Hydraulic Turbine Runner Blade Segmented Gas Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hydroelectric turbine and pump designs face inefficiencies in maintaining high dissolved oxygen levels downstream due to fixed aeration slot configurations, which are optimized for a limited range of operating conditions, leading to suboptimal aeration and operating efficiency losses across varying inlet and outlet pressures and flows.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of separate gas passages and orifices on the runner blade, allowing independent regulation of gas flow to adapt to different operating conditions, ensuring optimal oxygen distribution and maintaining high dissolved oxygen levels across a broad range of operations with minimal impact on turbine performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a common manifold is used for all aeration slots within a given blade trailing edge, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different operating conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The common manifold is divided into multiple independent manifolds, with each manifold serving a specific group of aeration slots. This segmentation allows each manifold to be independently controlled and optimized for different operating conditions, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The aeration system transitions from a static common manifold configuration to a dynamic system with multiple independently controllable manifolds. This enables the system to adapt to varying operating conditions by adjusting gas flow distribution across different manifolds based on real-time pressure distribution changes.
2Manufacturing precision
If the orifice arrangement is fixed, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the adaptability to different operating modes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed orifice arrangement is segmented into multiple groups, with each group served by a separate manifold. This allows the precise fixed orifice positions to be maintained while enabling different groups to be activated based on operating conditions, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed orifice arrangement is designed to serve multiple functions across different operating modes. By combining fixed precise orifice positions with selectable manifold activation, the system achieves both manufacturing precision and operational versatility.
3Productivity
If the average pressure downstream of the trailing edge orifices increases, then the operating efficiency is improved, but the dissolved oxygen level deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts gas flow distribution across multiple independently controlled manifolds in response to changing pressure conditions. When average pressure increases, the system can redirect gas flow to manifolds serving regions with more favorable pressure conditions, maintaining dissolved oxygen levels while allowing efficient operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the trailing edge are served by different manifolds, allowing local optimization of gas injection based on local pressure conditions. This enables the system to maintain high dissolved oxygen levels in critical regions even when overall average pressure varies.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances the flexibility of oxygen distribution along the trailing edge, maintaining high dissolved oxygen levels and optimizing aeration-induced efficiency across various operating modes without the need for forced oxygen flow, thereby improving the overall performance of hydroelectric installations.
Implementation Method 1
The gas flowing in through the gas inlet apertures is admitted through the separate groups of orifices within the trailing edge into the fluid passing the trailing edge
Implementation Method 2
The oxygen containing gas is typically admitted naturally (at atmospheric pressure), and so the maximum flow of oxygen containing gas is dependent on the average pressure downstream of the trailing edge orifices. As this average pressure rises, less oxygen containing gas can be entrained.
Data Source
AI summary
A runner for a hydraulic turbine or pump has a plurality of blades. Each of the blades is defined by a pressure surface, an oppositely facing suction surface, a leading edge and a spaced-apart trailing edge. At least one of the blades has a device for supplying a flow of oxygen containing gas to the trailing edge of the same blade. The device includes at least two separate gas inlet apertures and at least two separate gas passages, each extending from one of the separate gas inlet apertures to a separate group of orifices in the trailing edge of the same blade. Each of the separate group of orifices has at least one orifice to admit gas out of the corresponding separate gas passage to the passing fluid during the operation of the runner.