IWM 2008 CONFERENCE

2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW

IN THE ACHARD TURBINES MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER
FARMS

Sanda-Carmen GEORGESCU 1 , Andrei-Mugur GEORGESCU 2 ,

Sandor Ianos BERNAD 3 , Romeo SUSAN-RESIGA 4

The present study pointed on the Achard turbine, a new concept of vertical axis
cross-flow turbine. In order to determine the optimal arrangement of such marine current
turbines within hydropower farms, two different 2D numerical models were implemented in
the CFD software COMSOL Multiphysics 3.4, and Fluent 6.3 respectively, using the k − ε
turbulence model. Global farm efficiency was calculated for different spatial arrangements
of Achard turbines. Some trends with respect to the optimal arrangement of such turbines
in marine or river power farms were obtained. Being a 2D approach, the results apply to
any vertical axis cross-flow turbine, e.g. Darrieus turbine, or Gorlov turbine.

Keywords: cross-flow current turbine, Achard turbine, marine power farm, farm
efficiency.

1. Introduction

The French HARVEST Project (abbreviated from Hydroliennes à Axe de

Rotation VErtical STabilisé) has been launched in 2001 at the Geophysical and
Industrial Fluid Flows Laboratory (LEGI) of Grenoble, in order to develop a
suitable technology for marine and river hydropower farms using cross-flow
current energy converters, called Achard turbines [1], superposed in towers. The
hydrodynamics of these systems is studied at LEGI with the support of the R&D
Division of the Électricité de France Group, while other laboratories of the
Rhône-Alpes Region are charged with mechanical aspects (3S – INP of Grenoble,
and LDMS – INSA of Lyon), as well as with electrical aspects (LEG – INP
Grenoble).

                                                            
1
Associate Prof., Hydraulics and Hydraulic Machinery Department, University “Politehnica” of
Bucharest, Romania
2
Associate Prof., Hydraulics and Environmental Protection Department, Technical University of
Civil Engineering Bucharest, Romania
3
Senior Researcher, Centre of Advanced Research in Engineering Sciences, Romanian Academy
– Timisoara Branch, Romania
4
Professor, Department of Hydraulic Machinery, “Politehnica” University of Timisoara, Romania

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

The Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest, in collaboration

with the University “Politehnica” of Bucharest and the Romanian Academy –
Timişoara Branch, started in 2006 the THARVEST Project, within the CEEX
Program sustained by the Romanian Ministry of Education and Research [2]. The
THARVEST research project aims to depict the inter-influence among Achard
turbines, for different hydropower farm configurations, in collaboration with the
LEGI partners involved in the HARVEST Project.
The main advantage of these vertical axis cross-flow turbines is their
ability to operate irrespective of the water flow direction. A marine or river power
farm consists of a cluster of barges, each barge gathering several towers, which
are built by superposing a number of Achard turbines. Within such a farm, several
parallel rows of towers can be put in staggered rows configuration (where the
turbines of the downstream row are not placed in the wake of the upstream
turbines). The optimum spatial arrangement of the towers in the farm corresponds
to the best overall efficiency.
In Figure 1 we present the Achard turbine module, built and studied in
Bucharest: it is a full scale model, with D = 1 m diameter and H = 1 m height.

Fig. 1. Achard turbine – 1:1 scale model, tested in the aerodynamic tunnel at the Wind Engineering
and Aerodynamics Laboratory of the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest.

The Achard turbine consists of a runner with three vertical delta blades,
sustained by radial supports at mid-height of the turbine. The blades are shaped

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

with NACA 4518 airfoils, while the radial supports are shaped with straight
NACA 0018 airfoils. Within the xOyz system, along each delta blade, the airfoil
mean camber line length varies from 0.18m at mid-height of the turbine (where
z = 0 ), to 0.12m at the extremities (at z = ± H 2 ).
The vertical axis cross-flow turbines run in stabilized current, so the flow
can be assumed to be almost unchanged in horizontal planes along the z-axis. This
assumption allows performing 2D numerical modelling, for different farm
configurations. The 2D computational domain is a cross-section of all towers at a
certain z-level, namely z = H 4 in this paper. In order to diminish the
computational effort, the geometry has been simplified in COMSOL Multi-
physics, by neglecting the vertical shaft of the turbine, so only the three airfoils
(corresponding to the delta blades) will appear in a turbine (tower) cross-section.
It is to be mentioned that in Fluent, the vertical shaft of the turbine has not been
neglected.

