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Guide vanes in Francis Turbine

Technical Report · April 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3392.4646

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Guide vanes in Francis turbines
El Cajon, HONDURAS
Revelstoke, CANADA
La Grande 3, Canada

P = 169 MW
H = 72 m
Q = 265 m3/S
D0 = 6,68 m
D1e = 5,71m
D1i = 2,35 m
B0 = 1,4 m
n = 112,5 rpm
La Grande 3, Canada
La Grande 3, Canada
Guide vane cascade, Francis
Guide Vane End Seals

• High efficiency
• Less erosion
• Less leakage in closed pos.
 Guide vanes
Main function:
Adjust the turbine load

The guide vanes consist of number of blades that can be adjusted

in order to increase or reduce the flow rate through the turbine.
The vanes are arranged between two parallel covers normal to
the turbine shaft.
Pressure distribution and torque
L

L
Torque

Arm
 Guide vanes in closed position

π ⋅ D0
l= F0 = ρ ⋅ g ⋅ H ⋅ B0 ⋅ l
Z

Torque = M 0 = F0 ⋅ a 0
 Guide vanes in open position
Pressure distribution can be found
using Bernoulli’s equation:
c2
H=h+ + losses
2⋅g
⇓
c2  ξ ⋅ c2 
h=H− − ∑ 
2⋅g  2 ⋅ g 
Pressure distribution along the contour of the guide vane:

Trailing edge
Trailing edge

Contour of the guide vane

Pressure distribution along the contour of the guide vane:

c2
2⋅ g Small flow rate
Large flow rate
Stagnation-
Point at Leading Edge

Guide vane contour

Variation of the torque when the guide vane
opening changes:
2 ⋅ M ⋅ D0
Cm = = f (α 0 )
ρ⋅Q 2

α0

2
3 1

Sin α0
 c m1 Horsepower
ns = n ⋅
H5 4
cm1

Powerplant ns α0 Powerplant ns α0
Skjærka 66 12 Dynjafoss 208 27,5
Nedre Vinstra 69 12 Oltesvik 264 38,5
Hol I 72 13 Iverland 269 31,5
Mesna 78 13 Fiskumfoss 308 40,5
Røssåga 104 18 Fiskumfoss 308 36,5
Grønsdal 113 23 Gravfoss 346 37
Nore II 198 34 Solbergfoss 365 38
 The guide vane maximum angle α0 at full load
Powerplant ns α0 NB: This is for Norwegian designed GE-turbines
1 Skjærka 66 12

2 Nedre 69 12
Vinstra
3 Hol I 72 13
Guide vane angle
4 Mesna 78 13
5 Røssåga 104 18

6 Grønsdal 113 23
7 Nore II 198 34

8 Dynjafoss 208 27,5

9 Oltesvik 264 38,5

10 Iverland 269 31,5

11 Fiskumfoss 308 40,5

12 Fiskumfoss 308 36,5

13 Gravfoss 346 37
Specific speed, ns
14 Solbergfoss 365 38 Horsepower
ns = n ⋅
H5 4
The servo’s work
The servo has to:
Take care of the torque from all guide vanes
for all guide vane angles

The torque consist of:

Hydraulic torque
Friction torque
 Hydraulic torque
2 ⋅ Cm ⋅ D0
M=
ρ⋅Q 2

Cm = f (α 0 )

The hydraulic
torque can be
found from a
CFD-analysis
 Friction torque
µ ⋅ d ⋅ H ⋅ BD ⋅ DD
M f = ±f f (Ω, α ) ⋅
Z
ff (Ω,α)= empirical value
µ = friction factor
H = Head d
 Opening

Cl
os
Force in 1000 kg ing

Friction

Hy
Stroke d r au
lic
for
Op ces
e nin
g

Fully open
High head Francis turbine
Measurements of the servo’s work
Horse shoe vortex damage
Cavitation damage
Sand erosion in the guide vanes

Jhimruk Hydro Power Plant

Head cover
Head
Head cover
cover

Guide kvane shaft

Bottom cover
The deflection of the head cover

H = 435, P = 25 MW 1 2
Y
Reduction of clearance
Efficiency of repaired turbine

[MW]

H = 430 m
 Design of the Guide Vane Inlet Angle

Cu inlet GuideVane ⋅ rinlet GuideVane = Cu inlet StayVane ⋅ rinlet StayVane

• The inlet angle can be

calculated by assuming a
free vortex from the flow
coming from the spiral B

casing

Q
Cm inlet GuideVane =
π ⋅ Dinlet GuideVane ⋅ B Dinlet Guide Vane
rinlet Stay Vane
Design of the Guide Vane Outlet Angle
• The outlet angle can be calculated by assuming a
free vortex from the flow in the gap between the
runner and the guide vanes

