Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow

through a Francis Turbine Runner

Hu Ying and Hu Ji*

Abstract. Three-dimensional turbulent viscous flow analyses for a Francis turbine

runner are performed by solving Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations
closed with the realizable k- turbulence model. The discretization is carried out
by the finite element method based FVM on a patched block-structured grid system. The boundary conditions for the turbulent properties are treated with a particular attention. In a new research view, CFX-TASCflow software are used to
calculate the 3D unsteady turbulent flow in a model Francis turbine runner and to
simulate the 3D turbulent flow field in it. The results at the design operating condition are presented in this paper. They show that the flow field structures and the
characteristics of swirling flow and its developing process in the Francis turbine
can be well predicted. It can be concluded that the results are able to provide important guidance for the hydraulic design of a Francis turbine or its optimization.

Introduction

As one of the most important components in turbine, runner can change the water
potential energy into the rotating mechanical energy directly. Many characteristic
parameters in turbine such as the flow capacity, the hydraulic efficiency, the efficiency of cavitation, the systematic stability of turbine during working and the
adaptability for case, are closely related with the geometric model of the runner. In
addition, the global layout of the turbine is also closely bound up with the geometric model of the runner. So, it is significant to design an optimized geometric
model to a runner for a high performance turbine.
Hu Ying Hu Ji
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering,
Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
e-mail: huyingtennis@hotmail.com, 371836147@qq.com
F.L. Gaol et al. (Eds.): Proc. of the 2011 2nd International Congress CACS, AISC 145, pp. 712.
springerlink.com
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012

H. Ying and H. Ji

Traditionally, there are two methods to design a runner. One method is that by
comprehensively considering the design parameters provided by the hydropower
station, designers determine a rough runner model firstly, relying on their design
experience. Then repeatedly, designers will not stop the model experiencing and
modifying the geometric model of the runner until the performance of turbine
meet the demand given by the hydropower station. Another method is to modify
an existing turbine to satisfy some new demand, in which the selected runners
characteristic parameters are similar to the desired parameters given by the hydropower station. Since both methods need to conduct the model experiment dozens
of times, they are time consuming and costly. In addition, it is not easy to measure
the interior flow distribution visually in the model experiment. With the development of the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the technology of computer
simulation is widely used as one of the powerful way to research the interior
turbulent flow distribution of the runner [1, 2]. By analyzing the results of CFD
software, we can modify or optimize the geometric model of the runner properly
[3, 4].
In this study, a three-dimensional unsteady flow distribution in a Francis Turbine is simulated based on Reynolds time-averaged governing equations, using the
Realizable k- turbulent mode in CFX-TASCflow software. And the refined threedimensional interior turbulent flow distribution of the runner is obtained in the
meantime.

Governing Equation

Since it requires fairly high computational cost to solve the Navier-Stokes equation in the case of turbulent flow, in practice, it is probably impossible to solve the
three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equation directly. A time average method is introduced by engineers to solve the transient Navier-Stokes equation. Generally
speaking, this method regards the turbulent flow as a composition of two simple
flowsthe time average flow and the transient pulsating flow. The Reynolds averaged variable is defined as below.

=
Where

1 t + t
(t )dt
t t

is the original variable,

is the Reynolds averaged variable. Let

denotes the transient pulsating variable; the relationship among these three
variables is expressed as below.

= + ( = V , u, v, w, p )
Combining the Reynolds averaged equation, we can derive both the time averaged
continuity equation and the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equation, RANS for
short. For simplicity, we omit the overline label, which distinguishes the time av-

Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow through a Francis Turbine Runner

eraged variable from the original variable. Only the time averaged transient pulsating variable make an exception.

( u i ) = 0
xi

u
( ui u j ) =
+
( i uiu j ) + si
x j
xi x j
x j
Where

(1)

(2)

uiuj is the Reynolds stress.

Because (1) and (2) are not closed, a turbulence model must be applied to close
the equations.

Numerical Computation

To solve the equation group (1) (2), some hypothesis about Reynolds stress must
be brought in [5]. In this study, we use the Realizable k- turbulent mode as the
hypothesis to help us solve the equation group (1) (2). The relationship between
Reynolds stress and gradient of average velocity, namely, the relationship among
viscosity of the turbulent fluid, the kinetic energy of turbulent fluid and the dissipation rating , is obtained by utilizing the hypothesis of Realizable k- turbulent
model [6].
In this study, the geometric model is divided into several sub-geometries. The
Body-Fitted Coordinates is used when we mesh these sub-geometries with the
structured network. The central finite difference method is adopted at the diffusion
grid area, and the second upwind difference method is used for at convective grid
area. The algorithm of implicit time-integration method is used during we solved
the equation set based on the Finite Volume Method. This method ensures that the
Kinematic Equation and the Continuity Equation could be solved directly and simultaneously, preventing solving process from the repeat of assuming initial pressure, solving and modifying the pressure. By utilizing this method, the calculation
process is faster and more stable than the traditional.
The boundary condition is defined as the boundary of inlet, outlet, the wall and
periodical boundary condition.

