1School of Management Science & Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang-21 2013, China
2Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Energy & Natural Resources Sunyani, Sunyani, Ghana
3Department of Management Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Abbottabad, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Online Published on 16 July, 2022.
Energy contributes significantly in almost all aspects of human life as well as economic activities and plays a crucial role in the infrastructural development of a county to alleviate poverty. Generating energy from a renewable source such as small hydropower through the application of pump operating as a turbine mode called Pump as Turbine is one of the best alternatives to provide clean and inexpensive energy. Using Pump as Turbine helps in generating reasonably priced hydroelectric power for communities in underdeveloped counties. *is study investigates the effects of internal flow behaviour and performance of Pump as Turbine under different rotational speed and flow rate. *e rotational speed is an essential physical parameter as it affects the Pump as Turbine operation. A model-specific speed centrifugal pump model with head 32 (m), flow rate of 12.5 (m3/h) and the rotational speed of 2900 rpm, has been selected for the study. Numerical simulations have been conducted using the k-ω turbulence model to solve three dimensional (3D) equations. *e pump mode experimental data were used to confirm the results for better analysis.*eresults predicted that vortex and turbulent kinetic energy increase per rotational speed increase. Also, at the higher rotational speed, very high recirculation of flow is detected at the blade suction chamber, although the pressure side has a smooth flow. *is study provides beneficial information which will serve as a reference to help improve PAT performance along with selecting PATfor a small hydropower site. Future works will consider the impact of blade thickness and cavitation in Pump as Turbine.
