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Development of Turbine Energy Recovery Technology and Radial Blade

Hydraulic Turbine with Guide Vane

Conference Paper · January 2018

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 Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2018)

Development of Turbine Energy Recovery Technology and Radial

Blade Hydraulic Turbine with Guide Vane

Chengpeng WANG1,2, Sihan LIU1, Daiwang SONG1, Lidong JIANG1, Shenghui WANG1
1. Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, SOA (Tianjin), Research center of island
water resources conservation and utilization, Tianjin 300192, China
2. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Email: wang_sh04@126.com (S. H. WANG)

Abstract: The turbine energy (ER) is one of the key technologies of seawater desalination reverse osmosis
(SWRO), as well as the reducing of water production cost of SWRO. This review introduces the technology of
turbine ER (TER) in the SWRO system, including the classification of ER device, and the research status of
hydraulic turbine, summarizes the research status at home and abroad of TER technology and radial blade
hydraulic turbine, and looks forward the future of ER technology of SWRO. This review highlights the
representative product of different periods, such as Francis Turbine, Pelton Turbine, Hydraulic
Turbocharger (HTC), Hydraulic Pressure Booster (HPB), Hydraulic Energy Management Integration
(HEMI) and BMET. Several common types of guide blade regulating mechanism are also briefly introduced.
Keywords: ER, Desalination, Turbine, Reverse Osmosis, Seawater

1 Introduction

The seawater desalination reverse osmosis (SWRO) is one of mainstream technologies of desalination.
The SWRO process needs to consume a large amount of electrical energy for the increase intake pressure
to overcome the osmotic pressure of water. The overbottom pressure of concentrated water from the
reverse osmosis membrane is up to 5.5 ~ 6.5 MPa. This part of the energy recovery (ER) reused in the
intake energy can greatly reduce the energy consumption of SWRO. The fulfillment of this goal depends
on the applying of ER technology. The ER device could greatly reduce the production cost of desalinated
water, promote the popularization and application of reverse osmosis desalination technology, and made it
the most competitive and fastest developing seawater desalination technology. Therefore, the ER becomes
one of the key technologies in reverse osmosis desalination system.
In China, the research of ER technology started relatively late in the SWRO, and the development
was relatively slow. The device form was relatively single, and the overall level was still far behind the
international advanced technology. However, the industrialization prospects of development and
application are optimistic. With the shortage of fresh water resources in China, the reverse osmosis
desalination project will be develop vigorously. Therefore, the research of ER device with independent
intellectual property rights has far-reaching significance.

2 Classification of ER Device

In the 1970s, as the reverse osmosis technology began to be used to desalinate seawater or brackish
water, the various forms of ER devices emerged. The ER devices of SWRO mainly include two types:
hydraulic turbine and power exchange. The hydraulic turbine installs with high pressure pump in series. It
can save the energy by the way of reducing head required though the high pressure pump, no need of the
booster pump and automatic valve. The power exchange type is used for the parallel installation with the
high pressure pump. The energy saving is achieved by the way of reducing the flow required though the
high pressure pump. Generally, the booster pump needs to be configured. Although the efficiency of
hydraulic turbine is not as good as that of the power exchange. It has a competitive advantage for its
simple and compact structure, and easy installation.
The turbine energy recovery (TER) is a simple centrifugal structure technology of hydraulic turbine.
The pattern of output power is directly translated the pressure energy into the rotating mechanical energy.
The load drive reuses the residual pressure energy. This ER device is not complex, and easy to operate
does not require too much cost. Therefore, the application site is more. The TER device is much smaller
than the power exchange type in terms of the equipment itself or other supporting equipment under the
same working condition. The installation and adjustment are more convenient.
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 Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2018)

2.1 Francis Turbine and Pelton Turbine

The earliest ER devices were hydraulic turbines, such as Pelton Wheel turbine from Swiss Calder A G
Co. and Francis turbine from Pump Ginard Co.. Photograph of Pelton Wheel turbine is shown in Figure
1(a). The normal efficiency was 50% ~70%. The work principle is using the concentrated salt water
driving the turbine rotation, and transferring the energy to the raw sea water by the connecting of the pump
with the motor. The process needs to undergo a two-step conversion of hydraulic energy, mechanical
energy, and hydraulic energy [1]. The hydraulic turbine is coaxial connected with the high pressure feed
pump motor. It is usually a separate motor and turbine on both sides of double outlet shaft of the high
pressure feed pump, or a separate pump and turbine on both sides of double outlet shaft of the motor.
Turbine as the second drive booster motor could reduce the motor torque, and motor power consumption.
Francis Turbine is the first ER device applied in seawater desalination system [2]. The working
principle is the reverse operation of blade centrifugal pump with the advantages of simple structure, and
low cost. However, the overall mechanical efficiency of Francis Turbine is low, resulting in the low ER
efficiency, about 30%, due to the poor hydraulic flow performance. Reverse operation of Francis Turbine
makes it very sensitive to changes in the flow rate of high-pressure brine. When the flow rate of
high-pressure brine is higher than 10% of the optimal working condition, the ER efficiency will decline by
50%. When the flow rate is lower than 40% of the optimal working condition, the ER device has no ER
function. Francis Turbine becomes the energy consumption device.
The recycles energy in high-pressure brine of Pelton Wheel turbine [3] is through the way of the
directly coaxial with pumps and motors. This kind of impeller has the good fluid mechanics performance,
and the machine efficiency is higher. The average efficiency of energy transfer is 40% ~ 80%, and the
highest can reach more than 90%. The efficiency changing with pressure head and flow fluctuation is not
great, however, significantly affected by high pressure for liquid pump form. The impeller form is very
complex resulting in the difficult of machining.

