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Recent Advances in Hydraulic Machinery and Its Application in Marine Engineering

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 5940

Special Issue Editors


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Co-Guest Editor
School of Electrical and Power Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Interests: high fidelity CFD simulations; design and optimization of pumps and turbines; prediction of flow-induced vibration in hydraulic machinery; renewable energy like wind and current turbine
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Guest Editor
School of Electrical and Power Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Interests: hydroturbine; pump; pump–turbine; pump station, hydrodynamics; marine fluid equipment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Electrical and Power Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Interests: optimization of hydraulic machinery; water jet propulsion; numerical calculation methods for hydraulic machinery; hydraulic transients in pump systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: energy loss mechanisms of pump–turbines; water jet propulsion; operation stability analysis of bulb turbines; tracking studies on spatial characteristics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 211100, China
Interests: CFD simulation; numerical simulation; computational fluid dynamics; me-chanical engineering; waste to energy; intelligent water conservancy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since ancient times, water, as the source of life, has also played a pivotal role in the field of mechanics, powering production work and civilization. From the ancient waterwheels cleverly driven by water flow to Archimedes' screw pump, a groundbreaking invention that revolutionized the world, the evolution of hydraulic machinery has been a magnificent epic chronicling the realization of human wisdom.

With technological advancements, hydraulic machinery has undergone constant innovation and evolution. Currently, water turbines stand at the heart of both large and small hydropower stations, providing a steady and efficient supply of clean energy to contemporary society. Pumps, on the other hand, are widely used in various fields such as water conservancy engineering and industrial processes, playing a crucial role. Particularly in the context of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, reversible pump–turbines have emerged as leading contenders in large-scale energy storage due to their unique advantages.

As an important branch of hydraulic machinery, ocean fluid machinery plays an indispensable role in the development of marine resources and the construction of marine engineering. Its performance in both steady and unsteady environments directly impacts changes in mechanical performance. Therefore, a thorough exploration of the internal flow state of ocean fluid machinery is crucial for enhancing its efficiency and stability, carrying significant academic value and practical implications.

With the deepening of research, modern tools are constantly being utilized to study the internal flow mechanisms of ocean fluid machinery. By utilizing advanced numerical simulation techniques, experimental testing methods, and data analysis approaches, we can reveal the core mechanisms of internal flow from multiple perspectives, optimize equipment design, improve energy efficiency and safety, and enhance operational stability, reliability, and flexibility.

In light of this, this Special Issue aims to gather the latest research achievements on the internal flow mechanisms of ocean fluid machinery, showcase progress and innovative trends within the field, and establish a platform for researchers in related fields to exchange ideas and collaborate. We eagerly welcome original research and review articles (among other article types) from scholars and experts—exploring the mysteries of internal flow mechanisms in ocean fluid machinery and driving the continuous development of this field to contribute more wisdom and strength to human marine endeavors—that delve into the following topics:

  • Advances in numerical simulation and experimental techniques for analyzing internal flows in marine hydraulic machinery.
  • Insight into the complex flow patterns and turbulence characteristics within marine pumps, turbines, and other related equipment.
  • Investigations into the influence of internal flow mechanisms on the performance, efficiency, and reliability of marine fluid machinery.
  • Innovations in design optimization and material selection to enhance the internal flow characteristics and overall performance of marine fluid machinery.
  • Studies on the interaction between internal flows and structural dynamics in marine fluid machinery, and its impact on operational stability and safety.
  • Cross-disciplinary approaches that integrate fluid dynamics, mechanical engineering, and materials science to address challenges in marine fluid machinery design and operation.

By collecting and disseminating the latest research in these areas, we aim to foster a vibrant community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to pushing the boundaries of knowledge in marine fluid machinery. We look forward to receiving your contributions and fostering meaningful discussions on the internal flow mechanisms of modern marine fluid machinery.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.

