Effects of draft tube on the hydraulic performance of a Francis turbine

The draft tube is an important component of a Francis turbine which influences the hydraulic performance. It is located just under the runner and allowed to decelerate the flow velocity exiting the runner, thereby converting the excess of kinetic energy into static pressure. In this study, we have numerically investigated the hydraulic performance of a Francis turbine on the 15MW hydropower generation with various design parameters (three types of draft tube, thickness of guide vane) through a three-dimensional numerical method with the SST turbulent model. The vortex rope characteristics of the draft tube were confirmed. The results of the vortex flow fields and flow characteristics were graphically depicted with different design parameters and operating conditions.