Fig. 2. Hydropower farm model at 1:5 scale, tested in the water channel at the Hydraulics
Laboratory of the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest.

The turbine efficiency depends both on the upstream water velocity U ∞ ,

and on the spatial arrangement of the turbines within the farm, described by the
distance (gap) between two successive axes. Within that xOy plane, the upstream
velocity points in the Ox-direction. We denote the distance between two adjacent
rows of turbines within the farm by Lx , and the distance between axes of two

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MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

adjacent turbines on each row by L y . In Figure 2 we present the 1:5 scale model
of a hydropower farm with 3 Achard turbines aligned on the same row, with
L y = 2 D spacing. Due to the water channel depth limitations, within that farm
model the turbines cannot be superposed to form towers.
While performing numerical tests in order to find the optimal horizontal
distance between turbine towers mounted in a farm [3]÷[5], we had to compute
forces induced by water on each blade cross-section for a complete rotation. The
polar representation of those forces as well as the polar representation of the total
tangential force acting on the turbine for a complete rotation gave us the idea of a
somehow unusual staggered row arrangement that proved to yield better
efficiencies for the towers in the second row facing the flow.

2. Numerical approach

We performed 2D numerical modelling of the unsteady flow inside a

hydropower farm consisting of several Achard turbines, placed in different spatial
arrangements, by using the code COMSOL Multiphysics 3.4 – a CFD software
based on the Finite Element Method, and the code Fluent 6.3 – a CFD software
based on the Finite Volume Method.
All numerical tests were carried out for an upstream flow velocity
U ∞ = 1 m/s and an angular velocity of the turbine ω = π rad/s (meaning a
rotational speed of 30rpm), during 12 seconds (representing 6 full rotations of the
turbine), with a time step of 0.05s. The value of the tip speed ratio λ = ωR U ∞
was taken λ = π 2 , different than the usual value, λ = 2 , prescribed for the
Achard turbine [10]. For the solidity σ = cB R , the value σ = 0.9 resulted. Those
two similitude numbers, λ and σ , were calculated with R = 0.5 m as turbine
radius, c ≅ 0.15 m as airfoil chord length, and B = 3 as number of blades.
The computational effort has been reduced by using an innovative
modelling approach derived from Maître et al [3], an approach that couples a
macroscopic model of the main turbine (main tower) with a Reynolds Averaged
Navier-Stokes (RANS) calculation, using the k − ε turbulence model. Within the
computational procedure, we considered a turbulent intensity value of 0.2, and a
turbulence length scale value of 0.1.
The main turbine (main tower) is the only one that turns at constant
angular velocity during the 2D numerical simulations. In the xOy plane, the
rotational domain or rotating mesh is bordered by a circle with a diameter slightly
greater than the turbine diameter – namely, we considered a circle with the
diameter of 1.2m. The three airfoils corresponding to the cross-section of the main
turbine are included within that circle. During a complete rotation, we can
compute the resulting force, the torque, the power and the efficiency of the main

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MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

turbine. All the other turbines (towers) of the farm are replaced by fictitious
turbines (fictitious towers), which act like the main-one, but they are
geometrically represented by a simple non-rotational circular domain, having the
same diameter (D + d ) as the swept area of the turbine (where d is the blade
thickness). Within each fictitious circle, the resulting force corresponding to the
main turbine is spread as unit volume force (or unit area force in the case of 2D
simulations) over the whole non-rotational circular domain. By doing this, during
computations, outside and especially downstream of each fictitious turbine, the
flow behaviour is similar to the one of the main turbine (differences are due to the
inter-influence of all turbines, the main-one and the fictitious-ones). Inside the
non-rotating domain of each fictitious turbine, we cannot expect to obtain a flow
behaviour somehow similar to the one of the main turbine – in fact, the fictitious
turbines represent an average over a full rotation of the main turbine. This
approach allowed us to determine the inter-influence of the turbine (towers).
To ensure the free flow conditions around the farm, for all tested
configurations, the computational domain extension was the same, namely: 12
turbine diameters long (from x = −5 m to x = 7 m along the flow direction), and
56 turbine diameters wide (from y = −28 m to y = 28 m across the flow). The true
(main) rotating turbine was placed with its axis in the point of coordinates
(x = 0, y = 0) , while the fictitious turbines were placed around it, in accordance to
the studied configuration.

