Development of Integrated Cae Tools for Design Assessment and Analysis of Hydraulic Turbines

Recent advances in numerical analysis can lead to substantial improvements in turbine design. In light of the present tendency to increase the unit power and operating speed of these machines at better cost, electric utilities have to develop their expertise in the field of numerical simulation with a view to improve technical decisions, validate conceptions and, in the long term, enhance plant reliability. Applications of numerical simulation range from analysis of problems specific to hydraulic machines such as manoeuvre margin estimation of turbines in operation, correction of design flaws, design validation and technical assistance for planners, designers and operators. This paper describes an integrated system of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) tools developed to assess designs, optimize retrofits and provide insight for problem analysis.