The role of fluid-structure interaction for safety and life time prediction in hydraulic machinery

Reliable assessments of dynamic phenomena in hydraulic machinery require the consideration of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) if natural frequencies or damping properties of submerged structural parts clearly change due to the surrounding water or if the interaction may cause instabilities. Exemplarily, three different applications of strongly coupled FSI are presented which all have a high impact on operational safety or dynamic stresses and fatigue life. At first, flow induced damping effects at a Francis runner exhibit a strong dependency on operating condition and mode shape. Secondly, if a rotating disc is submerged, a splitting of natural frequencies is observed for mode shapes with different spinning direction. Finally, a hydroelastic instabilitiy is identified in a bypass valve at small opening.