IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v12y2019i5p901-d212149.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Flow Conditions for PATs Operating in Parallel: Experimental and Numerical Analyses

Author

Listed:
  • Mariana Simão

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil) and CEris member, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Modesto Pérez-Sánchez

    (Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering Department, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain)

  • Armando Carravetta

    (Department of Hydraulic, Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering, Università di Napoli Federico II, via Claudio, 21, Napoli 80125, Italy)

  • Helena M. Ramos

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources (DECivil) and CEris member, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

Micro-hydro systems can be used as a promising new source of renewable energy generation, requiring a low investment cost of hydraulic, mechanical, and electrical equipment. The improvement of the water management associated with the use of pumps working as turbines (PATs) is a real advantage when the availability of these machines is considered for a wide range of flow rates and heads. Parallel turbomachines can be used to optimize the flow management of the system. In the present study, experimental tests were performed in two equal PATs working in parallel and in single mode. These results were used to calibrate and validate the numerical simulations. The analysis of pressure variation and head losses was evaluated during steady state conditions using different numerical models (1D and 3D). From the 1D model, the installation curve of the system was able to be defined and used to calculate the operating point of the two PATs running in parallel. As for the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, intensive analysis was carried out to predict the PATs′ behavior under different flow conditions and to evaluate the different head losses detected within the impellers. The results show system performance differences between two units running in parallel against a single unit, providing a greater operational flow range. The performance in parallel design conditions show a peak efficiency with less shock losses within the impeller. Furthermore, by combining multiple PATs in parallel arrangement, a site’s efficiency increases, covering a wide range of applications from the minimum to the maximum flow rate. The simulated flow rates were in good agreement with the measured data, presenting an average error of 10%.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariana Simão & Modesto Pérez-Sánchez & Armando Carravetta & Helena M. Ramos, 2019. "Flow Conditions for PATs Operating in Parallel: Experimental and Numerical Analyses," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-19, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:5:p:901-:d:212149
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/5/901/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/5/901/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emma Frosina & Dario Buono & Adolfo Senatore, 2017. "A Performance Prediction Method for Pumps as Turbines (PAT) Using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Modeling Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Williams, A.A., 1996. "Pumps as turbines for low cost micro hydro power," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 1227-1234.
    3. Darmawi, & Sipahutar, Riman & Bernas, Siti Masreah & Imanuddin, Momon Sodik, 2013. "Renewable energy and hydropower utilization tendency worldwide," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 17(C), pages 213-215.
    4. Pérez-Sánchez, Modesto & Sánchez-Romero, Francisco Javier & López-Jiménez, P. Amparo & Ramos, Helena M., 2018. "PATs selection towards sustainability in irrigation networks: Simulated annealing as a water management tool," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 234-249.
    5. Jain, Sanjay V. & Patel, Rajesh N., 2014. "Investigations on pump running in turbine mode: A review of the state-of-the-art," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 841-868.
    6. Yang, Sun-Sheng & Derakhshan, Shahram & Kong, Fan-Yu, 2012. "Theoretical, numerical and experimental prediction of pump as turbine performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 507-513.
    7. Oreste Fecarotta & Costanza Aricò & Armando Carravetta & Riccardo Martino & Helena Ramos, 2015. "Hydropower Potential in Water Distribution Networks: Pressure Control by PATs," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(3), pages 699-714, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Weihua Sun & Zhiyi Yu & Wenwu Zhang, 2022. "Effect of Shear-Thinning Property on the Energy Performance and Flow Field of an Axial Flow Pump," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Wang, Tao & Yu, He & Xiang, Ru & Chen, XiaoMing & Zhang, Xiang, 2023. "Performance and unsteady flow characteristic of forward-curved impeller with different blade inlet swept angles in a pump as turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    3. Kostner, Michael K. & Zanfei, Ariele & Alberizzi, Jacopo C. & Renzi, Massimiliano & Righetti, Maurizio & Menapace, Andrea, 2023. "Micro hydro power generation in water distribution networks through the optimal pumps-as-turbines sizing and control," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    4. Abdulbasit Nasir & Edessa Dribssa & Misrak Girma & Habtamu Bayera Madessa, 2023. "Selection and Performance Prediction of a Pump as a Turbine for Power Generation Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-16, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Binama, Maxime & Su, Wen-Tao & Li, Xiao-Bin & Li, Feng-Chen & Wei, Xian-Zhu & An, Shi, 2017. "Investigation on pump as turbine (PAT) technical aspects for micro hydropower schemes: A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 148-179.