2.2 HTC and HPB

Hydraulic Turbocharger (HTC) is designed and manufactured by Pump Engineering Inc (PEI) from
American [4]. Figure 1(b) shows the HTC device shape and the impeller structure. The device consists of
two parts: the turbine and the pump. The turbine impeller and the pump blade are mounted on the same
shaft.
The working principle of Hydraulic Pressure Booster (HPB) manufactured by Fluid Equipment
Development Company (FEDCO) in the United States is similar to that of HTC. However, there are
differences in the structure form of the impeller. The simplified design of HPB is the piping settings
outside the device by the assembly of the regulating valve of pressure-flow, and the ER device is as a
whole. This setting reduces the device cost, and makes the operation more convenient. Figure 1(c) shows
the picture of HPB.
HTC and HPB are usually used in series with the high pressure raw water pumps to reduce the outlet
pressure of high pressure raw water pumps through the reducing of the system energy consumption. The
speed of the central shaft of turbine device is completely independent of the high-pressure pump, so both
the turbine impeller and the pump impeller can be designed into the high-speed rotating parts. Hence, the
higher efficiency of HTC and HPB can be achieved. These two ER devices are driven by the high pressure
brine without the additional energy. More advantages include the convenient installation, dismounting, and
overhaul. Therefore, HTC and HPB are suitable for working in large flow with obvious scale effect.

2.3 HEMI and BMET

Currently, other devices include Hydraulic Energy Management Integration (HEMI) (shown in Figure
1(d)) manufactured by the PEI and BMET direct drive pump made by Danish Grundfos. This type of
devices integrates the pump and the ER turbine, which are separate structures. Hence, both of them can be
adapt to the different desalination process requirements. The pressure rise of the raw seawater is
accomplished by two stages of high pressure pump and turbine booster pump in series. This pattern
reduces the consumption of motor power through the turbo booster and reduce the head of high pressure
pump. A rotating shaft connects with two impellers. All parts are encapsulated in a shell. The seawater
could drive the impeller rotation by flowing water, and thus the impeller drives the rotation of turbine shaft.
The turbine shaft directly drives the booster pump to output the mechanical work. The conversion
efficiency of concentrated seawater energy into the raw seawater energy can be increased to 65% ~80%.

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 Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2018)

Figure 1 Photographs of (a) Francis Turbine, (b) HTC, (c) HPB, and (d) HEMI

3 Research Status of Hydraulic Turbine

The reversal pump as an important structural form of the hydraulic turbine has many advantages. The
maximum efficiency is basically the same as the normal operation of the pump. The pump development
technology is relatively mature, and the specification is various. Therefore, the centrifugal reversal pump
as hydraulic turbine is applied in many industries for the easy installation and maintenance, wide operating
conditions, low cost, and fast investment effect.
The research on the reversal pump hydraulic turbine mainly focuses on the prediction of hydraulic
turbine performance based on the pump operating performance, and the performance conversion
relationship between both of them, and then the appropriate pump is selected.
The performance relationship between pump and hydraulic turbine at different rotating speeds is
experimentally studied. The theoretical basis provides the reasonable parameters for selecting pumps with
under specific working conditions. There is a conversion relation of some hydraulic parameters, such as
head, flow rate and efficiency, and pump working condition existing in the centrifugal reversal pump [5, 6].
The hydraulic characteristics of reversal pump is different from forward type. The efficiency is generally
below 80%, and the pressure ER efficiency is generally below 50%. There are some problems such as the
low conversion rate, narrow range of application.

