Lagrangian Simulation of Sediment Erosion in Francis Turbines Using a Computational Tool in Python Coupled with OpenFOAM
[EN] Hydraulic erosion from suspended sediment is a major degradation mechanism in Francis turbines of sediment-laden rivers, especially in Andean hydropower plants. This study presents a Python3.9-based computational tool integrating the empirical Oka erosion model within a Lagrangian particle trac...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) |
| Repositorio: | RiuNet. Repositorio Institucional de la Universitat Politécnica de Valéncia |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:riunet______::b9686d85b6269025700fd0491568ed0b |
| Acceso en línea: | https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/233456 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | CFD Hydraulic erosion Francis turbines Solid particles Oka model Lagrangian simulation Python OpenFOAM 06.- Garantizar la disponibilidad y la gestión sostenible del agua y el saneamiento para todos 07.- Asegurar el acceso a energías asequibles, fiables, sostenibles y modernas para todos |
| Sumario: | [EN] Hydraulic erosion from suspended sediment is a major degradation mechanism in Francis turbines of sediment-laden rivers, especially in Andean hydropower plants. This study presents a Python3.9-based computational tool integrating the empirical Oka erosion model within a Lagrangian particle tracking framework, coupled to single-phase CFD in OpenFOAM 10. The novelty lies in a reduced-domain approach that omits the spiral casing and replicates its particle-induced swirl via a custom algorithm, lowering meshing complexity and computational cost while preserving erosion prediction accuracy. The method was applied to a full-scale Francis turbine at the San Francisco hydropower plant in Ecuador (nominal discharge 62.4 m(3)/s, rated output 115 MW, rotational speed 34.27 rad/s), operating under volcanic and erosive sediment loads. Maximum erosion rates reached similar to 1.2 x 10(-4) mm(3)/kg, concentrated on runner blade trailing edges and guide vane pressure sides. Impact kinematics showed most collisions at near-normal angles (85 degrees-98 degrees, peak at 92 degrees) and 6-9 m/s velocities, with rare 40 m/s impacts causing over 50x more loss than average. The workflow identifies critical wear zones, supports redesign and coating strategies, and offers a transferable, open-source framework for erosion assessment in turbines under diverse sediment-laden conditions. |
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