Flow survey and blade pressure measurements in a Francis turbine model

Experimental flow analysis of hydraulic machines is of prime importance for improving the design of such a unit. Moreover, computational fluid dynamics codes need an experimental data reference in order to check their ability to simulate the main flow features. To obtain such an experimental data base a Francis turbine model and an associated instrumentation is specially developed. Measurements of both global and local quantities are performed for five different operating points of the turbine. A five-hole probe mounted on a remote displacement system provides static pressure and velocity components along three stations in the machine. An original rotating instrumentation is implemented in order to obtain the pressure distribution over the blades of the runner at 28 points ( 17 on the suction side and 11 on the pressure side) arranged along three streamlines.