Development of Francis Turbine using

Computational Fluid Dynamics

By:
Chandra Shekhar Pokhariya
Rasmi Kumari
Ashish Pchai
Digendra Singh Samant
Hitesh Singh Samant

CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
BASIC DESIGN OF FRANCIS TURBINE

COMPONENTS

(RUNNER, GUIDE VANE, SPIRAL CASING,

DRAFT TUBE)
OPTIMIZATION OF TURBINE COMPONENTS

BY COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS

GEOMETRIC MODELING
MESHING
PROBLEM DEFINITION
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION
Small hydropower is one of the main renewable

energy resources and India has good potential

in it. There are four basic type of turbine
(Francis, Kaplan, Pelton and Turgo) is used for
hydropower generation.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is latest
state of art technological tool, which is used by
designer for hydraulic design of Turbine. This
paper describes how high head Francis turbine
is designed using CFD. It starts with basic
design of each component (Spiral Casing,
Guide vane, Runner, Draft tube) and
optimization & performance evolution using
CFD.

TURBINE DESIGN
OPTIMIZATION LOOP

BASIC DESIGN OF TURBINE

BY REFERENCES, EXPERIENCE
AND 2D CALCULATION
3D MODEL GENERATION
GRID GENERATION

PROBLEM DEFINITION AND

SOLUTION BY NAVIER STOKES
EQUATION

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
(POWER, HEAD, DISCHARGE,
EFFICIENCY)
MECHANICAL DESIGN
DESIGN VALIDATION BY MODEL
TEST
PROTOTYPE DESIGN

BASIC DESIGN OF FRANCIS

TURBINE COMPONENTS
DESIGN SEQUENCE OF FRANCIS TURBINE
COMPONENTS
_

RUNNER

GUIDE VANE

SPIRAL CASING

DRAFT TUBE

RUNNER
Runner is most important component of Francis turbine.

High-pressure water is entered at runner inlet with partial

kinetic energy and flow through area between two blades
of runner. Hence, by reaction principle water pressure
energy is converted into kinetic energy, which produces
pressure difference between two sides of blade. This
pressure difference between two sides of blade produces
torque and finally mechanical energy in the form of
rotation of runner. Basic dimension of runner is calculated
from our experience database and using literature .
After freezing basic dimension i.e. diameter, width at inlet
and outlet of runner, blade angle is calculated. These
basic dimensions are used for making 3D model of runner
.

VELOCITY TRIANGLES AT INLET

AND OUTLET 3D MODEL OF
RUNNER

This 3D model of runner is used for CFD calculation

for optimization and performance evolution
purpose.

GUIDE VANE
Function of guide vane is to convert partial

pressure energy from available total

pressure energy into kinetic energy. It
develops the swirl, which is required at the
inlet of turbine runner. It also distributes
equal discharge at inlet of turbine runner
and can govern discharge as per load
requirement by changing its opening.
Positioning of guide vane is based on inlet
velocity triangle. Height of guide vane is
based on runner height. Inlet and outlet
diameter of guide vane housing is based on
experience database.

SPIRAL CASING
Function of spiral casing is to equally

distribute discharge at the inlet of guide

vane. At the exit of spiral casing, stay vane
ring is fitted. The purpose of stay vane is to
give mechanical strength to spiral casing as
well as provide required flow direction at
inlet of guide vane. Two basic design
methodologies are used for spiral casing
design: first, is constant angular
momentum and second is constant velocity.
We have designed spiral casing based on
constant angular momentum using in
house developed code.

DRAFT TUBE
Function of draft tube is to convert unused kinetic

energy at the exit of runner into pressure energy and

hence to increase the effective net head on turbine
unit. Draft tube consists of three basic component i.e.
cone, elbow and diffuser. Inlet cone converts kinetic
energy into pressure energy. Maximum pressure
recovery is possible in inlet cone by selecting proper
angle of cone. Function of elbow is to guide the flow
and change the direction of flow. Due to change in
direction of flow and swirling component of velocity,
secondary flow is developed which is optimized in small
amount by accelerating the flow into elbow. Further
pressure recovery is obtained in diffuser part, which is
connected to tailrace.

