Entropy production analysis for hump characteristics of a pump turbine model

The hump characteristic is one of the main problems for the stable operation of pump turbines in pump mode. However, traditional methods cannot reflect directly the energy dissipation in the hump region. In this paper, 3D simulations are carried out using the SST k-omega turbulence model in pump mode under different guide vane openings. The numerical results agree with the experimental data. The entropy production theory is introduced to determine the flow losses in the whole passage, based on the numerical simulation. The variation of entropy production under different guide vane openings is presented. The results show that entropy production appears to be a wave, with peaks under different guide vane openings, which correspond to wave troughs in the external characteristic curves. Entropy production mainly happens in the runner, guide vanes and stay vanes for a pump turbine in pump mode. Finally, entropy production rate distribution in the runner, guide vanes and stay vanes is analyzed for four points under the 18 mm guide vane opening in the hump region. The analysis indicates that the losses of the runner and guide vanes lead to hump characteristics. In addition, the losses mainly occur in the runner inlet near the band and on the suction surface of the blades. In the guide vanes and stay vanes, the losses come from pressure surface of the guide vanes and the wake effects of the vanes. A new insight-entropy production analysis is carried out in this paper in order to find the causes of hump characteristics in a pump turbine, and it could provide some basic theoretical guidance for the loss analysis of hydraulic machinery.