Development of a draft tube guide vane system to improve the flexibility and extend the fatigue life of axial hydro electric turbines

The aim of the project is to design geometrical modifications aimed at reducing or suppressing these pressure pulsations, which would allow a wider operating range of turbines.

The introduction of intermittent renewable energy such as wind and solar has changed the role of hydropower in the Swedish electricity market. Now, hydropower is increasingly used to regulate the electricity grid. As a result, hydraulic turbines are more often operated in in ways they are not designed – something that can develop into unwanted pressure pulsations in the turbine, especially after the runners.