Numerical assessment of hydrodynamic behavior and energy dissipation during high-head Francis turbine shutdown

This paper examines the instability and energy dissipation of a high-head Francis turbine during shutdown using improved delayed detached eddy simulation, which involves linearly reducing the guide vane opening from 9.84° (best efficiency point) to 0.8° [Spin-No-Load (SNL)]. The results demonstrate a linear increase in water head, with hydraulic efficiency dropping from 93% to 30%. Pressure fluctuations in the vaneless space are mainly due to blade passing frequency and low-frequency components at SNL. High-amplitude pressure fluctuations occur below 37.4% opening in the draft tube, with the dominant frequency under 0.32 times the blade passing frequency. Three vortex structures are identified within the draft tube, a columnar vortex rope in the first stage, multiple helical vortex ropes in the second stage, and discrete vortex structures in the third stage. The most significant axial and radial velocity fluctuations are evident during the second and third stages. Turbulent kinetic energy generation and work done by Reynolds stress are the main sources of power loss. Energy dissipation primarily occurs at the outlet of the runner blades, while it corresponds to the positions of the vortex structures in the draft tube, suggesting that vortex flow structures are the primary mechanism of energy dissipation in the turbine. This study introduces a numerical shutdown model using the dynamic mesh technique, clarifies the relationship between guide vane opening and performance parameters, and identifies the three-stage vortex evolution and energy dissipation mechanisms, offering novel insights into transient instabilities in high-head Francis turbines.