Investigation of free discharge through the hydro units of high head Francis turbine

Free discharge through the units is applied in the course of construction of hydro power plant or in case of excessive water inflow during floods or emergency situation. Free discharges throw the hydro units at 80 m head and more are unknown. Possibility of high velocity swirling flow discharged through the whole hydro unit consisting of penstock, turbine (with Francis runner and distributor or without them) and draft tube is being analyzed in the present paper. Investigation method is based on mathematical simulation of unsteady flow through the hydro unit under the following conditions: with the free running or locked runner and with removed runner. Physical researches of the swirling flow behavior in the model bent penstocks and model turbine water passages have been performed. Based on the results of calculations and model tests the following extensive data have been obtained: pressure fluctuation in the whole hydro unit, fluctuation of hydrodynamic forces acting on guide vanes, torque fluctuation on the runner and discharge fluctuation. Thus, based on this data preferable designs of free discharge are proposed.