OPTIMIZATION OF TURBINE COMPONENTS

BY COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS
Computational Fluid Dynamics is science of

predicting fluid flow (Turbine, Pump), heat transfer,

mass transfer (Perspiration, Dissolution), phase
change (Freezing, Boiling, cavitation), chemical
reaction(Combustion) and related phenomenon by
solving mathematical equations that governs these
processes using a numerical algorithm by means of
computer based simulation. It can provide detailed
information about what is happening in a process
where fluid is in motion. The technique is very
powerful and spans a wide range of industrial and
non-industrial applications. Present day recent
advances in computing power, advanced computer
graphics, and robust solvers make CFD a cost
effective engineering tool.

FOUR BASIC STEPS INVOLVED IN

ANY CFD ANALYSIS
GEOMETRIC MODELING

MESHING
PROBLEM
DEFINITION
RESULT AND
DISCUSSION

GEOMETRIC MODELING
Based on 2D initial basic design

calculation, we have made 3D fluid

flow model for each components.
Commercial software's are used for
making the entire model. Special
purpose software that makes turbo
machinery components easily and
faster is used for runner and guide
vane model.

FRANCIS TURBINE
COMPONENTS

MESHING
Numerical discretization or meshing is

most important step to carry out CFD

analysis. Meshing is nothing but dividing
fluid flow volume in small elements.
Quality of CFD result depends on
meshing of various components. We
have used tetra elements along with
prism elements at solid boundary for
mesh generation. Prism elements are
useful to capture boundary layer
separation. Quality of mesh generated is
as per the standard industrial practice,

MESHING OF TURBINE
COMPONENTS

Prism
Layer

ELEMENT GENERATED IN
EACH COMPONENT
Sr. No.
1.
2.
3.
4.

COMPONEN
TS
SPIRAL
CASING
GUIDE VANE
RUNNER
DRAFT TUBE

NO. OF
NODES
517268
675170
1505730
517268

PROBLEM DEFINITION
Considering flow inside the various

components of Francis turbine is steady

in nature, steady state single-phase
(only water) CFD analysis is computed.
All the components have been used in
analysis and complete system CFD
analysis accomplished.
At inlet of spiral casing total discharge
and at outlet atmospheric pressure is
specified as boundary condition as
shown in Fig . All other parts considered
as a wall with no slip condition. Spiral
casing, guide vane and draft tube are

The entire component is attached with each

other by domain interface. Runner is attached

with guide vane and draft tube by frozen rotor
interface.
Convergence criteria is Max 10 -4 is considered
with automatic time step. Computation is
performed in full operating range from part load
to over load (25% to 130%) with various guide
vanes opening.
Cavitation in Francis turbine is observed at part
load. To predict cavitation, separate cavitation
analysis with Rayleigh Plesset as cavitation
model has been accomplished.
In case of cavitation, homogeneous mixture of
water and water vapor is considered as fluid.

PROBLEM DEFINITION OF
FRANCIS TURBINE COMPONENTS

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Francis turbine complete system

CFD analysis has been

accomplished in full operating
range from 25% to 130% loading.
This is accomplished by changing
guide vane opening from partial to
full open.

FRANCIS TURBINE PERFORMANCE PREDICTION

It shows that the performance of the turbine is

improving up to BEP and later on reducing with further

increase in load. Performance of turbine is improving
as moving towards BEP from part load due to reduction
of head loss in guide vane, draft tube, and runner
while in case of
spiral casing head loss increases.
1.02

E
f
ci
en
cy

1
0.98
0.96
0.94
0.92
0.9
0.88
0

0.5

1.5

Operating Load
(%)

HEAD LOSS OF
COMPONENTS

50

100
150
Operating Load (%)

Head loss is governed by flow separation

and frictional loss in components.