3. Numerical results

Two major types of tests were performed. The first-ones, denoted T1,
enabled us to quantify the influence of the across flow spacing between turbines
axes on the efficiency; i.e. turbines, true and fictitious ones, were all placed in a
single row, normal to the flow, with different spacing L y between turbines axes
(Figure 3a). The second type of tests, denoted T2, enabled us to quantify the
influence of the along flow spacing Lx between turbines axes on the efficiency;
i.e. two rows of staggered turbines were placed in different positions along the
flow (Figure 3b). We ran simulations for spacing L y = 1.5 D ÷ 3D , with a step of
0.5D , in T1 tests. In T2 tests, the spacing between axes on each row was equal to
L y = 2 D , and L y = 2.5 D , while we considered Lx = D ÷ 3D between the rows,
with a step of 0.5D .
In Figure 3a, the main turbine is placed in the A1 position. In Figure 3b,
the main turbine can be placed in 4 different key positions ( B1 ÷ B4 ), which are
important to determine the global efficiency of the farm. Thus, the turbine placed

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

in B1 is fully influenced by the upstream row, the main turbine placed in B2 is

influenced by the adjacent turbines and downstream ones, while the turbines
placed in B3 and B4 are subjected to end-of-row effects.

4
y
3

1
U∞ Ly
0
A1
-1

-2

-3

-4
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
(a) x

4
B3
y
3
B4
2
B2
1
U∞ Ly
0
B1
-1

-2

-3
Lx
-4
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
(b) x

Fig. 3. Farm configurations: (a) 3 turbines on a single row across the flow (the rotating-one and
two fictitious ones); (b) 7 staggered turbines, on two rows.

For T1 tests, we present in Figure 4 the mesh and the velocity field for the
farm configuration from Figure 3a, spaced with L y = 2 D on y-direction, obtained
in COMSOL Multiphysics. For T2 tests, we present in Figure 5 the mesh and the
velocity field in COMSOL, for the farm configuration from Figure 3b, spaced

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

with Lx = L y = 2 D (4 fictitious turbines are on the first row; the rotating turbine
B1 is placed on the downstream row, between two fictitious turbines).

Fig. 4. Mesh (upper frame) and velocity field (lower frame) for 1 row of 3 turbines, in COMSOL.

In the farm model implemented in Fluent, we highlight that all of the

turbines are rotating. To exemplify the results obtained in Fluent, for T1 tests, we
present in Figure 6a the mesh for a farm configuration with 5 turbines on a single

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

row across the flow, spaced with L y = 1.5 D on y-direction. The corresponding
velocity field is shown in Figure 7.

Fig. 5. Mesh (upper frame) and velocity field (lower frame) for two rows of 7 staggered turbines,
in COMSOL Multiphysics.

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

(a)

(b)
Fig. 6. Computational domain in Fluent, for T1 and T2 configurations: (a) 5 turbines on a single
row across the flow; (b) 5 staggered turbines, on two rows

Fig. 7. Velocity field in the Achard turbines farm: 5 turbines on a single row, in Fluent.

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

For T2 tests in Fluent, we present in Figure 6b the mesh for a farm

configuration with 5 staggered turbines on two rows, spaced with Lx = D and
L y = 2.5 D . The corresponding velocity field is shown in Figure 8.

Fig. 8. Velocity field in the Achard turbines farm: 5 staggered turbines, on two rows, in Fluent.

