https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8845-4928
![Sample our Built Environment journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5926/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Built-Environment.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Due to their diminishing performance, reliability, and maintenance requirements, there has been a rise in the demand for the restoration and renovation of old hydroelectric power facilities in recent decades. Prior to initiating a rehabilitation program, it is crucial to establish a comprehensive understanding of the power plant’s current state. Failure to do so may result in unnecessary expenses with minimal or no improvements. This article presents a systematic rehabilitation methodology specifically tailored for Francis turbines, encompassing a methodological approach for condition assessment, performance testing, and evaluation of rehabilitation potential using site measurements and CFD analysis, and a comprehensive decision-making process. To evaluate the off-design performance of the turbines, a series of simulations are conducted for 40 different flow rate and head combinations, generating a hill chart for comprehensive evaluation. Various parameters that significantly impact the critical decision-making process are thoroughly investigated. The validity of the reverse engineering-based CFD methodology is verified, demonstrating a minor difference of 0.41% and 0.40% in efficiency and power, respectively, between the RE runner and actual runner CFD results. The optimal efficiency point is determined at a flow rate of 35.035 m3/s, achieving an efficiency of 94.07%, while the design point exhibits an efficiency of 93.27% with a flow rate of 38.6 m3/s. Cavitation is observed in the turbine runner, occupying 27% of the blade suction area at 110% loading. The developed rehabilitation methodology equips decision-makers with essential information to prioritize key issues and determine whether a full-scale or component-based rehabilitation program is necessary. By following this systematic approach, hydroelectric power plants can efficiently address the challenges associated with aging Francis turbines and optimize their rehabilitation efforts.
Nomenclature
| H | = | Head at the operating system, m |
| g | = | Gravitational Accelaration, m/s2 |
| ρ | = | Density kg/m3 |
| T | = | Temperature,°C |
| α | = | Angle of guide vane (°) |
| β | = | Metal Angle(°) |
| fr | = | Rotational Frequency, Hz |
| σ | = | Cavitation Factor (Thoma number) |
| υ | = | Dynamic Viscosity Ns/m2 |
| Q | = | Flow rate, m3/s |
| N | = | Rotational speed, rpm |
| η | = | Efficiency (%) |
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the World Bank Group for their financial support of the project entitled “European Union/Instrument for Pre Accession Assistance (IPA) Energy Sector Technical Assistance Project Consulting Services for Energy Efficiency in Power Generation.” The computations presented here were conducted using the computational cluster of the TOBB University Hydro Energy Research Laboratory (TOBB ETU Hydro).
Disclosure statement
All authors have participated in (a) conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of the data; (b) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (c) approval of the final version.
This manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is under review at, another journal or other publishing venue.
The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript.
The computations presented in the manuscript are performed utilizing TOBB University Hydro Energy Research Laboratory (TOBB ETU Hydro) computational cluster, financially supported by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and World Bank Group with a project title of “European Union/Instrument for Pre‐Accession Assistance (IPA) Energy Sector Technical Assistance Project ‐ Consulting Services for Energy Efficiency in Power Generation.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ece Aylı
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Kutay Celebioglu
Kutay Çelebioğlu is currently serving as the Director of the Local Design and Production of Sarıyar HEPP Components Project at TOBB Economy and Technology University Water Turbine Design and Test Center since 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Drexel University, which he earned in 2006. Additionally, he obtained his MSc in Civil Engineering from METU in 2002.
Ece Ayli
Ece Aylı is currently working as an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Çankaya University. In 2016, she completed her doctoral studies on water turbine design at TOBB ETU Hidro. Her areas of expertise include fluid mechanics and heat transfer.
Oguzhan Ulucak
Oğuzhan Ulucak completed his master's degree in water turbine design as part of a European Union project in 2020. Currently, he is working as a research assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at TED University and continues his doctoral studies.
Selin Aradag
Selin Aradağ obtained her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Middle East Technical University in 2000 and 2002, respectively. In 2006, she earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Rutgers University in the United States. She is actively involved in the digital and sustainable transformation of hydropower as a member of the executive board of the European Union COST action and serves as an advisor for TOBB ETU Hidro, an organization she founded. Since 2019, Selin Aradağ has held the position of Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and the Director of the Graduate Programs Institute at TED University. Since March 2023, she has been serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
Jerry Westerman
Jerry Westermann is currently working as the Manager of Engineering at Water Power Hydro, a division of HATCH. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and completed his Master's education in Mechanical Engineering at McMaster University. His areas of expertise include Hydrogeology & Groundwater and Energy Conservation.