Numerical simulation and analysis of the internal flow in a Francis turbine with air admission

In case of hydro turbines operated at part-load condition, vortex ropes usually occur in the draft tube, and consequently generate violent pressure fluctuation. This unsteady flow phenomenon is believed harmful to hydropower stations. This paper mainly treats the internal flow simulation in the draft tube of a Francis turbine. In order to alleviate the pressure fluctuation induced by the vortex rope, air admission from the main shaft center is applied, and the water-air two phase flow in the entire flow passage of a model turbine is simulated based on a homogeneous flow assumption and SST k-ω turbulence model. It is noted that the numerical simulation reasonably predicts the pressure fluctuations in the draft tube, which agrees fairly well with experimental data. The analysis based on the vorticity transport equation shows that the vortex dilation plays a major role in the vortex evolution with air admission in the turbine draft tube, and there is large value of vortex dilation along the vortex rope. The results show that the aeration with suitable air volume fraction can depress the vortical flow, and alleviate the pressure fluctuation in the draft tube.