Cavitation measurements on a pump-turbine model

When a hydraulic turbine is operated at off-design conditions, cavitation on the runner and other machine parts can occur. Vibration, noise and erosion caused by cavitation can damage the turbine and lead to a limitation of the operational range. To avoid damage of the turbine, it is fundamental to get knowledge of the presence of cavitation. In this paper, the acoustic emissions at a pump-turbine model at different operating conditions with and without the presence of cavitation were recorded and analysed. High speed video recordings were carried out simultaneously to validate the acoustic measurements. The main goal of the investigation was to compare the acoustic emissions with the visual observations at operating conditions with cavitation on the leading edge of the turbine runner. The analysis of the recorded signals and the visual observations are in good accordance for the investigated operating points.