Study on Sand Wear Testing and Numerical Simulation of a 500 MW Class Pelton Turbine

Pelton turbines frequently encounter significant sediment wear when operating in sandy river environments. The runner bucket of these turbines is particularly prone to wear, which results in considerable reductions in turbine efficiency and operational stability. This research focused on a large-scale Pelton turbine with a 500 MW standalone capacity in a sandy river setting. Numerical simulations of sand–water flow within the runner bucket were conducted using the volume of fluid (VOF) model, shear stress transport (SST) k-ω model, and the discrete phase model (DPM). Additionally, a sediment wear prediction model, based on wear tests conducted on a model turbine, was utilized to estimate sediment wear within the Pelton turbine bucket. The results indicated a maximum bucket wear rate of 2.61 × 10−7 mm/s. Specifically, the 04Cr13Ni5Mo runner bucket, typically made from stainless-steel wear-resistant material, is expected to experience over 5.62 mm of wear after one year of operation under rated conditions, emphasizing the severity of sediment wear. To prolong the operational life of the unit, further investigations into surface wear resistance treatments for the runner water buckets are recommended.