Modeling, Simulation, and Fabrication of Micro Kaplan Turbine

This work presents modeling, simulation, and fabrication of a micro Kaplan turbine for low head, water channel applications. To predict the optimal design parameters of the turbine, analytical modeling and simulations are performed. Furthermore, the dependence of generated power at different features of the Kaplan turbine is also investigated. The simulations reveal that the turbine runner diameter, spiral casing, and draft tube dimensions vary with the variation in head and discharge. With the devised analytical model and simulation results, a Kaplan turbine is designed for a water channel conditions (discharge of 0.35 m3/s and head of 2 m) and is predicted to produce an estimated power of 5.8 kW. Based on the simulations, a micro Kaplan turbine is also fabricated having a runner of 34 cm diameter with four numbers of runner’s blades and ten guide vanes. Moreover, the developed Kaplan turbine is temporarily installed on a water channel site and it successfully generated acceptable power levels from the low head condition of 0.92 m.

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