On the Efficiency Alteration Mechanisms Due to Cavitation in Kaplan Turbines

A transport-equation-based homogeneous cavitation model previously assessed and validated against experimental data is used to investigate and explain the efficiency alteration mechanisms in Kaplan turbines. On the one hand, it is shown that the efficiency increase is caused by a decrease in energy dissipation due to a decreased turbulence production driven by a drop in fluid density associated with the cavitation region. This region also entails an increase in torque, caused by the modification of the pressure distribution throughout the blade, which saturates on the suction side. On the other hand, the efficiency drop is shown to be driven by a sharp increase in turbulence production at the trailing edge. An analysis of the pressure coefficient distribution explains such behavior as being a direct consequence of the pressure-altering cavitation region reaching the trailing edge. Finally, even though the efficiency alteration behavior is very sensitive to the dominant cavitation type, it is demonstrated that the governing mechanisms are invariant to it.