Water wheels

[SIMON_DELANGE]

Hello,

I am learning to use "Code Saturne" and I'd like to study/optimize water wheels, do you have any advises to make it work please?

Many thanks

[SIMON_DELANGE]

Good evening,

Assuming that "Neptune_CFD", that I don't have, is mandantory for a bi-phasic experimentation, I tested "only" immerse parts of the wheel with the followings conditions:

Test Conditions

Flow Velocity: 2.0 m/s, static wheels.
Blade Configuration: 16 blades, 20 cm maximum submergence
Analysis Focus: Pressure distribution (ΔP) as an indicator of applied force on the blades

1. Straight Blades in Free Flow ("Au Fil de l'Eau")

Configuration: Straight blades, open water
Observation: Minimal thrust (low ΔP).

2. Circular Profile Blades (R:30 cm) in Narrow Channel.

Configuration: Blades with circular cross-section, confined channel
Observation: Higher ΔP compared to free flow.
Analysis: Channeling increases flow velocity and pressure differential

3. Straight Blades in Narrow Channel

Configuration: Straight blades, confined channel.
Observation: Moderate ΔP, improved over free flow.
Analysis: Channel walls accelerate flow, increasing pressure on blades; still drag-limited but more efficient than free flow.

Any idea to improve it? How can I get Neptune_CFD please?

16 blades, straight,, narrow channel

16 blades, circular profil (R: 30 cm), narrow channel

16 blades, circular profil (R: 30 cm), narrow channel, turned by 38 degrees

[SIMON_DELANGE]

And the last picture with 16x straight blades, open waters