The cross-flow hydro turbines (CFHTs) are generally used in micro hydraulic power plants due to its simplicity in design and fabrication, moderate efficiency, ease to maintenance. The CFHT can be used in low flow and low head condition with efficiency of around 90% at full load condition. However, the efficiency of the CFHT can further be improved by changing its geometric parameters. Hence, in the present investigation, 3D unsteady simulations are performed in order to locate the exit blade angle (β2) with the intention is to improve the efficiency of the turbine. In the proposed investigation the multi-physics FVM solver ANSYS Fluent has been used with the help of SST k-ω turbulence model to carry out the unsteady simulations. The 3D unsteady simulations are performed by varying the exit blade angle (β2) from 60ᵒ to 90ᵒ to improve its efficiency when the rpm is fixed with the number blades 20. From the unsteady simulations, the maximum efficiency of the CFHT has found to be at the exit blade angle (β2) = 80ᵒ.The cross-flow hydro turbines (CFHTs) are generally used in micro hydraulic power plants due to its simplicity in design and fabrication, moderate efficiency, ease to maintenance. The CFHT can be used in low flow and low head condition with efficiency of around 90% at full load condition. However, the efficiency of the CFHT can further be improved by changing its geometric parameters. Hence, in the present investigation, 3D unsteady simulations are performed in order to locate the exit blade angle (β2) with the intention is to improve the efficiency of the turbine. In the proposed investigation the multi-physics FVM solver ANSYS Fluent has been used with the help of SST k-ω turbulence model to carry out the unsteady simulations. The 3D unsteady simulations are performed by varying the exit blade angle (β2) from 60ᵒ to 90ᵒ to improve its efficiency when the rpm is fixed with the number blades 20. From the unsteady simulations, the maximum efficiency of the CFHT has found to be at the exit blade angle (β2) = 80ᵒ.

Effect of Exit Blade Angle on the Performance of Cross Flow Hydro Turbine: A Numerical Study

Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/GTINDIA/GTINDIA2021/volume/85536

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