Case Study

In this study, a three-dimensional unsteady flow distribution of the runner in a

Francis Turbine is simulated by using the CFX-TASCflow software. In this working condition, the flux is 762.8l/s, the rotate speed is 72.85r/min, water head is
30m, and the diameter of the runner is 0.36952m. This Francis Turbine has 15

10

H. Ying and H. Ji

blades, and 15 computational areas are contained congruously. 2970 nodes in total
are generated in this model.
The geometric model of this runner as shown in fig.1 is designed in the interactive turbine software, named BladeGen. And the grid, as shown in fig.2, is generated in TurboGrid software. TurboGrid has the most efficient, innovative meshing
algorithm, and the high-quality grid can be automatically generated by this program for the most of the geometric model of the runner.

Fig. 1 Computer visualization of a model run- Fig. 2 Grids on mid-section in a flow

ner blade
passage

Velocity field of the cross section of the blade is displayed in fig.3(a), fig.3(b)
and fig.3(c). To be specific, the velocity field at the top part of the blade is displayed in fig.3(a). And fig.3(b) and fig.3(c) shows the velocity field at the middle
part and the bottom part of the blade respectively. As shown in these pictures, the
relative velocity angle of the flow is in accord with the angle of the positioned
blade. There is no impact at the regions near the blade, and also, there is no reversed flow or vortex etc. around the blade. So, a reasonable velocity field is obtained in this simulation. In addition, we can see from these pictures that velocity
of the flow accelerates at the end of the blade section, because the flow channel
gradually shrinks from the inlet to the outlet.

(a)

Fig. 3 Velocity vectors: (a)

(c)

(b)

near crown

(b)mid-section (c)near shroud

Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flow through a Francis Turbine Runner

(a)

11

(b)

Fig. 4 Pressure contour plot (a)on face of blade

(b)on back of blade

Fig. 5 Trace plot through flow passage

Surface pressure on the blade of the runner is displayed in fig.4(a) and fig.4(b).
The contour plot of the pressure on the front surface of the blade is displayed in
fig.4(a), and the pressure on the back surface of the blade is displayed in fig.4(b).
From these contour plots, we can see the pressure is evenly distributed on the both
surfaces of the blade, and the pressure on the front surface of the blade is little
bigger than it on the back. Surface pressure gradually decreased from the inlet of
the blade to the outlet. This tendency is accord with the reality. There is a possibility for cavitation to be generated at the back surface of the blade because low
pressure appeared at a large area of the outlet of the blade.
The result of the three-dimensional flow trace of the Francis Turbine from the
inlet of the guide vane to the outlet of the runner is shown in fig.5. Almost all the
detail of the flow lines are shown visually and explicitly in this picture. As it is
shown, the flow distribution in the runners flow channel is changed gradually and
it is rather ideal for this flow distribution. A high hydraulic efficiency can be obtained by this runner.

Conclusion

By utilizing the Realizable k- turbulent mode and the Navier-Stokes equation, the
three-dimensional flow distribution in the flow channel of the runner can be simulated with the proper boundary condition in the CFD-TASCflow software. The
flow distribution at the cross section of the blade and the surface pressure on the
blade also can be figured out by calculation based on the solution of threedimensional flow distribution. The modification of the geometric model of the
runner can be instructed by these simulated results, and a better hydraulic efficiency runner can be found by repeat this numerical method. Facts have shown that an
optimal geometric model of the runner can be obtained by simulating the threedimensional flow distribution in the flow channel of the runner, using the CFD
software. This method can reduce the number of the trails of the experiment and
the cost of design, also, it can shorten the design circle. It lays a foundation for a
high efficient, reasonable and reliable way of a runner design.

12

H. Ying and H. Ji

Acknowledgment. Science Foundation of Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology

Department (No. 2009ZC029) and Research Foundation for Doctors, Kunming University
of Science and Technology 2009-023 are thanked for their financial support.

References
1. Enomoto, Y.: Design optimization of a Francis turbine runner using multi-objective genetic algorithm. In: 22nd IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems,
Stockholm, Sweden, June 29-July 2, vol. A01-2, pp. 110 (2004)
2. Wang, F., Li, X., Ma, J.: Experimental investigation of characteristic frequency in unsteady hydraulic behaviour of a large hydraulic turbine. Journal of Hydrodynamics 21,
1219 (2009)
3. Hu, Y., Cheng, H., Hu, J., Li, X.: Numerical simulation of unsteady turbulent flow
through a Francis turbine. Wuhan University Journal of Natural Sciences 16, 179184
(2011)
4. Shao, Q., Liu, S., et al.: Three-Dimensional simulation of unsteady flow in a model
Francis hydraulic turbine. Tsinghua Science and Technology 9, 694699 (2004)
5. Shih, T.-H., Liou, W.W., Shabbir, A.: A New k- Eddy-Viscosity Model for High Reynolds Number Turbulent Flows-Model Development and Validation. Computers & Fluids 24, 227238 (1995)
6. Tao, W.: Numerical Heat Transfer, pp. 432473. Jiaotong University Press (2001)
7. TASCflow Theory Documentation. Advanced Scientific Computing Ltd., Canada
(1995)