Design Optimization of A High Specific Speed Francis Turbine

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032010 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032010
Design optimization of a high specific speed Francis turbine

runner
Y Enomoto, S Kurosawa and H Kawajiri

Toshiba Corporation, 20-1 Kansei-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0034, Japan
E-mail: yasuyuki.enomoto@toshiba.co.jp
Abstract. Francis turbine is used in many hydroelectric power stations. This paper presents the
development of hydraulic performance in a high specific speed Francis turbine runner. In order
to achieve the improvements of turbine efficiency throughout a wide operating range, a new
runner design method which combines the latest Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and a
multi objective optimization method with an existing design system was applied in this study.
The validity of the new design system was evaluated by model performance tests. As the
results, it was confirmed that the optimized runner presented higher efficiency compared with
an originally designed runner. Besides optimization of runner, instability vibration which
occurred at high part load operating condition was investigated by model test and gas-liquid
two-phase flow analysis. As the results, it was confirmed that the instability vibration was
caused by oval cross section whirl which was caused by recirculation flow near runner cone
wall.
1. Introduction
Hydroelectric power generation is one of the environment-friendly power generation systems
compared with other existent electric power generating equipment and extremely outstanding
renewable energy. In particular, Francis turbines are the most widely used in various hydraulic
machines. The demands for improvement of turbine performance in wider operating range have been
increasing in recent years. Main characteristic of turbine performance are 1) efficiency, 2) cavitaion
and 3) pressure fluctuation.
In order to improve the turbine performance such as efficiency and cavitation, runner shape
optimization of various optimization methods, for example a genetic algorithm and design of
experiments, were carried out for balancing the load distribution on the runner blade surfaces [1-4].
On the other hand, recently the pressure fluctuation which occurred at high partial load operating
condition was reported[5-6]. This phenomenon occurs in a very small domain and is accompanied by
very big instable vibration. Therefore, it is important to investigate the mechanism of the instability
vibration phenomena and find out the countermeasures. This phenomenon is caused by runner outlet
whirl which has oval cross section. However, the mechanism of outbreak of this oval cross section
whirl was not solved.
In this study, we have two purposes. One is optimization of runner shape which has high efficiency,
and another one is investigation of this instability vibration phenomenon. As for the optimization of
the runner shape, a new runner design method which combined the latest CFD and a multi objective
optimization method with an existing design system was introduced. In this study the optimization
runner shape was conducted for high specific speed about 0.21. As for the investigation of instability
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1

vibration phenomenon which occurred at high partial load operating condition, model test and CFD
analysis was conducted. CFD analysis were conducted using compressible cavitation analysis based
on LES turbulence model. By using this model, CFD analysis can successfully catch the oval cross
section whirl and be able to help investigating the mechanism of outbreak of oval cross section whirl.
2. Optimization runner shape
2.1. Methodology
Conventional hydro turbine runner design is tuned by using follow method. At first, the runner shape
is optimized at design point (maximum efficiency point). Next, this runner performance at other
operating points is confirmed and tuned runner shape based on the results. In this case, CFD is
performed, but this method depends on the skill of designer too much. While in this study, turbine
efficiency on whole operating range were chosen in order to evaluate turbine performance with
changing various runner design parameters. This whole optimization method is shown in figure 1. In
this method, turbine efficiency at 12 operating points from partial load to over load and from high
head to low head were defined as multi objective functions and total weighted efficiency was
evaluated. It is possible to explore optimized runner shape effectively and systematically by this
method.
The concept of design system is shown in figure 2. At first, whole flow passage analysis from
spiral case inlet to draft tube outlet was conducted for conventional turbine. Next some runner design
parameters to define a runner shape were chosen by using Design of Experiments (DOE) and all
matching of runner design parameters were executed on runner design and CFD. And then turbine
performance prediction was carried out based on CFD results and the optimized runner shape was
decided by sensitivity analysis of design parameters. In the search of optimized runner shape,
optimized design parameters were sought in order that multi objective turbine efficiency values were
maximized and restricted conditions were sufficient. The points of parameter design method, which
mainly involves evaluated functions and restricted conditions, are as follows.
Contour line of efficiency Whole flow passage analysis

Discharge factor QED
Runner design parameter setting by DOE
CFD analysis
Runner + Draft tube
Sensitivity analysis
Discharge line Optimization of design parameters

Operating
range
Design and CFD of NEW runner
Evaluation of CFD results
Speed factor nED
Figure 1. Whole optimization for hydro turbine Figure 2. Optimization design system
2.2. Parameter design points

