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Numerical Simulation of the Internal Flow Stability in a Centrifugal Pump with High Specific Speed at Partial Load

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Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Mechanical Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present paper aims to study the internal flow stability in a high specific speed centrifugal pump at partial load. Navier–Stokes equations combined with the SST k-ω model were used to numerically simulate internal flow. The Omega vortex identification method and the energy gradient theory were used to analyze the flow field. The results show that the internal flow instability in the centrifugal pump at partial load is due to the backflows at the inlet pipe, the volute tongue and the outlet of the volute, among which the backflow at volute tongue is dominant. It is found when the flow rate decreases to below Q/Qd = 0.792, the main frequency of pressure fluctuation of the centrifugal pump changes from the blade frequency to the shaft frequency. The closer the volute tongue is, the greater the pressure fluctuation is. With the decrease of the flow rate, the areas of stall vortex increase and move from the leading edge of the blade suction to the trailing edge of the pressure surface along the flow passage. Simultaneously, with the decrease of the flow rate, the shear effect near the inner wall of the volute increases, which makes the area of the stall vortex in the pump to increase and makes it easier to lose stability.

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All data in this manuscript are available.

Abbreviations

∇ U :

Velocity gradient tensor (s−1)

A :

Symmetric tensor (s−1)

B :

Anti-symmetric tensor (s−1)

U :

Velocity vector (m∙s−1)

ω :

Vorticity (s−1)

R :

Vorticity of the rotating part (s−1)

S :

Vorticity of the non-rotating part (s−1)

Ω :

Ratio of the vorticity of the rotating part to the total vorticity

ε :

A small positive number

K :

Energy gradient function (dimensionless)

E :

Total mechanical energy of unit volume fluid (N∙m−2)

ϕ :

Energy dissipation rate (N∙m−2 s−1)

D 5 :

Strain rate tensor (s−1)

μ :

Dynamic viscosity of fluid (Pa∙s)

Q d :

Flow-rate at design condition (m3/h)

n :

Rotation speed (r/min)

n s :

Specific speed

D 1 :

Diameter at impeller inlet (mm)

B 1 :

Impeller outlet width (mm)

Z :

Blade number

D 3 :

Diameter at pump outlet (mm)

Ɵ :

Volute tongue angle (degree)

β 1 :

Blade inlet angle (degree)

β 2 :

Blade outlet angle (degree)

ρ :

The density of the fluid (kg/m3)

u i :

The velocity in i direction (m/s)

Ф :

Head coefficient (dimensionless)

C P :

Pressure coefficient (dimensionless)

P :

Instantaneous pressure (Pa)

P avg :

Average pressure in the period (Pa)

u 2 :

Circumferential speed at the outlet of impeller (m/s)

f RF :

Rotation frequency/Shaft frequency (Hz)

f BPF :

Blade pass frequency (Hz)

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (51876103, 51579224) and the research fund of Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (21022094-Y).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China

    Jianyuan Lv, Wenqian Xu & Hua-Shu Dou

  2. School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China

    Haiyan Yin

  3. College of Mechanical Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou, 324000, China

    Yuliang Zhang

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  1. Jianyuan Lv
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  2. Wenqian Xu
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Correspondence to Wenqian Xu.

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Lv, J., Xu, W., Yin, H. et al. Numerical Simulation of the Internal Flow Stability in a Centrifugal Pump with High Specific Speed at Partial Load. Iran J Sci Technol Trans Mech Eng 46, 1245–1260 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40997-021-00468-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40997-021-00468-8

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