Modelo numérico CFD del túnel de carga, tubería a presión y distribuidores utilizando el paquete computacional ANSYS Fluent. Caso de aplicación Proyecto Hidroeléctrico Sopladora

Abstract

The Hydroelectric Power Plant Sopladora receives the turbine waters from the AB phase of the Hydroelectric Powerplant Paute Molino. This flow is carried by a hydraulic pressure system. The geometry and sketch that were developed during the design stage of the hydroelectric Sopladora but at the construction stage due to geological, economic and construction factors, among others, they were modified. This is why it’s necessary to evaluate and quantify the energy losses using a NUMERICAL MODELING CFD (Ansys Fluent) of the geometry and the sketch.

The differences of the final sketch with the original sketch are seen on the first 732 meters of the section, the whole section has a total length of 5497.85 meters, the dimensions of the bottom of the interconnection chamber (1297 m.a.s.l.) and that of the pressure conduit (924 m.a.s.l. to the axis of the turbines) are the same in both conductions.

The difference in ENERGY LOSS between both conductions in the worst-case scenario (E1) is 12.00 centimeters. The conduction of the original sketch is more EFFICIENT, however, given the similarity of the data obtained in both designs, the geology, construction factors, among others are predominant to determine the proper design for the conduction.