Design parameters were defined based on considering following points.
1) As for whole runner blade shape optimization, pressure distribution on the blade surface was
gradual from inlet and outlet in order to restrict increasing hydraulic loss.
2
2) In the optimization of the blade inlet shape, the occurrence of flow separation and inlet
cavitation was reduced and good turbine performance was achieved in wider operating range.
3) In the optimization of the blade outlet shape, outlet angle and outlet width distributions,
secondary flow was decreased in wider operating range to achieve high turbine efficiency.
4) In the optimization of outlet width distributions and runner band shape, improvements of turbine
efficiency and anti-cavitation characteristics had been consistent.
2.3. Evaluated function and restricted condition

Evaluated functions were defined as hydraulic efficiency that was calculated based on hydraulic losses
at 12 operating points. Restricted condition was defined as the pressure coefficient on the blade
surface (minimum value).
2.4. CFD analysis method

When the optimization of runner shape is carried out by using CFD, calculation time and precision of
the solutions become important. In order to improve CFD accuracy, it is desirable to carry out analysis
of the whole flow passage, but it involves great deal of time. Therefore when the runners shape
optimization is carried out, the analysis domain is limited to the region from runner to draft tube. The
boundary condition of the runner inlet was set applying the velocity distribution obtained from CFD
results of a whole flow passage from the spiral casing to draft tube.
2.4.1. Whole passage flow calculation. As for the whole flow passage analysis, turbulence flow
simulation based on Reynolds–Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equation was adapted. As for RANS
simulation, it is important to employ the anisotropy of the Reynolds stresses in the turbulence model
since the secondary flow and rotational force effect are strong in runner and draft tube flow. Therefore
Reynolds-Stress model (RSM) is adopted as the turbulence model in the numerical model test. RSM
model approximates RANS equations by solving the transport equations for Reynolds stresses,
together with an equation of the dissipatetion rate. As for the wall modeling, the non-equilibrium wall
function is used. This wall function is more suitable in regions, where the mean flow and turbulence
are subjected to severe pressure gradients and change rapidly, and it is effective for the off-design flow
simulation, which is involving the separation and reattachment. The non-equilibrium wall function is
based on two layers concept in computing the budget of turbulent kinetic energy at the wall adjacent
cells, which is needed to solve the k equation at wall-neighboring cells. The computational models are
shown in figure 3(a). The number of grid points is about 14 million. The computational boundary
conditions were applied at the inlet surface and at the outlet surface of the computational domain.
About the inlet boundary condition, it was assumed the uniform velocity distribution. As for the outlet
boundary condition, the average pressure was set fixed. Furthermore, about the surface of the wall, the
non-slip boundary condition was prescribed, i.e. the velocity components were set to zero.
2.4.2. Runner shape optimization. Figure 3(b) shows computational domain which is used in runner
shape optimization. The three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes code was used to
calculate the flow. The discretization of the governing equation was done by finite volume method,
and the convective terms were approximated by Self Filtered Central Differencing scheme. RNG k-ε
turbulence model, which had been confirmed accurate in prediction of many hydro turbine and pump-
turbine, was applied to calculate the Reynolds stress (Ref 7). As mentioned above, the inlet boundary
condition at runner inlet was set applying the velocity distributions obtained from whole flow passage
analysis. Outlet boundary condition was defined as the fixed average pressure. The number of grid
points is about 5,500,000.
3
(a) for whole passage flow calculation (b) for runner shape optimization
Figure 3. Overview of computational models
2.5. Runner shape optimization

In order to carry out runner shape optimization by DOE, flow-passage shape must be defined by
parameter values, so geometry definition programs were used to design the runner shape. As for the
runner shape definition program, its 3D shape is defined by design parameters, and runner meridian
passage and blade shape can be generated accordingly by changing the parameters. In this study, 8
design parameters were used to optimizing the variables such as blade inlet diameter, blade inlet angle,
runner crown shape, runner band shape and so on.
Figure 4 shows runner shape. Where the conventional runner was optimized based on conventional
optimization method. In this method runner shape was optimized by using CFD. However, boundary
condition of runner inlet was used obtained by single component flow analysis of stay vane and guide
vane. The velocity distribution was different from the velocity distribution that a whole flow passage
analysis result provided. Thus, the optimized runner shape is different from conventional runner in the
shape of the blade inlet. Figure 4 shows runner shape and surface flow near the design point of
conventional and optimized runner. Figure 4 also shows surface flow near design point of
conventional and optimized runner. As for the conventional runner, a secondary flow occurs from
runner crown side to runner band side near the leading edge. However a secondary flow is restrained
in the optimized runners because the runner shape was optimized based on inlet boundary condition
obtained from whole flow passage analysis.
(a) Conventional runner (b) Optimized runner

