Design and Simulation of Very Low Head Axial Hydraulic Turbine with Variation of Swirl Velocity Criterion

Abstract

The type of turbine developed is based on the very low head of water potential source for the electric power production. The area of research is focused for the axial water turbine that can be applied at the simple site open channel with has a very low cost and environmental impact compared to the conventional hydro installation. High efficiency of axial turbine which applied to the very low potential head will made this type of turbine can be used at wider potential site. Existing irrigation weir and river area will be the perfect site for this turbine. This paper will compare the effects of the variation of swirl velocity criterion during the design of the blade of guide vane and rotor of the turbine. Effects of the swirl velocity criterion is wider known as a vortex conditions (free vortex, force vortex and swirl velocity constant), and the free vortex is the very popular condition that applied by most of turbine designer, therefore will be interesting to do a comparison against other criterion. ANSYS Fluent will be used for simulation and to determine the predictive performance obtained by each of design criteria.