Head loss in spiral casing is due to friction loss

and as load increases, discharge increases, and

hence frictional losses increase .
Head loss in guide vane is higher at part load
due to shock and frictional loss and it reduces
as load increases.
Head loss in draft tube is higher at part load as
well as at over load, only near to BEP region it is
minimum.
Head loss in runner is also higher at part load
as well as at over load only near to BEP region it
is minimum. In case of runner, higher head loss
is due to flow separation as shown in Fig.

VELOCITY PLOTS AT VARIOUS LOADING

CONDITION FOR GUIDE VANE AND RUNNER

25%

55%

 It shows velocity plot in blade-to-blade

view of guide vane and runner. At 25% and

55 % loading condition, very high flow
separation at runner is observed which is
main cause for high head loss in runner in
this region and performance of turbine is
reduced.

90%

100%

At 90% and 100% loading condition, flow

separation at runner inlet is reducing significantly

hence, performance of machine is improved.
Flow separation is also taking place in draft tube
because of diffusing section and change in
direction of flow. Fig. shows flow separation
region in draft tube at 25% and 100% loading
condition.
In both the condition flow separation is observed
but at 100% flow separation region is less.
At 25%, loading condition high head loss is
observed in draft tube, which is because of
mixing of high & low momentums and flow
separation, hence pressure recovery in draft tube
is less.

At overload condition, circumferential

component of velocity is higher which is not

converted in to pressure recovery and hence
higher head loss is observed. Flow separation in
case of draft tube cannot be eliminated, we
have to design draft tube such a way that flow
separation is at minimum level and pressure
recovery is maximum.
Runner is receiving water at required velocity
and swirl from guide vane. This high-pressure
water enters into the runner and because of
incidence; flow is being separated at inlet.

VELOCITY VECTOR PLOTS AT VARIOUS

LOADING CONDITION FOR DRAFT TUBE

25% LOADING CONDITION

100% LOADING CONDITION

Optimization of runner design is based

on pressure distribution on runner blade.

As shown in Fig., two sides of blade have
different pressure, which produce
tangential force and torque.
Pressure difference on runner blade is
also known as blade loading.
As shown in Fig. pressure difference on
two sides of blade increases with
loading, hence as the load increases,
pressure difference increases. Because
of high-pressure difference on both side
of blade, high torque is also developing
and hence power output increases.

Pressure difference on two side of blade

is governed by blade angle distribution.

Pressure and velocity distribution inside
passage of two blades depends on blade
angle. Runner is optimized based on
pressure and velocity distribution on
blade and passage. Pressure distribution
should be gradually reduced from inlet
of runner to exit of runner as shown in
Fig.

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION ON TWO

SIDES OF RUNNER BLADE

PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION ON RUNNER

BLADE, HUB, AND GUIDE VANE

At the exit of runner, pressure is below the

atmosphere and at part load; it is below the

vapor pressure of water.
When pressure is below the vapor pressure of
water, vaporous bubbles are produced. This
phenomenon is called as cavitation.
To determine cavitation level, separate cavitation
analysis has been carried out using Rayleigh
Plesset cavitation model. These bubbles are
developing a vapor core in to draft tube as shown
in Figure.
When this bubbles collapse, high-energy pressure
waves are generated which produce lots of noise
and vibration. Cavitation produces pitting on
runner and draft tube. Cavitation analysis also
shows that flow inside runner is cavitation free.

CAVITATION ZONE

CONCLUSION
Francis turbine design is accomplished

considering CFD analysis as a tool for

designer. It helps us to determine trend
of hydraulic losses in various
components. It helps us to determine
various causes of hydraulic losses i.e.
flow separation, friction losses but at
this stage, it is difficult for us to
separate them and find individual
contribution. CFD helps to do better and
efficient design of Francis Turbine.

REFERENCES
Nechleba, Miroslav, : "Hydraulic Turbine

their design and equipment", ARTIA

Prague, Czechoslovakia.
Kovalev, N.N, The National Science
Foundation, Washington "Hydro turbine
design and constructions".
Barlit, V.V., 2007,"Hydro turbine volume
1 & 2", Department of civil engineering,
MANIT, Bhopal.
http://www.google.com/

Thank You