Abstract
The applicability of MPS method as an assessment tool for flow regimes in installing a current water wheel in an open channel as one of the development of micro-scale hydropower generation in irrigation systems, was examined. As a result, the simulated flow regimes agreed qualitatively with the experimental results at given rotational speeds of the water wheel. However, the simulated energy difference between upstream and downstream of the water wheel was about 20% larger than the experimental results at given rotational speeds in the case the length of water turbine runner was 0.1m. The main reasons were considered to be numerical pressure fluctuation known as a problem of original MPS method, and lack of phenomenal representation based on employing the 2D single-phase model.
