Articles | Volume 10, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-27-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-27-2017
Research article
 | 
16 May 2017
Research article |  | 16 May 2017

CFD simulations to optimize the blade design of water wheels

Emanuele Quaranta and Roberto Revelli

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Short summary
Breastshot water wheels are hydropower converters that efficiently work at low head sites (lower than 4 m) and at low discharges (1.2 cubic meters per meter width maximum). Water wheels represent an attractive solution for decentralized energy production. The aim of this work is to improve the performance of an existing water wheel by changing the blade shape using numerical simulations. An optimal profile was determined, and general recommendations for the blade design are reported.