Cavitation Phenomena in Pumps
Open access
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Abstract
During load rejection in pumped-storage power stations, the rotational speed of the pump-turbine increases abruptly. The consequent structural deterioration of the internal flow induces high-amplitude hydraulic excitations, posing a serious threat to the operational stability of the unit. This study investigates a Francis pump-turbine to elucidate its flow evolution and instability mechanisms during load rejection. The fluid is modeled as weakly compressible water to capture finite pressure wave propagation. Dynamic mesh simulates guide vane closure, while vortex identification and short-time Fourier transform analyze transient pressure pulsations. The results indicate that the transient process can be sequentially divided into four typical stages—turbine mode, turbine-braking mode, reverse-pump mode, and return-to-turbine mode—to account for the most critical periods during the load rejection transient. The unit exhibits the poorest stability near the maximum rotational speed (443.34 r/min), where flow reversal and the full development of vortex structures significantly amplify fluctuations in hydraulic thrust. The vaneless space is identified as the primary source of pressure pulsations, whose characteristics are dominated by rotor–stator interaction mechanisms, and such disturbances decay rapidly in the downstream direction. Under turbine-braking and reverse-pump conditions, vortex rings, backflow, and asymmetric vortex structures generated within the spiral casing collectively contribute to the severe deterioration of the internal flow field quality.
Direct answer
What can I do from this paper page?
Use this page to scan "Research on Pressure Fluctuation and Vortex Evolution Characteristics in Pump-Turbine Under Load-Rejection Condition" quickly: start with the summary and abstract, then check the authors, source, topics, and related papers. From here, open Scollr to follow Cavitation Phenomena in Pumps research, save the paper, or map adjacent work.
Research areas
Follow related topics
Citation
BibTeX
@article{Deng2026Research,
title = {Research on Pressure Fluctuation and Vortex Evolution Characteristics in Pump-Turbine Under Load-Rejection Condition},
author = {Lei Deng and Wenfu Han and Yuhao Yan and Xuezhi Zhou and Zhengwei Wang},
journal = {Water},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/w18141748},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/w18141748}
}FAQ
Using this paper in a discovery workflow
How do I find related work for this paper?
Use the related papers and topic links on this page as starting points. In Scollr, you can also open the paper and build a literature map around its references, citing papers, and related work.
How can I keep up with new Cavitation Phenomena in Pumps research papers?
Follow Cavitation Phenomena in Pumps research in Scollr. New papers from the topic flow into a personalized feed, and you can save useful studies to revisit later.
Can I cite this paper from this page?
This page includes a static BibTeX block for Research on Pressure Fluctuation and Vortex Evolution Characteristics in Pump-Turbine Under Load-Rejection Condition. Always verify the DOI, source, and publication details against the publisher record before submitting a manuscript.
Follow this research in Scollr
Follow the topics and authors behind this paper, save useful studies, and build a literature map when you are ready to go deeper.
Get the app