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Physics of secondary flow phenomenon and erosion characteristics in the injector of a Pelton turbine.

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Title: Physics of secondary flow phenomenon and erosion characteristics in the injector of a Pelton turbine.
Authors: Guo, Tao1 (AUTHOR) guotao@kust.edu.cn, Liu, Si-yuan1 (AUTHOR) liusiyuanf@126.com, Hu, Xue-jie1 (AUTHOR), Luo, Zhu-mei2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics. Dec2025, Vol. 19 Issue 1, p1-22. 22p.
Subjects: Erosion, Injectors, Turbines, Turbulence, Computer simulation, Euler-Lagrange system, Turbulent flow, Sediment analysis
Abstract: The Pelton turbine is widely used in the development of high-head hydraulic resources. However, in high-altitude mountainous regions, multiple sediment environments, along with secondary flows generated within the cross-sections of the turbine's ring and bifurcation pipes, affect the distribution of sediment particles, leading to the erosion of the injectors. This affects the safety and stability of the unit's operation. In response to this issue, this study applies the Euler-Lagrangian method, using the standard k-ε turbulence model and the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) to conduct a three-phase unsteady numerical simulation of sediment-laden flow. The goal is to predict the specific erosion locations and amounts for each injector, providing a basis for erosion protection and ensuring the unit's safe operation. The results indicate the following: (1)The distribution impact of ring pipe has the greatest effect on injector erosion, with injectors 1 and 2 exhibiting significantly higher erosion than injectors 3 and 4. (2)Vortex structures and jet diffusion prominently affect erosion locations, which coincide with regions where Dean vortices occur. Erosion on injectors 1, 2, and 4 is concentrated on the inner side of the injector needle, where Dean vortices occur. Due to the stronger internal vortex structure in injector 3, Dean vortices appear on both sides, and erosion is distributed in spots across both surfaces. (3) Smaller injector openings result in greater maximum erosion and a wider erosion range. As particle concentration increases, both the maximum erosion and the erosion range also increase. These findings contribute to the quantitative analysis of sediment erosion values and locations for injectors at different positions, providing numerical support for erosion protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:The Pelton turbine is widely used in the development of high-head hydraulic resources. However, in high-altitude mountainous regions, multiple sediment environments, along with secondary flows generated within the cross-sections of the turbine's ring and bifurcation pipes, affect the distribution of sediment particles, leading to the erosion of the injectors. This affects the safety and stability of the unit's operation. In response to this issue, this study applies the Euler-Lagrangian method, using the standard k-ε turbulence model and the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) to conduct a three-phase unsteady numerical simulation of sediment-laden flow. The goal is to predict the specific erosion locations and amounts for each injector, providing a basis for erosion protection and ensuring the unit's safe operation. The results indicate the following: (1)The distribution impact of ring pipe has the greatest effect on injector erosion, with injectors 1 and 2 exhibiting significantly higher erosion than injectors 3 and 4. (2)Vortex structures and jet diffusion prominently affect erosion locations, which coincide with regions where Dean vortices occur. Erosion on injectors 1, 2, and 4 is concentrated on the inner side of the injector needle, where Dean vortices occur. Due to the stronger internal vortex structure in injector 3, Dean vortices appear on both sides, and erosion is distributed in spots across both surfaces. (3) Smaller injector openings result in greater maximum erosion and a wider erosion range. As particle concentration increases, both the maximum erosion and the erosion range also increase. These findings contribute to the quantitative analysis of sediment erosion values and locations for injectors at different positions, providing numerical support for erosion protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:19942060
DOI:10.1080/19942060.2025.2479700