Design and Optimization of Axial Turbine for Small Hydropower Stations

Axial turbines can be applied in our country for low heads and high flows, especially in off- grid low capacities. In this research, an axial turbine was designed for flow ranged between50 l/s to 150l/s and for 2 to 5 meters of head. Firstly, primer design software was established to calculate all required geometrical parameters of turbine. Indeed, this software is able to show the 3D shape of runner in CATIA. In the next step for evaluation of design, turbine was simulated by Numeca using a verified numerical method by experimental data for a similar geometry. Simulation results did not show a suitable efficiency for axial turbine. Therefore, to improve the performance of machine, runner shape was optimized by genetic algorithm and neural network. Final geometry had 15% more efficiency than the initial one.