Abstract

In the present work, a development approach through computational fluids dynamics (CFD) of
the behaviour the diffuser that we are designing is carry out. We need to know if effectively the diffuser
is doing the effect wanted, that is, decreasing the pressure in the inlet of the diffuser. The results are still
under discussion because there are some complex phenomena like flow separation.

DIFFUSER EXPLANATION
The first question that we must to ask is: What is exactly the effect we want from the diffuser? The answer arises if
we do an analysis of the flow throut all the system. Lets label the inlet of the turbine with number 1, the outlet of
the turbine/inlet of the diffuser with 2 and the outlet of the diffuser with 3. In agreement with that definition it is
possible to derivative the following equations based on Bernoullis principle.
Between 1 and 2.
eq (1)
Between 2 and 3.
eq (2)
P is the static pressure, c is the velocity, is the specific weight, g is the gravitational acceleration, z is the height,
is the regular head losses and H is the head used for the turbine.
In general, we need that the maximum amount of energy to be available in the turbine (H t). For the first equation
(1 and 2), nothing can be done because the point 1 is independent from the diffuser. For the second equation (2 and
3) consider the following: pressure in 3 is nearly atmospheric, the height in 3 is the ground level and that the effect
of the increase of height is irrelevant becouse the increment is the same both in 2 and 1. Clearly, we have to
maximize the difference of velocities between 2 and 3.
The velocity in 2 is defined by the mass flow rate of the turbine, which is the same in the inlet and outlet of the
turbine, because a steady regime is required. The velocity in 3 is determined by the geometry of the diffuser, which
is designed to have a relation between the outlet area and the inlet area approximated to 3.

DIFFUSER SIMULATION
We need to explicit that the simulation parameters related to the diffuser do not match exactly with the situation
that happen in the turbine. To be more exactly the simulation made is about the behaviour of water that come inside
the diffuser. That is because we are interested in the behaviour of the fluid and the performance of the diffuser. So
doing, the simulation through CFD requires to make a spatial discretization of the geometry. In this case, the
geometry considered is just the diffuser. This is because the influence of the water outside the diffuser is minimum
and the geometry of the diffuser is the principal factor in energetic terms. The diffuser is showed in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Geometry and boundary conditions.
The boundary conditions choosen are velocity inlet (1), pressure outlet (2) and wall (3). The velocity inlet represent
the entry of the fluid in the diffuser. The pressure outlet is set up for the place where the fluid leave the system.