The simplified numerical approach implemented in COMSOL Multi-

physics helped us not only to get the flow behaviour within the farm, but allowed
us to depict the turbines efficiency, and the overall farm efficiency as well. For T1
tests, the efficiency η of the main turbine A1 (or its power coefficient c P ) is
presented in Figure 9a, versus the ratio L y D . Similarly, for T2 tests, the
efficiency η of the main turbine B1 (or its power coefficient c P ) is presented in
Figure 9b, versus the ratio Lx D . The efficiency of an isolated turbine is
η = 0.269 , so the efficiency increases when turbines are placed on a single row
across the flow, and increases even more for turbines placed on the downstream
row in two rows of staggered turbines configuration.
Because of the space confinement, the local water velocity U in the wake
of the turbines (in the same position with respect to each turbine axis) has greater
values for the turbines placed on the downstream row (like B1 ), than on the
upstream row (like B2 ). For T2 tests, the efficiency of the main turbine placed in

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

the 4 key positions, for the Lx D = 2 ratio, has the following values: η = 0.443
for B1 ; η = 0.263 for B2 ; η = 0.268 for B3 and η = 0.303 for B4 , obviously
the most advantaged position being B1 . The resulting global farm efficiency is
η ≅ 0.317 . Extrapolating, the global farm efficiency increases when increasing the
number of turbines, e.g. η ≅ 0.341 for 21 staggered turbines on 2 rows.

0.45

0.315 0.445

0.31 0.44

0.305 0.435
η or cP

0.3 η or cP 0.43

0.295 0.425

0.29 0.42

0.285 0.415

0.28 0.41
1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3
(a) Ly /D (b) Lx /D

Fig. 9. Efficiency η or power coefficient cP of: (a) turbine A1 ; (b) turbine B1 , versus the
spacing between turbines in number of turbine diameters.

The evolution of the local velocity in the turbine wake at the position
( x = 1, y = 0 ), meaning at one diameter downstream of the axis, during the 12
seconds of simulation time (representing 6 full rotations of the turbines) is plotted
in Figure 10 for B1 ’s turbine wake. From the local velocity temporal evolution in
the turbine wake plotted in Figure 10, obtained in COMSOL Multiphysics, one
can see that the flow is stabilized after the first 4 full rotations of the turbines –
that is, after 8 seconds from the start of the simulation.

4. Conclusions

The study pointed on the Achard turbine – a new concept of vertical axis
cross-flow current turbine. The 2D numerical modelling of the unsteady flow
inside a hydropower farm, equipped with several Achard turbines placed on a
single row across the flow, or in staggered configurations on two parallel rows,
has been performed using both COMSOL Multiphysics, and Fluent.
The horizontal distances between axes of the cross-flow turbines (or
turbine towers) mounted in hydropower farms play a major role in turbines
efficiency. The efficiency of the turbines increases as the turbines get closer to
each other, especially on the downstream row.

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 2D NUMERICAL MODELLING OF THE UNSTEADY FLOW IN ACHARD TURBINES
MOUNTED IN HYDROPOWER FARMS

Fig. 10. Local velocity U in B1 ’s wake versus time

The method implemented in COMCOL Multiphysics has proven to save a

lot of computational time, with respect to the total computational time requested
in Fluent when all the turbines are rotating. In COMSOL Multiphysics, a
computation with 7 rotating turbines would have taken several days, while, by
using the simplified approach, all computations took less than 10 hours.

REFERENCES
[1] J.-L. Achard, T. Maître, Turbomachine hydraulique. Brevet déposé, Code FR 04 50209,
Titulaire: Institut National Polytechnique de Grenoble, France, 2004.
[2] A.-M. Georgescu, Sanda-Carmen Georgescu, S. I. Bernad et al., Interinfluence of the vertical
axis, stabilised, Achard type hydraulic turbines (THARVEST). CEEX Project no 192/2006,
AMCSIT Politehnica Bucharest, http://www.tharvest.ro, 2006-2008.
[3] Sanda-Carmen Georgescu, A.-M. Georgescu, S. I. Bernad, Innovative simplified 2D numerical
modelling of the inter-influence of vertical axis cross-flow turbines mounted in hydropower
farms, in Scientific Bulletin “Politehnica” University of Timisoara, Transactions on
Mechanics, vol. 53(67), fascicola 3, 2008, pp 57-62.
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arrangement of three bladed, vertical axis, cross-flow turbine towers in farms, in Sci. Bull.
“Politehnica” Univ. Timisoara, Trans. Mechanics, vol. 53(67), fascicola 3, 2008, pp 63-68.
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