Exploring the Mechanism of Strong-Pressure Fluctuation under Partial Load in the Turbine Mode of Pump Turbines for Hydro and Marine Power Storage

Abstract

As a core component of pumped storage power plants for hydro and marine power storage, this paper investigates the mechanism of pressure pulsation fluctuations under different load conditions to improve the efficiency and operational stability of the storage units. The results of a combination of experiments and numerical simulations showed that the pressure pulsation fluctuations in the pump turbine under strong and weak loads were significantly different at different monitoring points. The three-dimensional flow lines diagram of the pump turbine unit from the CFD numerical simulation showed that the flow line of the pump turbine was relatively chaotic and the vortex existed under weak load conditions. Pressure clouds and flow lines in the cross-section and longitudinal section of the pump turbine are shown. Both showed high-pressure values and a chaotic flow line with a vortex under weak load conditions. To a certain extent, it revealed the pressure pulsation fluctuation mechanism of the pump turbine and provides some guidance for solving practical problems in engineering.

Analysis of Unsteady Flow Characteristics Near the Cutwater by Cutting Impeller Hub in a High-Speed Centrifugal Pump

“…Centrifugal pumps are essential fluid transfer equipment in marine engineering, widely utilized in fields such as deep-sea mining and seawater desalination. With the increase in extreme application environments, the performance indicators, design requirements, and operational stability of pumps are becoming increasingly stringent [1][2][3][4]. The dynamic-static interference between the impeller blades and the cutwater can easily lead to complex unsteady flow structures such as secondary flows and vortices [5].…”