Successful acceptance test

as part of a refurbishment project of a large hydropower plant in Turkey

Since the end of 2024, we have had the privilege of accompanying the refurbishment project of a large Turkish hydropower plant built in 1973.

As previously reported, we have already designed new guide vanes and an optimised runner for this purpose using CFD in collaboration with our Turkish partners.

Successful model test confirms numerical design

Over the past few days, we have been able to carry out and successfully complete a full homologous model test in accordance with IEC 60193 at the Institute of Hydraulic Fluid Machinery at Graz University of Technology.

The cavitation performance of nine operation points was measured during the acceptance test. No cavitation was visible on the blades at any of the guaranteed points. In addition, several points were also examined at lower flow rates (down to the lowest partial load) at a head of H=110m.

All requirements of the new turbine hydraulics, including turbine efficiency, cavitation, and turbine runaway speed, were confirmed by the acceptance test. It has been repeatedly proven that the turbine performance forecasted using CFD simulation are confirmed in experiments.

Special thanks go to everyone involved who made this partnership possible, and to our entire dedicated team. This refurbishment project has made a significant contribution to the modernisation of hydropower in Turkey!