At present, in order to improve the performance of hydraulic turbine, the relevant experts and scholars
are devoted to the optimization of hydraulic turbine. The efficiency and stability of the turbine are
improved by means of microscopic adjustment and modification of the key components of hydraulic
turbine. Singh [7] and Derakhshan [8] proposed the method of rounding the inlet edge of turbine blade and
the outer circle of front and back cover plate. This could improve the efficiency of hydraulic turbine by 1%
to 4%. Shah et al.[9] comparatively studied the normal side of the blade inlet angle of turbocharger turbine
impeller and the counterpart of sweepback 25°. In the case of a less than optimal speed, the stability of the
turbocharger can be improved very significantly.
The new theoretical designed method for new special hydraulic turbine was proposed to improve the
highest efficiency of hydraulic turbine or to widen the efficiency area. Xihua University and Jiangsu
University used the principle of speed torque conservation in the volute, according to the turbine operation
condition [10]. The ER hydraulic turbine with the front special curved blade was designed according to the
back curved blade impeller of the traditional inversion pump. The compare performance experiments of
the prototype pump turbine indicated that the prototype efficiency of the new type of hydraulic turbine was
improved significantly, compared with the traditional pump. The blade angle, import settling angle, blade
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 Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2018)

number, length width of blade, impeller imports and impeller diameter, and many other key hydraulics
parameters were optimization. Yang [11] studied the conversion relationship of centrifugal pumps with
different specific speeds under different medium viscosity.

4 Turbine Active Guide Vane

4.1 Guide Vane in the Turbine Design

During the operation of the radial turbine, when the actual flow rate changes, the efficiency of the
turbine will also change. When the flow rate drops to a certain ratio of the optimal efficiency point, it is
generally considered less than the quantity of flow in the best efficiency point, 40% QBEP. The inverted
pump turbine cannot reach the required rotation speed, and it is impossible to recover the energy of the
high-pressure liquid. In response to this deficiency, as early as 1950, NASA attempted to add the Variable
Inlet Guide Vane (VIGA) into the air compressor imports to increase the flow range and prevent the
surging. At present, the active guide vane has been widely used in the centrifugal equipment such as water
turbine and air compressor. Swiss Sulzer company began to develop the inverted pump as hydraulic
turbine with the movable guide vane, and gave the characteristic curve of relevant adjustment effect [12]. It
was proved that the active guide vane could effectively widen the performance curve of hydraulic turbine
and improved its overall efficiency. The guide vane was added on the entrance of hydraulic turbine
impeller [13]. It was found that the efficiency of turbine changed greatly with flow rate, while the head
changed little. The optimal efficiency point was significantly improved.
Active guide vane is widely used in hydraulic turbine and gas turbine. The regulating mechanism has
developed rapidly and its type is relatively perfect. The following are several common types of guide blade
regulating mechanism, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Types of Variable Inlet Guide Vane [10]

4.2 Research Status of Turbine Active Guide Vane

Ventrone, et al. [14] found that the reverse turbine pump had a better drainage effect when a guide
blade is added between its volute and impeller. Ferro, et al. [15] introduced a design method for the inlet
guide blade of micro-turbine. They adopts the streamline curvature method to design the axial streamlines,
and the singular surface method to design the streamlines between blades. Vanyashov, et al. [16] proposed
the influence of blade rotation angle on the characteristics of variable blade system of air compressor.
Mikhail, et al. [17] studied the distribution of cavitation flow in the turbine with different attack angles
under the reduction model of NACA0015 airfoil and high-pressure hydraulic turbine.
Most of the active guide vanes in China are applied to the centrifugal equipment such as water turbine
and air compressor. There has been a qualitative leap in the design optimization of active guide vanes and
the numerical simulation analysis method. Researchers led by Yang Junhu from Lanzhou University of
Technology have been carried out focused on the research of hydraulic turbine with the guide vanes. The
research content including the effect of guide vane on the stability of a set of hydraulic turbine runs, calculation
of pressure fluctuation within volute of hydraulic turbine under different guide vane numbers, effect of guide
vane inlet and outlet angles on performance of energy recovery turbines, and numerical simulation and analysis
of turbine guide vane airfoil based on CFD. Moreover, Research center of fluid machinery engineering and
technology of Jiangsu University have studied on the influence of guide vane opening on performance and flow
characteristics of tubular hydro-turbine, and the effects of relative positions between guide vane and tongue on a
centrifugal pump.

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 Proceedings of International Conference on Environmental and Water Resources Engineering (2018)

5 Concluding Summary

The ER device with high ER efficiency, has gradually become a hot spot of research and development
in the desalination industry. The development trend of the product share market presents the rapid growth
year by year. In China, the research and development of ER technology is significant for the SWRO. The
prospects of industrialization development and application were good. With the significant improvement of
SWRO membrane material and performance, the improvement of reverse osmosis high-pressure pump and
the improvement of ER efficiency, make the economy of SWRO more prominent its competitiveness.

6 Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin (No. 16JCYBJC19200, NO.
17JCQNJC04900)), National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2017YFC0404204) and Special fund for
basic scientific research business of central public research institutes (No. K-JBYWF-2016-G16, No.
K-JBYWF-2016-T16, and No. K-JBYWF-2017-T15).

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