Development and Implementation of a Methodology for Reverse Engineering Design of Francis Turbine Runners

Abstract

Francis type hydraulic turbine runners have complex blade shapes. Runner blades have three dimensional profiles that direct the incoming flow. In this study, a reverse engineering methodology is developed for the redesign of turbines. Traditional reverse engineering steps are combined with the basics and flow dynamics of hydraulic turbines and applied to two different turbine runners (which have different specific speeds) of two different hydroelectric power plants in operation. The methodology is first verified by application on the first runner and utilized for the redesign of the runner of another power plant. The reasons for the reduced performance of the second runner are examined with the help of the new inverse engineering design methodology and a rehabilitation study is performed. Thus, the runner which only provides 70% of its installed capacity, is redesigned and can now utilize its full capacity. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]