Simulation of the Water Hammer in a Hydro Power Plant Caused by Draft Tube Surge

The system oscillations of a water power plant caused by the draft tube flow in part load are investigated. A coupled simulation of a one-dimensional water hammer analysis and a three-dimensional flow calculation of the draft tube vortex rope is applied. With this approach the excitations of the oscillations, frequencies and amplitudes, have not to be estimated but are obtained from the simulation. This allows an accurate prediction of the system oscillations caused by draft tube surge.Copyright © 2003 by ASME