Study on the effects of blades outer angle on the performance of inline cross-flow turbines

Abstract

Cross-flow turbine is a promising device for power supply to water monitoring sensors and meters along water supply pipes. In the previous research, an inline cross-flow turbine is proposed and the effects of blocks on turbine performance have been studied by numerical methods. Based on the results, mismatching exists between the flow inlet angle and blades outer angle, which may result in shock loss and flow separation. In this study, a numerical investigation was performed to study the effects of blades outer angle on the turbine performance. Results indicated that the matching between flow inlet angle and blades outer angle can enhance the torque output of runner first stage and significantly improve the overall turbine performance. To achieve a balance between turbine efficiency and water head reduction, the blades outer angle of the inline cross-flow turbine is suggested as 30°.