Design of stay vanes and spiral casing

Revelstoke, CANADA
Guri-2, VENEZUELA
Aguila, ARGENTINA
Sauchelle-Huebra, SPAIN
Sauchelle-Huebra, SPAIN
Three Gorges Turbine, GE Hydro
The spiral casing will
distribute the water
equally around the stay
vanes


In order to achieve a
uniform flow in to the
runner, the flow has to
be uniform in to the stay
vanes.
Flow in a curved channel
Streamline
Streamline Streamline
The pressure normal to the streamline can
be derived as:
db ds dn
n
p
db ds dn
n
p
p db ds p dFn
c
c
=
|
.
|

\
|

c
c
+ =
Newton 2. Law gives:
Streamline Streamline
R
c
n
p
a db ds dn db ds dn
n
p
n
2
1
=
c
c

=
c
c

R
c
a
2
n
=
1
m
The Bernoulli equation gives:

. const
2
c p
2
= +

Derivation of the Bernoulli equation

gives:
0
n
c
c
n
p 1
=
c
c
+
c
c

2
Equation 1 and 2 combined gives:

. const c R
0 ) R c ( d
0 dR c dc R
R
c
n
c
=

= +

=
c
c
Free Vortex
R
c
n
p
2
1
=
c
c

0
n
c
c
n
p 1
=
c
c
+
c
c

2
1
Inlet angle to the stay vanes
o
i

c
m

c
u

|
|
.
|

\
|
= o
u
m
i
c
c
tan a
Plate turbine
Find the meridonial velocity from
continuity:
B R 2
Q
A
Q
c
c A Q
0
m
m
t
= =

=
B
R
0

Find the tangential velocity:
|
|
.
|

\
|

=

|
|
.
|

\
|
= =

=
}
}
}
0
0 y
u
0
y
R
R
y
R
R
y
u
R
R
y
R
R
ln R B
Q
c
R
R
ln . const B
r
dr
. const B Q
dr
r
. const
B Q
dr c B Q
0
0
0
B
y

R
0

R
Example
B
y
Flow Rate Q = 1,0 m
3
/s
Velocity C = 10 m/s
Height B
y
= 0,2 m
Radius R
0
= 0,8 m

Find: L
1
, L
2
, L
3
and L
4
L
1

u
C
L
3

L
2

L
4

R
0

R
Example
B
y
Flow Rate Q = 1,0 m
3
/s
Velocity C = 10 m/s
Height B
y
= 0,2 m
Radius R
0
= 0,8 m

L
1

u
C
L
3

L
2

L
4

R
0

R
s
m
R
R
R B
Q
C
y
u
9 , 12
ln
0
0
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
m
B C
Q
L
y
5 , 0
1
=

=
Example
B
y
Flow Rate Q = 1,0 m
3
/s
Velocity C = 10 m/s
Height B
y
= 0,2 m
Radius R
0
= 0,8 m

We assume C
u
to be constant
along R
0.

At u=90
o
, Q is reduced by 25%

L
1

u
C
L
3

L
2

L
4

R
0

R
Example
B
y
Flow Rate Q = 0,75 m
3
/s
Velocity C
u
= 12,9 m/s
Height B
y
= 0,2 m
Radius R
0
= 0,8 m

L
1

u
C
L
3

L
2

L
4

R
0

R
0
0
0
0
0
ln
ln .
R C B
Q
u y
y
u y
e R R
R
R
R C B Q
R
R
const B Q

=

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
Example
B
y
Flow Rate Q = 0,75 m
3
/s
Velocity C
u
= 12,9 m/s
Height B
y
= 0,2 m
Radius R
0
= 0,8 m

L
1

u
C
L
3

L
2

L
4

R
0

R
0
0
R C B
Q
u y
e R R

=
L
2
= 0,35 m
L
3
= 0,22 m
L
4
= 0,10 m
Find the meridonial velocity from
continuity:
1 0
m
m
k B R 2
Q
A
Q
c
c A Q
t
= =

=
R
0

B
k
1
is a factor that reduce the inlet area due to the stay vanes
2
y
B
Find the tangential velocity:
R
c
c
. const c R c
T
u
T u
=
= =
}
}
|
|
.
|

\
|
=

=
+
t

d
r R c r Q
dR c B Q
t T
u
r R
R
y
t
cos
sin
2
2
2
0
R
0
B
R
0
B

d r dR
r R R
r B
T
y
=
=
=
sin
cos
sin 2
2
y
B

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
}
t

d
cos r R
sin
r 2
Q
c
T
2
2
T

R
0
B
R
0
B

|
|
.
|

\
|



=
}
t

d
cos r R
sin
r 2 R
Q
c
T
2
2
u

2
y
B
Spiral casing design procedure
1. We know the flow rate, Q.
2. Choose a velocity at the upstream section of the spiral
casing, C
3. Calculate the cross section at the inlet of the spiral casing:



4. Calculate the velocity C
u
at the radius R
o
by using the
equation:


t
=
C
Q
r

|
|
.
|

\
|



=
}
t

d
cos r R
sin
r 2 R
Q
c
T
2
2
u

Spiral casing design procedure

5. Move 20
o
downstream the spiral casing and calculate the
flow rate:



6. Calculate the new spiral casing radius, r by iteration with
the equation:
total
o
o
new
Q Q =
360
20
}
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
t

d
r R c r Q
t T
cos
sin
2
2
2
Outlet angle from the stay vanes
o
c
m

c
u

|
|
.
|

\
|
= o
u
m
c
c
tan a
. const R c
u
=
k B R 2
Q
A
Q
c
m
t
= =
Weight of the spiral casing
Stay Vanes
Number of stay vanes
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6
Speed Number
N
u
m
b
e
r

o
f

S
t
a
y

V
a
n
e
s
Design of the stay vanes
The stay vanes have the main purpose of
keeping the spiral casing together
Dimensions have to be given due to the
stresses in the stay vane
The vanes are designed so that the flow is
not disturbed by them
Flow induced pressure oscillation
56 . 0
9 . 1
+
=
t
c
B f
Where
f = frequency [Hz]
B = relative frequency to the Von Karman oscillation
c = velocity of the water [m/s]
t = thickness of the stay vane [m]

Where
A = relative amplitude to the Von Karman oscillation
B = relative frequency to the Von Karman oscillation