Cu 0 ⋅ ro = Cu1 ⋅ r1
B0
Q
Cmo =
π ⋅ D0 ⋅ B0

r1
D0
 Design of the Guide Vanes
How to choose the number of vanes
• The number of guide vanes has to be
different from the number of runner vanes.

zGuide Vanes
≠ Integer
z Runner Vanes
 Design of the Guide Vanes
How to choose the number of vanes
• The number of guide vanes has to be
different from the number of runner vanes.

zGuide Vanes
≠ Integer
z Runner Vanes
 Design of the Guide Vanes
How to choose the guide vane maximum
angle α0 at full load

α o = 4 ⋅ (− 4 ⋅ Ω 2 + 13 ⋅ Ω + 1)
α
Design of the Guide Vanes
Overlapping of the guide vanes
 Design of the Guide Vanes
Number of guide vanes
30

28
Number of Guide Vanes

26

24

22

20

18

16
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6

Speed Number
 Design of the Guide Vanes
Diameter of guide vane shaft
1,7

D1
1,6
D0
= 0,29 ⋅ Ω + 1,07
D1
Diameter Ratio D0/D1

1,5

1,4

D2
1,3

1,2

1,1

1,0
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6

Speed number
Statement of Problem
Givens Net head…………..….201.5m
Flow rate…………...2.35m3/s
Turbine speed….1000rpm

Work out Design of Runner, Guide vanes,

Stay vanes, Spiral casing andDraft tube

Compare Design output with Jhimruk turbines

Design Considerations
Calculations - based on hydraulic principles only,
Thickness of runner blades - neglected,
Designs of components - done for the best efficiency point,
Other several assumptions - mentioned locally in calculations.
Design of Guide Vanes
Chosen:
Nos. of guide vanes z =20 1,7

D
1,6 D0
= 0,29⋅ Ω +1,07
Diameter of guide vane axis D1 1

Diameter Ratio D0/D1

D0 = D1 (0.29 Ω+1.07) 1,5

1,4

Ω = ω⋅ Q
D
1,3 2
−− −−

2 ⋅π ⋅ n . 1,2

ω=
60 1,1

ω = ω / 2 gH ω
−−
= 1.66 1,0
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
−−
Speed number

Q = Q / 2 gH Q = 0.037
−−
−−

Ω = ω⋅ Q Ω = 0.319
−− −−

D0 = 1.011m
Design of Guide Vanes
Tangential and meridional velocities

Assuming gap between runner and guide vanes

5% of the runner inlet diameter.

Cu 1 C u ( gvo ) = 39 . 64 m / s
C u ( gvo ) =
1 . 05
Q .
C m ( gvo ) = C m ( gvo ) = 8.58m / s
 ( z ∗ t gvo) 
B1 [π ∗ D gvo −
 Cos (α 1)

tan α(gvo) = Cm(gvo)/Cu(gvo)

α(gvo) = 12.210

Value of αgvo in full guide vane open position is selected 180

Design of Guide Vanes
L = 204
Velocities at outlet, axis and inlet of
guide vanes
(depending on varing values of α and t)

Outlet agvo=12.210 tgvo=5mm

Cm(gvo) = 8.582 m/sec
Cu(gvo) = 39.65 m/sec
Cgvo = 40.56 m/sec .

Axis agvc=28.040 tgvc=30mm

Cm(gvc) = 9.521m/sec Cgvi=14.06 m/sec

Cu(gvc) = 17.87 m/sec Cm(gvi)=7.86 m/sec

Cu(gvi)=11.65 m/sec
Cgvc = 20.25 m/sec Cgvc=20.25 m/sec
Cm(gvc)=9.521 m/sec
Cu(gvc)=17.87 m/sec
Inlet agci=340 tgvi=15mm
Cm(gvi) = 7.864 m/sec
Cu(gvi) = 11.65 m/sec
Cgvi = 14.06 m/sec Cgvo=40.56 m/sec
Cu(gvo)=39.65 m/sec
Cm(gvo)=8.58 m/sec
Design of Guide Vanes

.
Guide vane at Design Guide vane at closed position
Position = 12.21°

Guide vane at Max. open

Position = 18°
 Runner inlet
(Φ 0.870m)

Guide vane outlet for designα)

(Φ 0.913m)

Closed
Max. Opening
Position

Guide vanes
View publication stats

Water
particle

Water from
spiral casing

R a d i a l v i e w
R guide
runner a d ivanes
a l v i stay
and e wvanes
runner guide vanes and stay vanes