Abstract
Research and development of various renewable energies have been promoting after Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Among the renewable energy sources, hydropower is geographically promising source in Japan. This study has focused on development of undershot opened cross-flow turbine which is applicable extremely low head hydro power. Especially, it is rapid and shallow stream such as one of agricultural water ways in mountain area. A model of a cross-flow turbine was constructed in similar shape of Banki turbine and examined experimentally. The authors investigated the effects of the blade thickness and number with changing an impinging flow thickness on power performance. The power coefficient is drastically changed by difference of the impinging flow thickness. The maximum power coefficient, CPmax, becomes higher as the impinging flow thickness is thinner. It was evaluated by flow visualization around the runner for revealing mechanism of power production.