Dr. Changliang Ye
Prof. Dr. Yuan Zheng
Dr. Kan Kan
Dr. Ran Tao
Dr. Huixiang Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • design method
  • optimizing strategy
  • flow characteristics
  • transient process
  • cavitation
  • erosion
  • numerical method
  • tidal energy
  • wave energy
  • marine hydrokinetics
  • environmentally friendly

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 1345 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Impact of Bridge Construction on Flood Control Capacity in the Eastern Coastal Regions of China Based on Hydrodynamic Modeling
by Haijing Gao, Jianyong Hu, Hai Zhao, Dajiang He, Sai Zhang, Dongmei Shi, Puxi Li, Zhen Zhang and Jingyuan Cui
Water 2025, 17(11), 1675; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17111675 - 31 May 2025
Viewed by 288
Abstract
Constructions located in rivers play a critical role in mitigating flood risks and supporting sustainable economic development. However, the specific impacts of bridge construction on local flood dynamics have not been thoroughly examined. This study addresses this research gap using hydrodynamic modeling with [...] Read more.
Constructions located in rivers play a critical role in mitigating flood risks and supporting sustainable economic development. However, the specific impacts of bridge construction on local flood dynamics have not been thoroughly examined. This study addresses this research gap using hydrodynamic modeling with the one-dimensional MIKE11 module in MIKE Zero. A case study of the Nanyang (NY) Road Bridge in Zhejiang Province analyzed backwater effects at critical locations, including the Shili (SL) River outlet and Chengqing (CQ) Harbor. Unsteady flow simulations quantified changes in backwater height and backwater length upstream and downstream of the bridge, assessing their influence on flood conveyance capacity. The results indicate a narrowing of the river channel by approximately 4.8 m at the bridge location. Additionally, under flood conditions corresponding to 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year return periods, upstream water levels increased by 1 cm (6.53 m), 4 cm (7.15 m), and 5 cm (7.75 m), respectively. This research provides valuable insights and a scientific basis for developing flood control strategies, optimizing bridge design, and planning infrastructure projects, thereby enhancing regional flood safety and supporting sustainable economic development. Full article
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17 pages, 10920 KiB  
Article
Effect of Twist Angle Regulation via Flexible Variable-Twist Blades on External Characteristics of Axial-Flow Pumps
by Jiayuan Liang, Weidong Liu, Xiaocui Chen and Yongjian Wang
Water 2025, 17(7), 1085; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17071085 - 5 Apr 2025
Viewed by 347
Abstract
In the field of marine resource development, conventional axial-flow adjustable-blade pumps rely on the monolithic rotation of rigid blades for operational condition regulation, a mechanism constrained by simplistic angular adjustments that inadequately adapt to the dynamic and complex marine operational environment. To address [...] Read more.
In the field of marine resource development, conventional axial-flow adjustable-blade pumps rely on the monolithic rotation of rigid blades for operational condition regulation, a mechanism constrained by simplistic angular adjustments that inadequately adapt to the dynamic and complex marine operational environment. To address this limitation, this study proposes a novel angle-adjustment scheme utilizing flexible variable-twist blades, where operational condition regulation is achieved through active blade twisting, enabling refined and adaptive angle modulation. Four typical blade profiles were selected for the variable-twist blades at distinct angular positions (−1°, +1°, −2°, and +2°), corresponding to the four conventional angle-adjustment positions of axial-flow adjustable-blade pumps. Numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the hydraulic performance impacts of the proposed flexible variable-twist blades compared to traditional rigid blades under identical angular configurations. The results demonstrate that under high-flow conditions (1.2 Q), the torsion-based angle-adjustment strategy exhibits superior efficiency across all four angular positions: −1° configuration: 11.1% efficiency improvement; +1° configuration: comparable efficiency; −2° configuration: 78% efficiency improvement; and +2° configuration: 3.2% efficiency improvement. Moreover, at equivalent angular settings, the variable-twist blades significantly enhance hydraulic performance and expand the high-efficiency operating range of the pump compared to conventional rigid blades. The implementation of flexible variable-twist blade technology not only advances the performance of axial-flow pumps in marine engineering applications but also provides a new approach for high-efficiency research on axial-flow pumps. Full article
