Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine

A power failure in the pump condition combined with the rejection of the guide vanes can cause the unit to runaway, which represents a dangerous transitional process for pumped storage power stations. This process is accompanied by intense oscillations in internal flow, pressure fluctuations, and ch...

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Main Authors: Yanyan Li, Longgang Sun, Pengcheng Guo, Zhuofei Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics
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Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19942060.2024.2427288
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author Yanyan Li
Longgang Sun
Pengcheng Guo
Zhuofei Xu
author_facet Yanyan Li
Longgang Sun
Pengcheng Guo
Zhuofei Xu
author_sort Yanyan Li
collection DOAJ
description A power failure in the pump condition combined with the rejection of the guide vanes can cause the unit to runaway, which represents a dangerous transitional process for pumped storage power stations. This process is accompanied by intense oscillations in internal flow, pressure fluctuations, and changes runner forces. This study aims to clarify the unstable flow characteristics during the runaway process by focusing on the transient behaviour from the pump condition to the runaway condition in a high-head model pump turbine. The numerical calculation of the runaway speed and discharge are consistent with experimental test results. The results indicate that the dynamic curve is not continuously stable during the process but exhibits dynamic oscillations before reaching a relatively stable condition. Significant pressure fluctuations with high amplitudes are observed in the pump braking zone and close the runaway condition. Further analysis reveals low frequency, high amplitude pressure fluctuations within various flow components at frequencies smaller than the runner rotational frequency (fn). Axial forces demonstrate a linear correlation with the change rate of discharge. The dynamic evolution of the backflow vortex at the runner inlet is the main cause of significant fluctuations in the axial forces of the runner. The scale of the backflow vortex gradually increases as the discharge decreases, peaking in the pump braking zone. Entering the turbine operating condition, its intensity decreases to some extent but with a significantly expanded range. Near the optimal operating condition, the internal flow around the runner becomes smooth. As the discharge further decreases, the backflow vortex scale gradually increases, eventually forming a ring structure at the runner inlet. Further analysis indicates that the dynamic evolution of the backflow vortex at the runner inlet inevitably disrupts the flow, leading to a significant increase in pressure fluctuation amplitudes and more pronounced oscillations in axial forces.
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spelling doaj-art-e95b04b1d7e8469f80c902967bd83b512025-08-20T02:20:56ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEngineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics1994-20601997-003X2024-12-0118110.1080/19942060.2024.2427288Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbineYanyan Li0Longgang Sun1Pengcheng Guo2Zhuofei Xu3School of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Water Resources and Hydroelectric Engineering, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, People’s Republic of ChinaA power failure in the pump condition combined with the rejection of the guide vanes can cause the unit to runaway, which represents a dangerous transitional process for pumped storage power stations. This process is accompanied by intense oscillations in internal flow, pressure fluctuations, and changes runner forces. This study aims to clarify the unstable flow characteristics during the runaway process by focusing on the transient behaviour from the pump condition to the runaway condition in a high-head model pump turbine. The numerical calculation of the runaway speed and discharge are consistent with experimental test results. The results indicate that the dynamic curve is not continuously stable during the process but exhibits dynamic oscillations before reaching a relatively stable condition. Significant pressure fluctuations with high amplitudes are observed in the pump braking zone and close the runaway condition. Further analysis reveals low frequency, high amplitude pressure fluctuations within various flow components at frequencies smaller than the runner rotational frequency (fn). Axial forces demonstrate a linear correlation with the change rate of discharge. The dynamic evolution of the backflow vortex at the runner inlet is the main cause of significant fluctuations in the axial forces of the runner. The scale of the backflow vortex gradually increases as the discharge decreases, peaking in the pump braking zone. Entering the turbine operating condition, its intensity decreases to some extent but with a significantly expanded range. Near the optimal operating condition, the internal flow around the runner becomes smooth. As the discharge further decreases, the backflow vortex scale gradually increases, eventually forming a ring structure at the runner inlet. Further analysis indicates that the dynamic evolution of the backflow vortex at the runner inlet inevitably disrupts the flow, leading to a significant increase in pressure fluctuation amplitudes and more pronounced oscillations in axial forces.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19942060.2024.2427288Pump turbinerunawaypressure fluctuationaxial forcebackflow vortex
spellingShingle Yanyan Li
Longgang Sun
Pengcheng Guo
Zhuofei Xu
Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics
Pump turbine
runaway
pressure fluctuation
axial force
backflow vortex
title Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
title_full Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
title_fullStr Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
title_full_unstemmed Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
title_short Dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
title_sort dynamic and flow instability analysis during runaway process for a pump turbine
topic Pump turbine
runaway
pressure fluctuation
axial force
backflow vortex
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19942060.2024.2427288
work_keys_str_mv AT yanyanli dynamicandflowinstabilityanalysisduringrunawayprocessforapumpturbine
AT longgangsun dynamicandflowinstabilityanalysisduringrunawayprocessforapumpturbine
AT pengchengguo dynamicandflowinstabilityanalysisduringrunawayprocessforapumpturbine
AT zhuofeixu dynamicandflowinstabilityanalysisduringrunawayprocessforapumpturbine