Draft Tube Flow

Swirl at the outlet from Francis

runners u2
u1 2
c2
c1 w w2
1
c2u u2
u2 2
 c2m c2
c2 w2 w2
c2u u2
2
c2m
w2
c2
Phenomenon in the draft tube flow
– Swirl flow
– Flow in bend
– Positive pressure gradient in the diffuser - separation
 Swirl flow in draft tubes
• Strong coupling between the flow field and the
pressure gradients
v r v  v r v 2 v r p
 vr          v z   Fr 
r r r r z r
Anisotropic turbulence
• The turbulence is influenced by the geometry and
the velocity
• The draft tube flow is sensitive to the inlet
conditions (velocity and pressure)
• A vortex filament is present
 Swirl flow

R
2
Angular Momentum
    Ur  U z  dr
r
0
Swirl number   R
Axial Momentum
R   r    U z2  dr
0
 Swirl flow
Mean Axial Velocity
1,5

1,2

0,9
Velocity [ - ]

0,6 S=0,1
S=0,4
S=0,7
0,3 S=0,95

0,0
-1,0 -0,5 0,0 0,5 1,0
Radius [ - ]
 Vortex breakdown
Vortex breakdown is present when a negative axial velocity
occurs in the center of the flow.

Vortex breakdown occurs when S > 1

R
2
Angular Momentum
 r    Ur  U z  dr
0
Swirl number   R
Axial Momentum
R   r    U z2  dr
0
1,5

1,2
Veloc ity [ - ]

0,9

0,6 S=0,1
S=0,4
S=0,7
0,3 S=0,95

0,0
-1,0 -0,5 0,0 0,5 1,0
Radius [ - ]
Swirl flow
Rankine Vortex
Swirl flow
 Swirl flow

Vortex filament at part load Vortex filament at full load

 Flow in bends

A-A

A
 Flow in bends
 p c2
 dn  ds  db    dn  ds  db Newton’s 2 law
n R
1 p c
  c 0 From Bernoulli’s equation
 n n
Streamline


R  c  konst. Free Vortex
Positive pressure gradient in the
diffuser
 Results:

Location of recirculation zones

The hydraulic design of the draft tube gives secondary

flow and therefore a reduced efficiency
 The Navier Stokes equations in
Cylindrical coordinates

r-direction:
U r U r U U r U2 U r 1 p 1    1   1  U r 2 U  U r 
2 2
Ur   Uz  gr      rU r    2 2  2  
t r r  r z  r   r  r r  r  r   z 2 


-direction:
U  U U U U rU U  1 p     1   1  U  2 U r  U 
2 2

Ur   Uz  g      rU    2 2  2  
t r r  r z     r  r r  r  r  z 2 

z-direction:
Uz U z U  U z U z 1 p   1   U z  1  2U z  2U z 
Ur  Uz  gz    r   
t r r  z  z   r r  r  r 2  2 z 2 
 Euler equations

r-direction:
U r U r U U r U2 U r 1 p
Ur   Uz  gr 
t r r  r z  r
-direction:
U  U U U U rU U  1 p
Ur   Uz  g 
t r r  r z  

z-direction:
Uz U z U  U z U z 1 p
Ur  Uz  gz 
t r r  z  z
 r-direction
U r U r U  U r U 2
U r 1 p
Ur   Uz

 gr 
t r r  r z  r
U r
• Assume steady state solution  0
t
U  U r
• Assume axis symmetry  0
r 

• Assume g-force to be neglectible  gr  0

p U r U2 U r
  U r    U z 
r r r z
Pressure distribution at the inlet

Low pressure zones

 0,1 m
dU r U2 dU r
  U z     U r 
dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]

p U r U2 U
  U r    U z  r
r r r z
 0,1 m
dU r U2 dU r
  U z     U r 
dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]

p U r U2 U Radius [m]

  U r    U z  r
r r r z
400 mm
Pressure distribution at the
inlet
0,2 m
dU r U2 dU r
  U z     U r 
dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]
0,2 m
dU r U2 dU r
  U z     U r 
dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]

Radius [m]
 dU r dU r

0,4 m
  U z  U2   U r 

dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]
 dU r dU r

0,4 m
  U z  U2   U r 

dz r dr

Pressure [Pa]

Radius [m]
Static Pressure at the inlet
Velocity at the inlet to the draft tube
Velocity