This document summarizes a project using cloud-based computing to design hydraulic turbines. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the hydro power sector aimed to increase renewable energy use and their global market share using a new, more affordable turbine layout. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling was needed to customize turbine designs but was prohibitively expensive for SMEs. The Fortissimo project provided pay-per-use access to high-performance computing resources in the cloud, allowing an SME called ZECO to reduce simulation and development time by 75-50% and lower costs by 24%. This enabled ZECO to gain a competitive edge in global markets.

1. Cloud-based design of hydraulic turbine
Project: FORTISSIMO
23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam

2. INDEX
1. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
2. HOW I4MS HELPED
3. IMPACT

3. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
1. INNOVATIVE LAYOUT FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINE
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June · Amsterdam
 Who? SMEs in the hydro power sector
 Goals:
 increase renewable energy exploitation
 increase the SME market share
globally (emerging countries)
 Product:
 small hydro turbines (Power < 10 MW)
 Solution: new Kaplan turbine layout
 cheaper in terms of civil
infrastructure
 higher versatility
 efficiency very close to the standard
turbine layout Radial layout Axial layout

4. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
1. INNOVATIVE LAYOUT FOR HYDRAULIC TURBINE
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June · Amsterdam
 How can it be designed?
 CFD virtual customization tool
 Pros:
 Accurate (cavitation model, ..)
 Can be parameterized  optimization
 Faster & cheaper than experiments
 Cons:
 Computationally expensive
 HPC required
 CFD technical know-how
 Specific domain expertise required

5. HOW I4MS HELPED
2. CLOUD HPC FOR CFD IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June · Amsterdam
 Why Fortissimo?
 No direct HW costs (energy, IT,
maintenance) for the SME
 Pay-per-use license
 Totally Cloud-based
 Large CPU availability
 Total & efficient outsource for a SME
 Without virtual tool ZECO would not be
competitive on global markets:
 Slower development time
 Lower product efficiency
 No product customization
Overcoming of
HPC technology
barriers to entry

6. IMPACT
3. ECONOMICS OF AN EFFICIENT DESIGN
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June · Amsterdam
 Application and HPC experts benefits
 EnginSoft:
 Expertise gained in cloud technology
 The virtual tool is easily adaptable to similar customers
 10% growth in turbo-machinery business
 Additional profit of 50 k€ per year per customer
 2 additional customers per year
 Profit of 300 k€ over the next 3 years
 CINECA:
 Revenue potential of 100 k€ per year by customers
 Targetable market of 2 additional customers per year
 Remark: 10 tons of CO2 less in the environment per year per plant!

7. IMPACT
3. ECONOMICS OF AN EFFICIENT DESIGN
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June · Amsterdam
 ZECO (SME) benefits:
 75% simulation time reduction
 50% time to market reduction
 24% reduction on investment costs over two years
 Lower civil infrastructure costs
 Lower maintenance costs
 Higher energy production
 Project cost: 300 k€
 Income of 1.5 M€ per year per plant (1 MW)
 2 additional plants per year
 An efficient design is one of the key ingredients for
a SME to gain a competitive edge on the market.

8. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION