To standardise low cost Francis turbines for medium heads (15 to 60 metres), flows of 0. 03 - 0. 9 m3/s and capacities up to 100 kW.
The turbines are to be designed with a special tubular pressure chamber, as a turbine housing, in place of the conventional spiral case.
The anticipated annual energy output is about 1,300,000 kWh/year and the estimated unit cost is 50 lire/kWh.
A total of 3 Radial Francis microturbines with a diameter of 315 (TRF 315) and 2 Radial Francis Microturbines with diameter 630 (TRF 630) are installed in the hydroelectric power plant.
Each unit is equipped with a hydraulic valve and is controlled by an automatic device that regulates the water flow opening and closing phases.
The asynchronous generators with automatic power factor correction with fixed capacitance batteries, are connected to the national network (20 kV) by a transformer and relative medium-voltage substation. There are also automatic safety devices to protect and ensure efficient operation of the power plant and the public network.
The technical problems that arose while developing this plant were properly solved; At the present time, the plant meets users' expectations and, from a technical viewpoint, the outcome of the project can be considered as good.
The economic success of this enterprise will also depend upon sector development : sustained demand would generate significant mass-production and would greatly contribute to lower the production costs and to make the product highly competitive.
This project entails the development of a series of standardised low cost Francis turbines for medium heads (15 to 60 metres), flows of 0. 03 - 0. 9 m3/s and capacities up to 100 kW.
The turbines will differ from conventional Francis turbines in that the usual spiral case with adjustible guide vanes will be replaced by a special tubular pressure chamber with fixed vanes. These fixed vanes will be specifically designed to direct the water radially before it enters the runner.
It is intended that by eliminating the adjustable guide vanes, the turbine will be simpler, more reliable, cheaper, and be suitable for fast installation and completely automatic operation.
The two demonstration project sites, one grid connected and the other isolated, will each comprise a turbine, gearbox, generator and control equipment.
Technical Data
Site Cuneo Salerno
Head (metres) 25 48
Flow (m3/s) 0. 075 0.57
Power output (kW) 13 83
a. (m) 0. 25 0. 4
Gearbox ratio 1300/1500 740/1500
Generator type Synchronous Asynchronous
No. of poles 4 4
Situation Grid connected Isolated operation
The contractor has previously designed a series of propeller type tubular microturbines (Kaplan) for small power plants, under demonstration project No. HY/419/84.