Flow Simulation and Performance Prediction of Cross Flow Turbine Using CFD Tool

Abstract: the need of small hydropower schemes and availability of small hydropower potential sites in Tanzania makes Dar Es-Salam University and NBCBN to work together towards designing and manufacturing of cross flow turbine for the rural population electrification program. The aim of this paper is to study the internal flow and performance characteristics of the cross flow turbine using CFD-Tools. A 2D-CFD steady state flow simulation has been performed using GAMBIT for geometry creation and ANSYS FLUENT for analysis. Simulations were carried out using viscous, standard K-epsilon and standard wall function model. The velocity and pressure distribution within the internal surface runner of the cross-flow turbine were analyzed. From the simulation results it was observed that there is a high pressure area inside the nozzle and near to the first stage runner blades. Then it is going to decrease at the second stage and the out let of the turbine. And even it can be negative at the region where there is no cross flow. In general, the simulation using CFD-Tool is very important to show the velocity and pressure distribution inside the nozzle, runner and casing