Numerical Prediction of Erosion of Francis Turbine in Sediment-Laden Flow under Different Heads

Abstract

Hydropower stations are an important source of clean energy, usually operating in sandy water flow, and the turbine wheels may suffer severe wear and tear. In addition, during the operation of the unit, it is necessary to operate at different water heads according to the actual situation, which will result in varying degrees of wear and tear. In this paper, the Lagrange method is used to study the wear characteristics of a Francis turbine under different water heads. The research object is the water turbine in Wanjiazhai Hydropower Station. Research has shown that wear on the walls of the turbine volute, guide vanes, and runner is inevitable, and the clearance walls are also vulnerable to wear. The difference in the water head mainly affects the movement trajectory and impact speed of particles. The higher the water head, the more severe the wear on the wall surface of the flow passage components. Both the crown and lower ring of the runner are worn. The impact of particles causes wear at this location, and the greater the relative velocity relative to the runner, the more severe the wall wear. This indicates that reasonable head operating conditions can effectively reduce wall wear, which provides guidance for the operation of hydraulic turbines.