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The purpose of this paper is to describe how the hydraulic performance and pressure fluctuations in the entire flow passage of a Francis turbine were predicted numerically for the highest head. The calculations are used to partition the turbine operating regions and to clarify the unsteady flow behavior in the entire flow passage including the blade channel vortex in the runner and vortex rope in the draft tube.

Three‐dimensional unsteady numerical simulations were performed for a number of operating conditions at the highest head. The unsteady Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations with the k‐ω based SST turbulence model were solved to model the unsteady flow within the entire flow passage of a Francis turbine.

The predicted pressure fluctuations in the draft tube agree well with the experimental results at low heads. However the peak‐to‐peak amplitudes in the spiral case are not as well predicted so the calculation domain and the inlet boundary conditions need to be improved. The unsteady simulation results are better than the steady‐state results. At the most unstable operating condition of case a0.5h1.26, the pulse in the flow passage is due to the rotor‐stator interference between the runner and the guide vanes, the blade channel vortex in the runner blade passage and the vortex rope in the draft tube.

This study investigates the characteristics of the dominant unsteady flow frequencies in different parts of the turbine for various guide vane openings at the highest head. The unsteady flow patterns in the turbine, including the blade channel vortex in the runner and the helical vortex rope in the draft tube, are classified numerically, and the turbine operating regions are partitioned to identify safe operating regions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate, experimentally and numerically, the pressure pulse characteristics and unsteady flow behavior in a Francis turbine runner for moderate flow heads. The pressure pulses in the runner blade passage were predicted numerically for both moderate and high heads. The calculations were used to partition the turbine operating regions and to clarify the various for the unsteady flow behavior, especially the blade channel vortex in the runner.

Experimental and numerical analyses of pressure pulse characteristics at moderate flow heads in a Francis turbine runner were then extended to high heads through numerical modeling with 3D unsteady numerical simulations performed for a number of operating conditions. The unsteady Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes equations with the k‐ω‐based shear stress transport turbulence model were used to model the unsteady flow within the entire flow passage of a Francis turbine.

The dominate frequency of the predicted pressure pulses at runner inlet agree with the experimental results in the head cover at moderate flow heads. The influence of the blade passing frequency causes the simulated peak‐to‐peak amplitudes in the runner inlet to be larger than in the head cover. The measured and predicted pressure pulses at different positions along the runner are comparable. At the most unstable operating condition of 0.5a₀ guide vane opening, the pressure pulses in the runner blade passage are due to the blade channel vortex and the rotor‐stator interference. The predictions show that the frequency of the blade channel vortex is relatively low and it changes with the operating conditions.

The paper describes a study which experimentally and numerically investigated the pressure pulses characteristics in a Francis turbine runner at moderate flow heads. The pulse characteristics and unsteady flow behavior due to the blade channel vortex in the runner at high heads were investigated numerically, with the turbine operating regions then partitioned to identify safe operating regions.