转轮下环间隙对混流式水轮机内部流动特性的影响

水轮机转轮间隙内的泄漏涡、泄漏流等复杂的湍流易影响水轮机的性能与稳定性。为了分析下环间隙对混流式水轮机能量特性和内部流态的影响,该文基于N-S方程和SST湍流模型,考虑了0.6 Qd(Qd为设计流量工况)、0.8 Qd、Qd、1.2 Qd共4种流量工况,对5种下环间隙下的混流式水轮机模型机进行三维全流道数值计算。通过对比不同下环间隙方案对混流式水轮机效率与容积损失的影响,结合不同水轮机内部流场特征,分析下环间隙与水轮机性能的关系。计算结果表明:下环间隙由0.4 mm增大到1.3 mm,机组泄漏量增大,水轮机效率整体呈下降趋势。其中,当机组在小流量0.6 Qd工况运行时,间隙对水轮机能量特性影响最为明显,效率下降了4.1个百分点。当机组在小流量0.6 Qd与0.8 Qd工况运行时,下环间隙增大,间隙内部流场与尾水管内部流场呈现小幅度恶化;当机组在大流量1.2 Qd工况运行时,下环间隙增大,转轮叶片吸力面压力分布以及尾水管内部流场均得到改善。该研究可为混流式水轮机结构设计提供有效参考。

Influence of seal clearance of runner on internal fluid field in Francis turbine

Abstract: The performance and stability of turbine are easily affected by the complex turbulence such as clearance vortex and leakage flow. For the purpose of analyzing the influence of seal clearance on the energy features and interior flow characteristics of Francis turbine, with referencing N-S equation and SST turbulence model, the three-dimensional steady flow in the full flow passage of the Francis turbine model under five schemes of clearance were calculated. Four flow rates were chosen as: 0.6 Qd, 0.8 Qd, Qd and 1.2 Qd. Five schemes of clearance size were selected of 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.3 mm. By comparing the effects of different clearance schemes on the efficiency and volume loss of Francis turbine, the relationship between clearance and turbine performance was analyzed based on the characteristics of internal fluid field, and the calculation results showed that by increasing the size of clearance, the turbine efficiency could be reduced, and the leakage of the turbine indicated an upward trend. When the turbine operated at a small flow rate of 0.6 Qd, the clearance appeared the most obvious influence on the energy features of the turbine. With the increase of clearance, the leakage ratio increased from 0.18% to 0.54%, and the efficiency decreased by 4.1 percentage points. At the flow rate of 1.2 Qd, the clearance presented the least influence on the energy features of the turbine. The leakage ratio increased from 0.07% to 0.27%, and the efficiency decreased by 1.38 percentage points when the clearance was increased. If the turbine was operated at small flow rates of 0.6 Qd and 0.8 Qd, the clearance increased, and the internal fluid fields inside both the clearance and the draft tube deteriorated slightly. The average velocity in the clearance increased gradually, and the eddy current intensity in the inlet and outlet pressure chambers of the clearance increased little by little, the volume of vortex rope in the center of draft tube inlet was increased simultaneously. If the unit was operated at a large flow rate of 1.2 Qd, with the clearance increased from 0.4 mm to 1.3 mm, the characteristics of fluid field inside clearance and the pressure distribution on the suction surface of the runner blades, also the fluid field inside the draft tube were all improved. The area of negative pressure zone on suction surface of runner blades decreased, and the volume of the cavity vortex rope at the inlet center of the draft tube decreased, the streamline inside the draft tube also tended to be smooth. This study could provide an effective reference for the design of seal clearance of Francis turbine.