Experimental Study of a Radial Turbine Using Pitch‐ControlledGuide Vanes for Wave Power Conversion

Abstract

In order to develop a high-performance radial turbine for wave power conversion, a radial turbine with pitch-controlled guide vanes has been proposed and manufactured in the study. The proposed radial turbine has been investigated experimentally by model testing under steady and sinusoidal flow conditions. Then, the experimental results have been compared with those of the conventional radial turbine for wave power conversion, that is, a radial turbine with fixed guide vanes. As a result, the running characteristics of the proposed radial turbine under steady and sinusoidal flow conditions were clarified and the effect of diffuser setting angle of guide vane on the turbine characteristics was presented. Furthermore, it seems that the proposed radial turbine is much superior to the conventional radial turbine.

Performance Curve of a Radial Flow Turbine for an OWC Plant

“…Setoguchi et al [4] conducted an experimental parametric study for the radial turbine varying the inner and outer guide vane angles recommending a 25° orientation for the vanes. Further studies were proposed by Takao et al (2005) [5] investigating the effect of using pitch-controlled guide vanes and found an increase by 15% compared to fixed guide vanes. Various numerical studies performed on radial turbine by B. Pereiras et al [6] modeled a new radial impulse turbine geometry after validating it with previous experimental work [4].…”