Blade Polymeric Material Study of a Cross-Flow Water Turbine Runner

Although Romania has a consistent hydro energetic potential, till now is valuated just approximate 30 percent of it. On die big rivers there are already installed high power hydro plants, but a lot of small and medium rivers are not valuated energetically. Installing a new high power hydro plant tends to affect the zone, being necessary a lot of changes in the environment. The Cross-Flow hydraulic turbines don't need very complex hydro settlements, being very suitable for small and medium power hydro plants. Also a quite big potential in the use this type of hydraulic machines is the energy recovery in the water treatment and sewage plants. The turbine's blades surfaces enters in contact with the pressurized water jet. The water jet creates a hydrodynamic force that tends to stress the blade. Mainly the Cross-flow turbine blades are made from steel. This article presents the hydrodynamic design and the possibility of using new polymeric material Delrin (R) AF for the Cross-Flow turbine runner blades, together with the stress analysis.