scholarly journals Performance Analysis of Z-Blade Reaction Type Turbine for Low-Head Low Flowrate Pico Hydro

Author(s):  
Mohd Farriz Basar ◽  
Fatin Syakira Mohd Hassan ◽  
Nurul Ashikin Rais ◽  
Izzatie Akmal Zulkarnain ◽  
Wan Azani Wan Mustafa

The study explores the performance characteristics of a Z-Blade reaction type water turbine and investigates a test unit for an ideal and practical case using the governing equations derived from the principles of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. Various analyses are conducted with consideration of the ideal and possible operating condition for low-head (3 m to 5 m) and low-flow (2.5 L/sec and below) water resources. The relationship of the fluid flow friction known as k-factor with mass flow rate and angular velocity for a Z-Blade turbine model is discussed. The measured performance of two PVC pipe sizes (0.5 inch and 1 inch) of a Z-Blade turbine is presented and evaluated against theoretical results. This work also describes the simple concept of a Z-Blade turbine for a pico-hydro application. A large variation in k-factor with a 1% difference in rotational speed and mass flow rate is presented. The coefficient k-factor is also demonstrated as a strong parameter influencing the mass flow rate and rotational speed performance. This coefficient also has a significant impact on the conversion of potential energy into power output.

This paper discusses the performance characteristics on efficiency and applicability of the test unit under low-head and low-flow condition for a novel Z-blade reaction type hydraulic turbine. Unlike large hydro power system, this technology’s superiority lies in the fact that it can harness electrical energy even from a small stream of water as energy sources and it does not poses any adverse environmental impact. This turbine was developed for an ideal and practical case which investigated applying the principal equations that were derived using the philosophies of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. Assuming frictional losses factor or k-factor for different operating head, the relationship between rotor diameter, angular speed, flow rate, and power output was plotted and elaborated with allusion to the experimental data. Experiments were carried out at 5m head and below with the water flow rate less than 2.5L/sec, and it was evaluated against theoretical results. The turbine has a capability to achieve high values of rotational speed (up to 500 rpm) with minimal mass flow rate and high efficiency (up to 78%) at low head water condition (5m).


Author(s):  
Mohammad J. Izadi ◽  
Alireza Falahat

In this investigation an attempt is made to find the best hub to tip ratio, the maximum number of blades, and the best angle of attack of an axial fan with flat blades at a fixed rotational speed for a maximum mass flow rate in a steady and turbulent conditions. In this study the blade angles are varied from 30 to 70 degrees, the hub to tip ratio is varied from 0.2 to 0.4 and the number of blades are varied from 2 to 6 at a fixed hub rotational speed. The results show that, the maximum flow rate is achieved at a blade angle of attack of about 45 degrees for when the number of blades is set equal to 4 at most rotational velocities. The numerical results show that as the hub to tip ratio is decreased, the mass flow rate is increased. For a hub to tip ratio of 0.2, and an angle of attack around 45 degrees with 4 blades, a maximum mass flow rate is achieved.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raghuvaran D. ◽  
Satvik Shenoy ◽  
Srinivas G

Abstract Axial flow fans (AFF) are extensively used in various industrial sectors, usually with flows of low resistance and high mass flow rates. The blades, the hub and the shroud are the three major parts of an AFF. Various kinds of optimisation can be implemented to improve the performance of an AFF. The most common type is found to be geometric optimisation including variation in number of blades, modification in hub and shroud radius, change in angle of attack and blade twist, etc. After validation of simulation model and carrying out a grid independence test, parametric analysis was done on an 11-bladed AFF with a shroud of uniform radius using ANSYS Fluent. The rotational speed of the fan and the velocity at fan inlet were the primary variables of the study. The variation in outlet mass flow rate and total pressure was studied for both compressible and incompressible ambient flows. Relation of mass flow rate and total pressure with inlet velocity is observed to be linear and exponential respectively. On the other hand, mass flow rate and total pressure have nearly linear relationship with rotational speed. A comparison of several different axial flow tracks with the baseline case fills one of the research gaps.


Author(s):  
Dominik Schlüter ◽  
Robert P. Grewe ◽  
Fabian Wartzek ◽  
Alexander Liefke ◽  
Jan Werner ◽  
...  

