Effect of Tip Clearance on Performance of Small Hydroturbine Having a 49mm Rotor Diameter

Abstract

In order to effectively utilize unused hydraulic resources in irrigation channels, simple water supply systems, it is essential to improve the performance and reduce the size of small hydroturbines. Previous research has revealed that the tip clearance has a significant effect on the performance of this test turbine. Therefore, we conducted a numerical analysis and experiment to investigate the effect of changing the tip clearance of a small hydroturbine with a diameter of 49 mm (D49 model) on performance and report the results here.