# US 11,028,815 B2 · Francis turbine and method of operating same

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- Number: US 11,028,815 B2
- Document ID: US11028815B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/324,236
- Filed: 2017-06-14
- Published: 2019-07-18
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-08
- Assignees: Voith Patent GmbH
- Applicants: Voith Patent GmbH
- Inventors: Carsten Mende; Thomas Neidhardt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028815B2

## CPC

- F03B 3/02: with radial flow at high-pressure side and axial flow at low-pressure side of rotors, e.g. Francis turbines {(rotors per se F03B3/125)}
- F03B 15/02: by varying liquid flow
- F05B 2270/20: to optimise the performance of a machine
- Y02E 10/20: Hydro energy
- F03B: MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS (positive-displacement engines for liquid F03C; machines for liquids and gases F01; positive-displacement machines for liquids F04, rotary fluid gearing of the hydrokinetic type F16H41/00)
- F05B: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO WIND, SPRING, WEIGHT, INERTIA OR LIKE MOTORS, TO MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS COVERED BY SUBCLASSES F03B, F03D AND F03G
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A Francis turbine includes a waterway, an impeller disposed in the waterway, a distributor apparatus disposed in the waterway and an additional element for adjusting the flow of water through the turbine. The additional element is disposed in the waterway upstream of the impeller in the water flow direction, and the additional element includes a perforated metal sheet that may be brought into the waterway. A method for operating such a turbine is also provided.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A Francis turbine, comprising:
a waterway defining a water flow direction;
an impeller disposed in said waterway;
an adjustable distributor apparatus disposed in said waterway;
an additional element for adjusting a flow of water through the Francis turbine, said additional element being disposed in said waterway upstream of said impeller in said water flow direction, and said additional element including a perforated metal sheet configured to be brought into said waterway, said perforated metal sheet having perforations including slots;
said perforated metal sheet having an end intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said additional element into said waterway;
said slots being tapered defining ends of said slots having lesser widths and ends of said slots having greater widths; and
said slots being formed in said perforated metal sheet in such a way that said ends of said slots having said lesser widths face toward said end of said metal sheet intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said element into said waterway.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The Francis turbine according to claim 1, wherein said perforated metal sheet is flat, and said additional element is a gate valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The Francis turbine according to claim 1, wherein said perforated metal sheet is formed as a ring plate, said additional element is integrated into a ring gate, and said perforated metal sheet is disposed concentrically around a lock cylinder of said ring gate.

### Claim 4

A Francis turbine, comprising:
a waterway defining a water flow direction;
an impeller disposed in said waterway;
an adjustable distributor apparatus disposed in said waterway;
an additional element for adjusting a flow of water through the Francis turbine, said additional element being disposed in said waterway upstream of said impeller in said water flow direction, and said additional element including a perforated metal sheet configured to be brought into said waterway, said perforated metal sheet having perforations including round openings;
said perforated metal sheet having an end intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said additional element into said waterway;
said round openings in said perforated metal sheet being disposed homogeneously and having different sizes; and
said sizes of said openings being smaller at said end of said perforated metal sheet intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said additional element into said waterway.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The Francis turbine according to claim 4, wherein said perforated metal sheet is flat, and said additional element is a gate valve.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The Francis turbine according to claim 4, wherein said perforated metal sheet is formed as a ring plate, said additional element is integrated into a ring gate, and said perforated metal sheet is disposed concentrically around a lock cylinder of said ring gate.

### Claim 7

A Francis turbine, comprising:
a waterway defining a water flow direction;
an impeller disposed in said waterway;
an adjustable distributor apparatus disposed in said waterway;
an additional element for adjusting a flow of water through the Francis turbine, said additional element being disposed in said waterway upstream of said impeller in said water flow direction, and said additional element including a perforated metal sheet configured to be brought into said waterway, said perforated metal sheet having perforations including round openings;
said perforated metal sheet having an end intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said additional element into said waterway;
said round openings all having an identical size, not being homogeneously disposed in said perforated metal sheet and having an areal density being larger and smaller at different locations of said perforated metal sheet; and
said round openings having said smaller areal density being disposed at said end of said perforated metal sheet intended to enter said waterway first upon bringing said additional element into said waterway.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The Francis turbine according to claim 7, wherein said perforated metal sheet is flat, and said additional element is a gate valve.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The Francis turbine according to claim 7, wherein said perforated metal sheet is formed as a ring plate, said additional element is integrated into a ring gate, and said perforated metal sheet is disposed concentrically around a lock cylinder of said ring gate.

### Claim 10

A method for operating a Francis turbine, the method comprising the following steps:
providing the Francis turbine with a waterway defining a water flow direction, an impeller disposed in said waterway, an adjustable distributor apparatus disposed in said waterway, and an additional element for adjusting a flow of water through the Francis turbine, said additional element being disposed in said waterway upstream of said impeller in said water flow direction, and said additional element including a perforated metal sheet configured to be brought into said waterway;
determining hydraulic losses as a function of a relative power of the Francis turbine during a regulation scheme carried out by said distributor apparatus alone and during a regulation scheme carried out by said additional element in connection with said distributor apparatus;
determining said relative power at which to operate the Francis turbine;
selecting one said regulation schemes based on associated hydraulic losses and said determined relative power;
applying said selected regulation scheme using said distributor apparatus alone or said regulation scheme using said additional element in connection with said distributor apparatus, by using said additional element to adjust a flow of water through the Francis turbine and using said distributor apparatus to adjust an incident inflow angle to the Francis turbine; and
carrying out said step of determining hydraulic losses only once upon designing or commissioning the Francis turbine, and iterating all following steps in order as recited above.