Abstract Rotating stall is a non-axisymmetric disturbance in axial compressors arising at operating conditions beyond the stability limit of a stage. Although well-known, its driving mechanisms determining the number of stall cells and their rotational speed are still marginally understood. Numerical studies applying full-wheel 3D unsteady RANS calculations require weeks per operating point. This paper quantifies the capability of a more feasible quasi-2D approach to reproduce 3D rotating stall and related sensitivities. The first part of the paper deals with the validation of a numerical baseline the simplified model is compared to in detail. Therefore, 3D computations of a state-of-the-art transonic compressor are conducted. At steady conditions the single-passage RANS CFD matches the experimental results within an error of 1% in total pressure ratio and mass flow rate. At stalled conditions, the full-wheel URANS computation shows the same spiketype disturbance as the experiment. However, the CFD underpredicts the stalling point by approximately 7% in mass flow rate. In deep stall, the computational model correctly forecasts a single-cell rotating stall. The stall cell differs by approximately 21% in rotational speed and 18% in circumferential size from the experimental findings. As the 3D model reflects the compressor behaviour sufficiently accurate, it is considered valid for physical investigations. In the second part of the paper, the validated baseline is reduced in radial direction to a quasi-2D domain only resembling the compressor tip area. Four model variations regarding span-wise location and extent are numerically investigated. As the most promising model matches the 3D flow conditions in the rotor tip region, it correctly yields a single-cell rotating stall. The cell differs by only 7% in circumferential size from the 3D results. Due to the impeded radial migration in the quasi-2D slice, however, the cell exhibits an increased axial extent. It is assumed, that the axial expansion into the adjacent rows causes the difference in cell speed by approximately 24%. Further validation of the reduced model against experimental findings reveals, that it correctly reflects the sensitivity of circumferential cell size to flow coefficient and individual cell speed to compressor shaft speed. As the approach reduced the wall clock time by 92%, it can be used to increase the physical understanding of rotating stall at much lower costs.


Author(s):  
Pau Cutrina Vilalta ◽  
Hui Wan ◽  
Soumya S. Patnaik

Abstract In this paper, we use various regression models and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to predict the centrifugal compressor performance map. Particularly, we study the accuracy and efficiency of Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) and Artificial Neural Networks in modelling the pressure ratio, given the mass flow rate and rotational speed of a centrifugal compressor. Preliminary results show that both GPR and ANN can predict the compressor performance map well, for both interpolation and extrapolation. We also study the data augmentation and data minimzation effects using the GPR. Due to the inherent pressure ratio data distribution in mass-flow-rate and rotational-speed space, data augmentation in the rotational speed is more effective to improve the ANN performance than the mass flow rate data augmentation.


Author(s):  
Sibel Tas ◽  
Sertac Cadirci ◽  
Hasan Gunes ◽  
Kemal Sarioglu ◽  
Husnu Kerpicci

The aim of this experimental study is to investigate the mass flow rate of the lubricating oil in a hermetic reciprocating compressor. Essential parameters affecting the performance of the lubrication are the rotational speed of the crankshaft, the viscosity of the oil, the operating temperature and the submersion depth of the crankshaft. An experimental setup was built as to measure the oil mass flow rate with respect to the oil temperature variation during different operating conditions. The influence of the governing parameters such as the rotational speed, temperature (viscosity) and the submersion depth on the mass flow rate from crankshaft outlet are studied in detail. In addition, the oil flow visualization from the upper hole of the crankshaft is performed using a high-speed camera in order to observe the effectiveness of the lubrication of the various parts of the compressor. This study reveals that with increasing rotational speed, the submersion depth of the crankshaft and with decreasing viscosity of the lubricant, the mass flow rate from the crankshaft increases.


2014 ◽  
Vol 599-601 ◽  
pp. 555-559
Author(s):  
Iman Zohourkari ◽  
Mehdi Zohoor ◽  
Massimiliano Annoni

In this paper, surface waviness quality in abrasive waterjet offset-mode turning has been studied regarding variations of some process parameters. Influence of five main operational parameters such as water pressure, cutting head traverse speed, abrasive mass flow rate, workpiece rotational speed and depth of cut on surface waviness of turned parts have been investigated using statistical approach. Second order regression model presented for surface waviness. The model accuracy was verified by comparing with experimental data. It found that abrasive mass flow rate, cutting head traverse speed and DOC are the most influential parameters while water pressure and workpiece rotational speed show lesser effectiveness.


2014 ◽  
Vol 621 ◽  
pp. 202-207
Author(s):  
Iman Zohourkari ◽  
Mehdi Zohoor ◽  
Massimiliano Annoni

In this paper, surface waviness produced by turning aluminum parts with abrasive waterjet has been studied regarding changes in some process parameters. Effect of five major parameters such as water pressure, cutting head traverse speed, abrasive mass flow rate, workpiece rotational speed and depth of cut have been investigated using analysis of variances. Second order regression model presented forwaviness.The validity of the model wasconfirmed bycomparing with experimental data. It found thatabrasive mass flow rate, cutting head traverse speed and DOC are the most influencing parameters while water pressure and workpiece rotational speed show lesser effectiveness.


2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (1242) ◽  
pp. 1147-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Laura Cordes ◽  
B. Tim Pychynski ◽  
C. Corina Schwitzke ◽  
D. Hans-Jörg Bauer ◽  
A. Thiago P. de Carvalho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe results of extensive experimental testing of an aero-engine air-oil separator are presented and discussed. The study focuses on the pressure loss of the system. Oil enters the device in the form of dispersed droplets. Subsequently, separation occurs by centrifuging larger droplets towards the outer walls and by film formation at the inner surface of a rotating porous material, namely an open-cell metal foam. The work described here is part of a study led jointly by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Nottingham (UNott) within a recent EU project.The goal of the research is to increase the separation efficiency to mitigate oil consumption and emissions, while keeping the pressure loss as low as possible. The aim is to determine the influencing factors on pressure loss and separation efficiency. With this knowledge, a correlation can eventually be derived. Experiments were conducted for three different separator configurations, one without a metal foam and two with metal foams of different pore sizes. For each configuration, a variety of engine-like conditions of air mass flow rate, rotational speed and droplet size was investigated. The experimental results were used to validate and improve the numerical modelling.Results for the pressure drop and its dependencies on air mass flow rate and the rotational speed were analysed. It is shown that the swirling flow and the dissipation of angular momentum are the most important contributors to the pressure drop, besides the losses due to friction and dissipation caused by the flow passing the metal foam. It was found that the ratio of the rotor speed and the tangential velocity of the fluid is an important parameter to describe the influence of rotation on the pressure loss. Contrary to expectations, the pressure loss is not necessarily increased with a metal foam installed.


Author(s):  
Massimiliano Renzi ◽  
Carlo Caligiuri ◽  
Mosè Rossi

In this work, the performances of a 100 kW Micro Gas Turbine (MGT) fed by Natural Gas (NG) and three different biomass-derived Synthesis Gases (SGs) have been assessed using a MATLAB® simulation algorithm. The set of equations in the algorithm includes the thermodynamic transformations of the working fluid in each component, the performance maps that describe the turbomachines’ isentropic efficiencies and pressure ratios as a function of the reduced mass flow rate and the reduced rotational speed, the performance and the pressure losses in each component, as well as the consumption of the other auxiliary devices. The electric power output, achieved using SGs, turns out to be lower or higher with respect to the one produced with the NG, depending on the fuel Lower Heating Value (LHV) but also largely on the variation of the working fluid composition. In this work, the effect of the steam injection on the MGT performance characteristics has been also investigated. Steam injection allows to obtain higher power and efficiencies using both NG and SGs at the rated rotational speed, mainly thanks to the increase of the turbine enthalpy drop and the reduction of the compressor consumption. Attention must be paid to the risk of the compressor stall, especially when using SGs, as the mass flow rate processed by the compressor decreases significantly. Moreover, another advantage of adopting the steam injection technique lies in the increased flexibility of the system: according to the users’ needs, the discharged heat can be exploited to generate steam, thus to enhance the electric performances, or to supply thermal power.


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