middle-sized vortex generator, and draft tube without vortex generator under different heads of turbine (5–14 m) was calculated, and it was verified that these two kinds of draft tubes can increase the efficiency of this turbine in every situation.