    2. Thomas Pirard & Vasileios Kitsikoudis & Sebastien Erpicum & Michel Pirotton & Pierre Archambeau & Benjamin Dewals, 2022. "Discharge Redistribution as a Key Process for Heuristic Optimization of Energy Production with Pumps as Turbines in a Water Distribution Network," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(4), pages 1237-1250, March.
    3. Martin Polák, 2019. "The Influence of Changing Hydropower Potential on Performance Parameters of Pumps in Turbine Mode," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-12, June.
    4. Lin, Tong & Zhu, Zuchao & Li, Xiaojun & Li, Jian & Lin, Yanpi, 2021. "Theoretical, experimental, and numerical methods to predict the best efficiency point of centrifugal pump as turbine," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 31-44.
    5. Renzi, Massimiliano & Nigro, Alessandra & Rossi, Mosè, 2020. "A methodology to forecast the main non-dimensional performance parameters of pumps-as-turbines (PaTs) operating at Best Efficiency Point (BEP)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 16-25.
    6. Venturini, Mauro & Manservigi, Lucrezia & Alvisi, Stefano & Simani, Silvio, 2018. "Development of a physics-based model to predict the performance of pumps as turbines," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 343-354.
    7. Mauro Venturini & Stefano Alvisi & Silvio Simani & Lucrezia Manservigi, 2018. "Comparison of Different Approaches to Predict the Performance of Pumps As Turbines (PATs)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Tahani, Mojtaba & Kandi, Ali & Moghimi, Mahdi & Houreh, Shahram Derakhshan, 2020. "Rotational speed variation assessment of centrifugal pump-as-turbine as an energy utilization device under water distribution network condition," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    9. Kougias, Ioannis & Aggidis, George & Avellan, François & Deniz, Sabri & Lundin, Urban & Moro, Alberto & Muntean, Sebastian & Novara, Daniele & Pérez-Díaz, Juan Ignacio & Quaranta, Emanuele & Schild, P, 2019. "Analysis of emerging technologies in the hydropower sector," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Wang, Tao & Wang, Chuan & Kong, Fanyu & Gou, Qiuqin & Yang, Sunsheng, 2017. "Theoretical, experimental, and numerical study of special impeller used in turbine mode of centrifugal pump as turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 473-485.
    11. Štefan, David & Rossi, Mosè & Hudec, Martin & Rudolf, Pavel & Nigro, Alessandra & Renzi, Massimiliano, 2020. "Study of the internal flow field in a pump-as-turbine (PaT): Numerical investigation, overall performance prediction model and velocity vector analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 158-172.
    12. Maria Castorino, Giulia Anna & Manservigi, Lucrezia & Barbarelli, Silvio & Losi, Enzo & Venturini, Mauro, 2023. "Development and validation of a comprehensive methodology for predicting PAT performance curves," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    13. Carravetta, A. & Fecarotta, O. & Ramos, H.M., 2018. "A new low-cost installation scheme of PATs for pico-hydropower to recover energy in residential areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 1003-1014.
    14. Le Marre, Maël & Mandin, Philippe & Lanoisellé, Jean-Louis & Zilliox, Erik & Rammal, Farah & Kim, Myeongsub (Mike) & Inguanta, Rosalinda, 2022. "Pumps as turbines regulation study through a decision-support algorithm," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 561-570.
    15. Jain, Sanjay V. & Patel, Rajesh N., 2014. "Investigations on pump running in turbine mode: A review of the state-of-the-art," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 841-868.
    16. Xu, Zhe & Zheng, Yuan & Kan, Kan & Chen, Huixiang, 2023. "Flow instability and energy performance of a coastal axial-flow pump as turbine under the influence of upstream waves," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    17. Kandi, Ali & Meirelles, Gustavo & Brentan, Bruno, 2022. "Employing demand prediction in pump as turbine plant design regarding energy recovery enhancement," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 223-236.
    18. Mario Amelio & Silvio Barbarelli & Domenico Schinello, 2020. "Review of Methods Used for Selecting Pumps as Turbines (PATs) and Predicting Their Characteristic Curves," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Abazariyan, Sina & Rafee, Roohollah & Derakhshan, Shahram, 2018. "Experimental study of viscosity effects on a pump as turbine performance," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 539-547.
    20. Ghorani, Mohammad Mahdi & Sotoude Haghighi, Mohammad Hadi & Maleki, Ali & Riasi, Alireza, 2020. "A numerical study on mechanisms of energy dissipation in a pump as turbine (PAT) using entropy generation theory," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 1036-1053.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:5:p:901-:d:212149. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.