Optimizing Hydro Turbine Efficiency for Pressure-Only Operation

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Nagle
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around optimizing hydro turbine efficiency specifically for operation based on water pressure. Participants explore the implications of modifying the standard power equation for turbines to account for pressure-only operation, raising questions about efficiency and flow rate.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the original power equation for a hydro turbine and proposes a modified equation for pressure-only operation, seeking clarification on the implications of this change.
  • Another participant questions the removal of efficiency and flow rate from the equation, emphasizing that no machine can be 100% efficient and that time is a critical factor in power calculations.
  • A third participant shares specific numerical values for power, efficiency, density, and head, expressing uncertainty about the necessity of the second formula for pressure.
  • A later reply points out the confusion caused by using "P" to denote different concepts in the equations and clarifies that the second equation is essentially a subset of the first, linking pressure to the overall power equation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit some disagreement regarding the necessity of including efficiency and flow rate in the modified equation. There is no consensus on the best approach to adapt the power equation for pressure-only operation.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions made about efficiency and flow rate, as well as the definitions of terms used in the equations. The relationship between pressure and power remains unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in hydro turbine design, fluid dynamics, and energy efficiency optimization may find this discussion relevant.

Mike Nagle
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P=n*p*g*h*i "Help"

This is the power equation for a hydro turbine.
P=power
n=turbine efficiency
p=density of watter (kg/m3)
g=acceleration of gravity (9.81m/s2)
h=head(m)
i= flow rate (m3/s)

What I want to know is how to change this for running a turbine with water pressure only

P=r*g*h

P=pressure
r=water density
h=head(m)

Can anyone help with this so I can save the world
 
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I have no idea what you are asking. Your original formula b]is[/b] for a turbine run by water pressure. How do want to change it? In your second formula you've just taken out the "turbine efficiency" and "flow rate". It is not possible to build any 100% efficient machine so you must have some "efficiency" factor. And since "power" is "rate of doing work", you will have to have some measure of time- that's what the "flow rate" gave you.
 
Sorry I'm not as good at this stuff as some of you people are. The numbers I'm using are
P=1000MW
n=90%
p=1.03*1000
h=100m
i=?
the second formula is for pressure and I don't know if that's needed?
 
Oh, you are using "P" to mean two different things- that was confusing me. In the second equation r = density of water is the same as p (I suspect it was [itex]\rho[/itex]) in the first equation. So the second equation is incorporated into the first- that's another thing that was confusing me.

Power= n*p*g*h*i = n*i*(pgh)= n*i*Pressure.
 

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