Hydroturbine operating region partitioning based on analyses of unsteady flow field and dynamic response

The operating states of hydroelectric generating units vary widely as the operating condition change. The details of the operating characteristics and the operating region partitioning method are discussed for two types of large Francis turbines in the Wanjiazhai Hydropower Plant and two same type large Kaplan turbines in the Shuikou Hydropower Plant. For the Wanjiazhai Hydropower units, the most critical factor affecting the operating stability is the hydraulic pressure fluctuations caused by the vortex rope in the draft tube. For Shuikou Hydropower units, the dynamic stresses as in the piston rod and the blade and the hydraulic thrust on the runner induced by the pressure fluctuations in the flow passage should be used to partition the operating regions. Analyzing the distribution cloud of operating characteristic factors which affects the operating stability in the hill-chart for each individual unit, the forbidden, stable and transient operating regions can be obtained.