CALIBRATION OF A PLUNGER VALVE PERFORMANCE USING NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS: A CASE STUDY ON KEPEZ HYDROPOWER PLANT

Date

2024-8

Author

Sabra Kaak, Abdul Rahman

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The present thesis study focuses on evaluating the performance of a calibrated plunger valve employed as a pressure regulating or pressure reducing valve (PRV) at the Kepez HydroPower Plant (HPP) in Antalya, Türkiye. This type of valve plays a crucial role in managing the pressure magnitudes within the hydroelectric system, ensuring safe and efficient operation. The plant has three Francis-type turbines and can generate 114,008,133 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year which can serve the needs of 34,444 people. Through the utilization of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, the operation of the plunger valve in protecting the system against pressure surges is analyzed. The outcomes provide revelations regarding how pressure and flow patterns occur. Examinations into geometric changes of the plunger valve’s outlet slots show significant increases in head loss coefficient, hence improving the crucially needed operational efficiency. HAMMER software, which employs the Method of Characteristics (MoC) for calculations, is utilized for the detailed modeling of the HPP. Hydraulic transient problems are most effectively solved through the use of the MoC, which is a highly precise method known for solving non-linear, hyperbolic, and partial differential equations in the space-time domain. Simulations conducted in load rejection cases clarify the calibrated plunger valve's function in reducing pressure fluctuations, demonstrating its usefulness in protecting turbine components. Comparative evaluations of the original and calibrated plunger valve designs reveal significant improvements in pressure absorption and a decrease in the head. The calibrated plunger valve has the ability to mitigate 33.62% of the peak pressure magnitude, while the traditional plunger valve can only mitigate 7.86%. These observations emphasize the effectiveness of well-designed plunger valve shapes, which are crucial for improving the durability and performance of hydropower systems.

Subject Keywords

CFD, PRV, Plunger Valve, Transient Flow, HAMMER

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/110590

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis