Study on optimization design of pump turbine with high head based on CFD technique

Abstract Based on the characteristics of large capacity of high head pumped storage power station in China, by taking CFD technology to carry out optimization design of pump turbine. The hydraulic design and flow characteristic of pump turbine are emphatically studied. In this paper, the hydraulic performance of pump turbine is estimated by numerical simulation method. Based on the runner scheme with the relative guide vane height of b0/D1=0.10, the hydraulic design is carried out to realize the safe and stable operation of the unit within the operating range. Based on the numerical simulation optimization design method, the runner shape, the wrap angle and the setting edge of blade were optimized to improve the hydraulic performance. The final JFP09 pump turbine meets the performance requirements within operating range. The optimized pump turbine can not only meet the performance level of pump flow, hump safety margin and hydraulic efficiency in small flow area, but also satisfy the cavitation performance in large flow area. Meanwhile, the energy matching relation of pump turbine under two-way operation condition can be considered as well. The study result shows that the optimization design based on CFD technique is a reasonable and effective method. The research method will provide guidance for the optimization design of pump turbine.