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18 pages, 4805 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Analysis of Submarine-Buried Pipelines Considering Fluid–Structure Interaction
by Huilin Xu, Qiang Guo, Xuetong Wang, Huihui Sun, Zhanwang Dong, Jintong Gu and Chengyu Zhang
Water 2025, 17(3), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17030360 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 817
Abstract
Buried pipes are widely used for submarine water transportation, but the complex operating conditions in the seabed pose challenges for the modeling of buried pipes. In order to more accurately capture the dynamic behavior of the buried pipes in the seabed, in this [...] Read more.
Buried pipes are widely used for submarine water transportation, but the complex operating conditions in the seabed pose challenges for the modeling of buried pipes. In order to more accurately capture the dynamic behavior of the buried pipes in the seabed, in this study, considering the pipeline and soil as a systematic structure is proposed, improving the fluid–structure interaction four-equation model to make it applicable for the calculation of buried pipe system modes. After verifying the practicality of the model, considering the external seawater as uniform pressure, the coupling at the joints, and the Poisson coupling of submarine pipelines during transient processes are discussed, revealing that structural vibrations under both forms of coupling will cause greater hydraulic oscillations. The impact of soil elastic modulus on the system’s response is further discussed, revealing that increasing the modulus from 0 to 1015 Pa raises the wave speed from 498 m/s to 1483 m/s, causing a 40% increase in the amplitude of pressure oscillations. Finally, the vibration modes of the combined structure of pipe wall and soil are discussed, revealing that the vibration modes are mainly dominated by water hammer pressure, with the superposition of pipeline stress waves and soil stress waves. In this study, the dynamic behavior of submarine pipelines is elucidated, providing a robust foundation for regulating and mitigating fatigue failures in such systems. Full article
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20 pages, 10232 KiB  
Article
Study on the Cavitation Performance in the Impeller Region of a Mixed-Flow Pump Under Different Flow Rates
by Xu Yang, Jianzhong Zhu, Yi Zhang, Buqing Chen, Yiping Tang, Rui Jiang, Kan Kan, Changliang Ye and Yuan Zheng
Water 2024, 16(22), 3195; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16223195 - 7 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1266
Abstract
Mixed-flow pumps, optimized for marine engineering, provide a balance of high efficiency and adaptability, accommodating varied flow and head demands across challenging oceanic settings and are essential for reliable operations in tidal energy and subsea applications. The primary purpose of this paper is [...] Read more.
Mixed-flow pumps, optimized for marine engineering, provide a balance of high efficiency and adaptability, accommodating varied flow and head demands across challenging oceanic settings and are essential for reliable operations in tidal energy and subsea applications. The primary purpose of this paper is to perform a numerical analysis of the cavitation flow characteristics of the mixed-flow pump under differing operational circumstances. The cavitation simulation was implemented to explore the cavitation bubbles evolution and the pressure pulsation characteristics in the impeller region under diverse flow rates, utilizing the Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model and the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri cavitation model as a foundation. The findings indicate that cavitation bubbles initially distribute at the leading edge of blade suction surfaces at the cavitation growth stage. The bubbles spread gradually with the decline of the available net positive suction head (NPSHa). At the same time, many bubbles appear in the area below the blade and extend to the rim of the suction side of blades. As the flow rate decreases, the critical net positive suction head (NPSHc) gradually declines. The dominant pressure pulsation frequency at the impeller inlet is the blade passing frequency, and the vibration at the impeller shroud inlet is more intense than that at the hub. The dominant frequency at the impeller outlet is mainly the blade passing frequency. With the development of cavitation, it changes to impeller rotation frequency at low flow rates, while the dominant frequency remains unchanged at high flow rates. Full article
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20 pages, 4588 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Responses in a Pipe Surrounded by Compacted Soil Suffering from Water Hammer with Fluid–Structure–Soil Interactions
by Qiang Guo, Minyao Xu, Guizhong Xu and Huiling Xu
Water 2024, 16(18), 2668; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16182668 - 19 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1073