Figure 4. Runner shape and surface flow
Figure 5 shows velocity contour in draft tube. There was not the large difference in both velocity
contours, and the loss in draft tube was almost same.
4
High
Low
(a) Conventional runner (b) Optimized runner

Figure 5. Velocity contours in draft tube
2.6. Model test

In order to confirm the optimized runner performance, model test was conducted. The model runner
was made based on CFD analysis results and tested turbine efficiency characteristics. Figure 6 shows
model turbine view of the model test. Turbine discharge characteristics on design speed factor are
shown in Figure 7. In this figure, the broken line indicates model test result of conventional runner
and the solid line indicates the optimized runner’s one and vertical axis and horizontal axis indicate
non-dimensional value based on the maximum efficiency point of conventional runner. The efficiency
of the optimized runner was higher than the conventional one in whole operating range. It was
confirmed that this optimizing method was a useful engineering tool of a Francis turbine development.
1.02
Turbine efficiency η/η0 (-)
1.00
0.98
0.96
Model Test Results (Optimized runner)
0.94
Model Test Results (Conventional runner)
0.92 CFD (Optimized runner)
CFD (Conventional runner)
0.90
0.60 0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00 1.10 1.20
Discharge QED/QED0 (-)
Figure 6. View of model turbine Figure 7. Model turbine performance
3. Investigation of instability vibration of Francis turbine

Recently the case which pressure fluctuation enlarges with the high partial load of the Francis turbine
is reported. In this study, in order to investigate the instability vibrations which occur at high partial
load operating condition in Francis turbine, a model test and a flow analysis were conducted. The
runner which causes especially large instability vibration was selected. The speed factor of maximum
efficiency point was 0.4.
3.1. Investigation of instability vibration by model test

The model test was conducted to investigate the area and phenomenon of the instability vibrations. In
this test measurement of pressure fluctuation with 8 locations ((1)casing inlet , (2)(3) between runner
and guide vane, (4)(5)upper draft tube, (6)draft elbow, (7)(8) draft elbow exit) and the observation of
whirl by the high-speed video camera were conducted. Figure 8 shows schematic view of model test
equipment. The test was conducted with 3 guide vane openings (aM=100%, 88%, 78%), which are
normalized by the guide vane opening corresponding to the optimum operating point. By changing
speed factor ( nED ) and Thoma number (σ M) , the area that instability vibrations occurred was
pinpointed. Figure 9 shows the area that instability vibration occurred. As an example, figure 10 shows
the pressure fluctuation under the condition of aM=88%, nED=0.44. From this figure, the pressure
5
fluctuation at casing, and between runner and guide vane increases withinσM condition from 0.15 to
0.27. 1.5
(2),(3)
Maximum efficiency point
Relative Discharge QED/QED0

Instability vibration area
1
(4) (5) (1) aM=100%
aM=88%
High speed aM=77%

video camera
(7),(8)
0.5
(6) 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Speed factor nED
▲,●:Pressure transducer for pressure

Figure 8. Schematic view of model test equipment Figure 9. Instability vibration area
10.0
Casing inlet
Pressure Fluctuation ⊿H／H (%)
8.0 Between runner and guide vane 1

Between runner and guide vane 2
6.0
Upper draft tube １
4.0 Upper draft tube 2

Elbow
2.0 Elbow exit 1

Elbow exit 2
0.0
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25 0.30 0.35 0.40 0.45 0.50
Thoma number σM
Figure 10. Pressure fluctuation at aM=88% and nED=0.44
Casing inlet
Upper draft tube 1
Upper draft tube 2
Elbow
Elbow exit 1
Elbow exit 2
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0
Time （s）
Figure 11. Pressure fluctuation wave form
Figure 11 and figure 12 show the pressure fluctuation wave form and the FFT analysis results at the
condition of aM=88%, nED=0.44,σM=0.24. And observation results of runner outlet are also shown in
Figure 13. From FFT analysis results, it can be seen that, there are about 5 Hz dominant frequency at
upper draft tube and 39.6 Hz dominant frequency at casing inlet and between runner and guide vane.
The rotational speed of runner (nM) is 17.6 s-1. The 5 Hz dominant frequency at upper draft tube is
about one third of rotational speed of runner, therefore the frequency was caused by whirl rotation.
However the 39.6Hz dominant frequency at casing inlet has no relation to these runner rotational
6
speed and whirl rotational speed. From figure 13 it can be found that the cross-section of the whirl is
an oval and the oval cross section whirl rotates 1 round in the whirl core circumference in about 0.05
seconds (about 20 Hz). So the oval cross section whirl knocks the wall surface at 1 round twice and
the frequency is about 40 Hz. This frequency is near the dominant frequency at casing inlet and
between runner and guide vane. It is thought that the instability vibration is caused by this oval cross
section whirl.
nM=17.6Hz
5.E-02
Amplitude（ V）
Casing inlet
0.E+00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
5.E-02 （
Amplitude（V）
Upper draft tube 1

Upper draft tube 2
0.E+00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
5.E-02
Amplitude （V）
Elbow
Elbow exit 1
Elbow exit 2
0.E+00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Frequency f （Hz)
Figure 12. FFT analysis results
T=0.0s T=0.016s T=0.032s T=0.051s

Figure 13. Observation results at runner outlet
3.2. CFD analysis

In order to investigate the mechanism of outbreak of oval cross section whirl, CFD was conducted.
3.2.1. Governing equation. Governing equation was used compressible Navier-Stokes Equations
whose term was transformed by Gausian Filter.
∂ui
=0 (1)
∂x i
∂u i ∂ 1 ∂p ∂   ∂ u i ∂ u j 
+ (u i u i + τ ij ) = − + ν +  (2)
∂t ∂x j ρ ∂x i ∂x j   ∂x j ∂x i 
 
where ui is averaged velocity, p is averaged pressure, ρ is fluid density, ν is kinematic viscosity and
τij is subgrid-scale is stress tensor.
7
τ ij = u i u j − u i u j (3)
3.2.2. Turbulence model. Subgrid-scale Reynolds stress was formulated by Smagorinsky model.
1
τ ij − δ ij τ kk = −2ν SGS S ij (4)
3
where
ν SGS = (C s Δ) 2 2 2Sij Sij

(5)
1  ∂u ∂u j 
S ij =  i + 
2  ∂x j ∂x i 

Cs is Smagorinsky constant and Δ is a bandwidth filter.
3.2.3. Cavitation modelling. It is known that when cavitation occurs, volume of the gas phase
increases, and speed of sound suddenly decrease. Therefore it is important to consider the
compressible condition and the speed of sound change Cavitation model was used locally
homogeneous compressible medium model which use follow equations(8). Figure 14 shows the
relation between void of fraction and speed of sound.
1) Transport equation of vapor mass fraction Y
∂Y ∂Y
+uj =s (6)
∂t ∂x j
s < ∗
=

∗
−
= (1 − ) (7)
2
∗
−
= (1 − )
2
where Pv* is saturated vapor pressure, Ts is condensing temperature and A is interfacial area
concentration. Subscript l means liquid and v means gas.
2) State equation (solution of speed of sound)
( + )
= (8)
(1 − ) ( + ) + ( + )
where,
= 1944.61 , =( + + )/ − ,
K = 2aT + b, a = 3.353 × 10 p , b = −1.723 × 10 p ,
c = 1.222 × 10 p , and R = 461.6J/kg/K.
8
By using these parameter and state equation of liquid (9) and state equation of vapor (10), the
common pressure of liquid and gas was defined (11).
+ = ( + ) (9)
= (10)
= + (1 − ) ( + ) (11)
3) Calculation of speed of sound
(12)
(13)
(14)
(15)
Figure 14. The relation between void of fraction and speed of sound (8)
The discretization of the basic equations was done by finite volume method. Convective terms were
approximated by the two order central differences, time was approximated by second order implicit
method. As for numerical algorithm to solve the algebraic finite volume equations, the SIMPLE
method was used. The analysis domain was modeled from the stay vane to draft tube exit. Figure 15
shows computational domain. The total number of grid is about 700 million and boundary between
stationary part and rotating part was connected using sliding mesh boundary condition.
9
Figure 15. Computational domain
Figure 16 shows Iso-surface of void fraction and figure 17 shows velocity vectors on meridian
plane. It can be seen from these figures that the oval cross section whirl occurred near the runner cone
wall surface. And the oval cross section whirl is formed by the centrifugal force by the leaning of the
runner corn shape and the dynamic pressure of the mainstream direction. Probably the reason why the
instability vibration occurs at high partial load condition is that, if the discharge decreases less than
this operating condition, the runner outlet flow tends to outer side and the boundary layer of the runner
corn wall surface developed, so it cannot maintain the recirculation of oval cross section near the
runner cone where the starting point of the whirl. Therefore, it is thought that the control a
recirculation flow near a runner corn wall surface is effective to prevent the form of oval cross section
whirl which causes instability vibration.
Distribution of void fraction Iso-surface of void fraction（void fraction =0.80）

