Dimensionamento de rotor para uma turbina do tipo Francis para PCH

Abstract

Brazil has a hydrographic system that is very favorable to the development of hydroelectric plants. In this sector, small hydroelectric plants, SHPs, stand out for their low environmental impact and because of their economic feasibility. A very important element in a hydroelectric plant is the rotor, through which the flow of water generates mechanical energy that is later transformed into electrical energy by the generator. The rotor efficiency influences the entire hydroelectric plant, making it a very attractive subject for study. The present work deals with the preliminary dimensioning of the rotor of a Francis turbine. The collected data were obtained through a professional practical study of the PCH Rio Branco located in the municipality of Alta Floresta D’Oeste, in the state of Rondônia. Starting from the elaboration of the calculation script based on the bibliography presented, it was possible to implement a program developed in the MATLAB Software. This program generates preliminary dimensions of the average surface of the blade of a Francis-type rotor, which, fed by data from the studied SHP, generated results that were compared with a commercial project provided by a company. The percentage error was less than 0.6% in this comparison, making it possible to state that the schedule is in good agreement with the commercial project.