Robust Finite-Time Terminal Sliding Mode Control for a Francis Hydroturbine Governing System

The robust finite-time control for a Francis hydroturbine governing system is investigated in this paper. Firstly, the mathematical model of a Francis hydroturbine governing system is presented and the nonlinear vibration characteristics are analyzed. Then, on the basis of finite-time control theory and terminal sliding mode scheme, a new robust finite-time terminal sliding mode control method is proposed for nonlinear vibration control of the hydroturbine governing system. Furthermore, the designed controller has good robustness which could resist external random disturbances. Numerical simulations are employed to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the designed finite-time sliding mode control scheme. The approach proposed in this paper is simple and also provides a reference for relevant hydropower systems.

Unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamic Analysis of the Behavior of Guide Vane Trailing‐Edge Injection and Its Effects on Downstream Rotor Performance in a Francis Hydroturbine

A unique guide vane design, which includes trailing-edge jets, is presented for a mixed-flow Francis hydroturbine. The water injection causes a change in bulk flow direction at the inlet of the rotor. When properly tuned, altering the flow angle results in a significant improvement in turbine efficiency during off-design operation. Unsteady CFD simulations show nearly 1% improvement in overall turbine efficiency with the use of injection. This revolutionary concept also has the ability to reduce the intensity of the rotor–stator interactions (RSI) by compensating for the momentum deficit of the wicket gate wakes. This technology may be equally applied to other turbomachinery devices with problematic rotor–stator flow misalignments.

Multiphase Computation of Cavitation Breakdown in Model and Prototype Scale Francis Turbines

Steady-periodic multiphase Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to capture cavitation breakdown in a Francis hydroturbine due to large-scale vaporous structures. A reduced-scale model and a full-scale prototype were investigated to display differences in vapor content and machine performance caused by lack of Reynolds and Froude similarity. The model scale efficiencies compared favorably (within 3%) to the experimental cavitation tests. The CFD model and prototype displayed distinct qualitative and quantitative differences as σ was reduced. A stage-by-stage analysis was conducted to assess the effect of cavitation on loss distribution throughout the machine. Furthermore, a formal mesh refinement study was conducted on efficiency and volume of vapor, with three mesh levels and Richardson extrapolation, to ensure convergence.

On the Flow Instabilities and Turbulent Kinetic Energy of Large-Scale Francis Hydroturbine Model at Low Flow Rate Conditions

This paper is to make a better understanding of the flow instabilities and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) features in a large-scale Francis hydroturbine model. The flow instability with aspect of pressure oscillation and pressure-velocity correlation was investigated using large eddy simulation (LES) method along with two-phase cavitation model. The numerical simulation procedures were validated by the existing experimental result, and further the TKE evolution was analyzed in a curvilinear coordinates. By monitoring the fluctuating pressure and velocities in the vanes’ wake region, the local pressure and velocity variations were proven to have a phase difference approaching π/2, with a reasonable cross-correlation coefficient. Also the simultaneous evolution of pressure fluctuations at the opposite locations possessed a clear phase difference of π, indicating the stresses variations on the runner induced by pressure oscillation were in an odd number of nodal diameter. Considering the TKE generation, the streamwise velocity component u s′2 contributed the most to the TKE, and thus the normal stress production term and shear stress production term imparted more instability to the flow than other production terms.