Figure 16. Iso-surface of void fraction
Figure 17. Velocity vectors on meridian plane
4. Conclusions
In order to develop high performance turbine for high specific speed Francis turbine, the optimization
of runner shape and the investigation of mechanism of instability vibration phenomena was conducted.
The results are obtained as follows:
1) This optimization system was a useful engineering tool of a Francis turbine development and
the optimized runner had high turbine efficiency in whole operating range.
2) When the instability vibration at high partial load condition is caused, an oval cross section whirl
occurred. This whirl may be caused by the recirculation flow near the runner cone wall.
As for the instability vibration, we will conduct forward examination more and am going to report
measures.
Nomenclature
DM Model runner diameter [m] ΔH Root-mean-square of Pressure fluctuation [m]
HM Model test head [m] ΔH / H Pressure fluctuation (= 2 2ΔH / H ) [%]
nM Rotational speed of runner [m/s] aM Guide vane opening [%]
10
g Gravity acceleration [m/s2] T Time [sec]

nED Speed factor ( =nM×DM/(H×g)0.5 ) QM Discharge [m3/s]
σM Thoma number ( =NPSH／H ) QED Discharge factor ( =QM/(DM2×(H×g)0.5) )
References
[1] Mazzouji F et al. 2004 Multicriteria optimization: viscous fluid analysis mechanical analysis
22nd IAHR Symp. on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems (Stockholm, Sweden, 2004)
[2] Enomoto Y et al. 2006 Design Optimization of a High Specific Speed Francis Turbine Runner
using Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm 23rd IAHR Symp. (Yokohama, Japan, 2006)
[3] Manfred S 2000 The Design of Francis Turbine Runners by 3D Euler Simulations Coupled to a
Breeder Genetic Algorithm 20th IAHR Symp.( Charlotte,North Carolina, August 2000)
[4] Laurent T et al. 2002 Automated Design of a Francis Turbine Runner Using Global
Optimization Algorithms 21st IAHR Symp. (Lausanne，Sweden, September 2002)
[5] Shi Q H Expermental Investigation of Upper part Load pressure Pulsations for Three Gorges
Model Turbine Proc.24th IAHR Symp. (Parana ,Brazi, 27 October 2008)
[6] Koutnik J, Faigle P, Moser W, “Pressure Fluctuations in Francis Turbines Theoretical
Prediction and Impact on Turbine Proc.24th IAHR Symp. (Parana ,Brazi, 27 October 2008)
[7] Sugishita K et al. 2001 Rehabilitation of 57.4MW Francis Turbine by Using CFD Analysis J.
Waterpower & Dams September 2001
[8] Saito Y, Takami R, Nakamori I, Ikohagi T, ”Numerical analysis of unsteady behavior of cloud
cavitation around a NACA0015 foil”, Computational Mechanics 2007
11

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IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

- Design optimization method for Francis

- Experimental and numerical investigation

This content was downloaded from IP address 101.251.6.34 on 14/01/2018 at 03:42

Design optimization of a high specific speed Francis turbine

Y Enomoto, S Kurosawa and H Kawajiri

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1

2. Optimization runner shape

Contour line of efficiency Whole flow passage analysis

Runner design parameter setting by DOE

Discharge line Optimization of design parameters

2.2. Parameter design points

2.3. Evaluated function and restricted condition

2.4. CFD analysis method

2.5. Runner shape optimization

(a) Conventional runner (b) Optimized runner

(a) Conventional runner (b) Optimized runner

2.6. Model test

Figure 6. View of model turbine Figure 7. Model turbine performance

3. Investigation of instability vibration of Francis turbine

3.1. Investigation of instability vibration by model test

Relative Discharge QED/QED0

High speed aM=77%

▲,●:Pressure transducer for pressure

8.0 Between runner and guide vane 1

4.0 Upper draft tube 2

2.0 Elbow exit 1

Figure 10. Pressure fluctuation at aM=88% and nED=0.44

Figure 11. Pressure fluctuation wave form

Upper draft tube 1

Figure 12. FFT analysis results

T=0.0s T=0.016s T=0.032s T=0.051s

3.2. CFD analysis

ν SGS = (C s Δ) 2 2 2Sij Sij

Cs is Smagorinsky constant and Δ is a bandwidth filter.

2) State equation (solution of speed of sound)

3) Calculation of speed of sound

Figure 15. Computational domain

Distribution of void fraction Iso-surface of void fraction（void fraction =0.80）

Figure 17. Velocity vectors on meridian plane

g Gravity acceleration [m/s2] T Time [sec]

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