A Review of the Efficiency Improvement of Hydraulic Turbines in Energy Recovery

Abstract

Turbine energy recovery is a process energy saving technology, and understanding turbine efficiency has important operational and economic benefits for the operator of a power plant. There are three main areas of research into turbine energy efficiency: the structural performance of the turbine itself, the configuration of the recovery device and the regulation of operating conditions. This paper summarizes recent research advances in hydraulic turbine energy efficiency improvement, focusing on the design factors that can affect the overall efficiency of a hydraulic turbine. To quantify the impact of these factors, this paper investigates the effects of surface roughness, flow rate, head and impeller speed on overall efficiency. Methods for optimizing improvements based on these design factors are reviewed, and two methods, the Box–Behnken Design method and the NSGA-II genetic algorithm, are described with practical examples to provide ideas for future research.

Improving turbulent corrosion in Francis turbine from aspects of fluid mechanics

“…According to statistics, as of the first three quarters of 2022, China's hydraulic turbine export volume was 9,570 units, and the export value was USD 0.56 billion, according to experts' estimation, there is still a vast export market for the hydraulic turbine market. At present, the efficiency of most hydraulic turbines is maintained at around 90 percent, and although the existing base can meet the needs of hydropower plants, the hydraulic turbine manufacturing industry still needs technological improvements, which will not only improve the conversion efficiency of hydraulic turbines but also prolong their lifespan and expand their sales [16].…”