Pumped storage power plants are an important pillar of the energy industry for generating and storing electrical energy efficiently and cost-effectively.  The pump turbines are based on a technology that has been tried and tested over many years and is facing new challenges as a result of the energy transition.  Modern pump turbines must be able to operate in a wider speed range and also be able to reach different operating points more quickly in order to compensate for fluctuating electricity generation from solar and wind power plants.  Previous calculation methods are too imprecise to design the complex vibration behavior of pump turbines in accordance with the new requirements.

The main objective of this project is to develop a simulation method to calculate the complex vibrational behavior of pump turbines, in particular the interaction between the rotor and stator due to the coupling with the water. To this end, we will (i) develop a test bench to experimentally characterize a simplified rotor–stator system. Based on the basic principles of mechanics, we will (ii) derive a simulation model that physically represents the rotation of the rotor and the flow of the water. We will (iii) validate the simulation model with the experimental measurement data from the test stand and (iv) implement it in a computer program that is used in industry to calculate hydropower plants.