Critical sectional area of surge chamber considering nonlinearity of head loss of diversion tunnel and steady output of turbine

Abstract This paper aims to study the critical sectional area (CSA) of surge chamber considering the nonlinearity of head loss of diversion tunnel and steady output of turbine. Firstly, three basic equations for hydropower station with surge chamber are established. Four mathematical models for the derivation of CSA of surge chamber are constructed. Then, the stability of hydropower station with surge chamber is analyzed by Hopf bifurcation. Based on the critical stable state of hydropower station, the formulas for the CSA of surge chamber are derived. Finally, the verification and comparison of different CSAs are conducted. The correctness and rationality of obtained formulas are explained. The results indicate that, under load increase operation condition, both the nonlinearity of head loss of diversion tunnel and nonlinearity of steady output of turbine can reduce the value of CSA of surge chamber and are favorable for the stability of hydropower station. Under load decrease operation condition, the rules are opposite. Under both load increase and load decrease operation conditions, the effect of the nonlinearity of head loss of diversion tunnel on CSA of surge chamber is much more significant than that of the nonlinearity of steady output of turbine. The formula for CSA of surge chamber considering both the nonlinearity of head loss of diversion tunnel and nonlinearity of steady output of turbine can be expressed as an amplification coefficient times of the Thoma formula. That formula has a higher precision than Thoma formula.