Suppression of flow instability in the Francis hydro turbine draft tube by J-groove shape optimization at a partial flow rate

Flow instability and pressure fluctuation are common problems in hydro turbines, especially in partial flow conditions. When Francis hydro turbine operates at partial flow rate, swirl flow occurs at the runner outlet, which is the cause of pressure pulsations, vortex core, noise and vibration in the draft tube. Among various methods, J-groove was selected and mounted in the draft tube to suppress the swirl flow. The study focuses on the J-groove incorporation in a draft tube from the design process to optimization. The optimization focused on the suppression of swirl flow with minimum efficiency drop. The turbine efficiency and swirl number were selected for the optimization, which encounters global and local effects of J-groove installation on the Francis hydro turbine. J-groove shape optimization was performed by response surface methodology ( RSM ) and multi-objective genetic algorithm ( MOGA ). The flow behavior in the draft tube was compared without and with the initial and optimal J-groove shapes. The optimal J-groove shape is more effective in swirl flow suppression than the initial J-groove shape. Additionally, the installation of the J-groove did not hinder turbine performance. Therefore, the optimal J-groove shape improved flow behavior in the draft tube at the partial flow rate.