Abstract
The current literature analyzing the dynamic response of coupled pipelines neglects the crucial interplay between the pipelines themselves and these constraints. This overlooked interaction has substantial influence on the fluid–structure coupling response, particularly in scenarios involving continuous constraints. We focus on a piping [...] Read more.
The current literature analyzing the dynamic response of coupled pipelines neglects the crucial interplay between the pipelines themselves and these constraints. This overlooked interaction has substantial influence on the fluid–structure coupling response, particularly in scenarios involving continuous constraints. We focus on a piping system surrounded by compacted soil, which is regarded as unbounded homogeneous elastic soil that suffers from water hammer. This study established a one-dimensional model for water pipe-embedded compacted soil with fluid–structure–soil interaction. Taking fluid–structure–soil interaction into account, fluid–structure interactions (FSIs) include Poisson coupling, junction coupling emerging at the fluid–structure interface, and pipe–soil coupling (PSC) emerging at the pipe–soil interface. In this study, as soil is assumed to be a homogeneous, isotropic elastic material, the coupling responses are more complex than those of an exposed pipe, and the relevant mechanisms justify further exploration to obtain well-predicted results. To mathematically describe this system considering fluid–structure–soil interaction, the four-equation FSI model was modified to accommodate the piping system surrounded by unbounded homogeneous elastic soil, employing the finite volume method (FVM) as a means to tackle and solve the dynamic problems with FSI and PSC, which partitions the computational domain into a finite number of control volumes and discretizes governing equations within each volume. The results were validated by the experimental and numerical results. Then, dynamic FSI responses to water hammer were studied in a reservoir–pipe–reservoir physical system. The hydraulic pressure, pipe wall stress, and axial motion were discussed with respect to different parameters. With the PSC and FSI taken into account, fluid, soil, and pipe signals were obviously observed. The results revealed the structural and fluid modes. Dynamic responses have been proven to be difficult to understand and predict. Despite this, this study provides a tractable method to capture more accurate systematic characteristics of a water pipe embedded in soil. Full article
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15 pages, 4651 KiB  
Article
Hydroelectric Unit Vibration Signal Feature Extraction Based on IMF Energy Moment and SDAE
by Dong Liu, Lijun Kong, Bing Yao, Tangming Huang, Xiaoqin Deng and Zhihuai Xiao
Water 2024, 16(14), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16141956 - 11 Jul 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1311
Abstract
Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to effectively characterize the operation status of hydropower units with a single vibration signal feature under the influence of multiple factors such as water–machine–electricity coupling, a multidimensional fusion feature extraction method for hydroelectric units based [...] Read more.
Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to effectively characterize the operation status of hydropower units with a single vibration signal feature under the influence of multiple factors such as water–machine–electricity coupling, a multidimensional fusion feature extraction method for hydroelectric units based on time–frequency analysis and unsupervised learning models is proposed. Firstly, the typical time–domain and frequency–domain characteristics of vibration signals are calculated through amplitude domain analysis and Fourier transform. Secondly, the time–frequency characteristics of vibration signals are obtained by combining the complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition and energy moment calculation methods to supplement the traditional time–domain and frequency–domain characteristics, which have difficulty in comprehensively reflecting the correlation between nonlinear non–stationary signals and the state of the unit. Finally, in order to overcome the limitations of shallow feature extraction relying on artificial experience, a Stacked Denoising Autoencoder is used to adaptively mine the deep features of vibration signals, and the extracted features are fused to construct a multidimensional feature vector of vibration signals. The proposed multidimensional information fusion feature extraction method is verified to realize the multidimensional complementarity of feature attributes, which helps to accurately distinguish equipment state types and provides the foundation for subsequent state identification and trend prediction. Full article
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