3-D Numerical Simulation of Hydraulic Characteristics of Lateral Intake of Pumped Storage Plant

The intake employed in the pumped storage plant is characteristic of complex two-direction flow. In this paper, the velocity distribution and head losses of the lateral intake in pumped storage plant have been studied using CFD method. The impacts of the simulated domain range on the accuracy of the computational results have been investigated. The results show that the domain range has effect on the precision of the simulation. The longitudinal range of the domain plays important role in the success to the simulation. It should cover at least the whole forebay, in addition to the whole flow passage of the intake. Insufficient domain range of the forebay would results in totally wrong conclusion. In the transverse direction, the domain should contain the left and right borders of the forbay more than two times of the diameter of the diversion tunnel.