Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental and numerical analysis of unsteady pressure pulsation in a centrifugal pump with slope volute

  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study experimentally and numerically investigates the unsteady flow in a centrifugal pump with special slope volute under various conditions to illustrate the detailed flow structures and pressure pulsation within the model pump. Whole flow passage is considered during the numerical simulation; pressure pulsation signals are extracted using nine fast-response pressure transducers. The Root mean square (RMS) method is introduced to deal with the discrete components at fBPF of the different monitoring points along the volute casing, which is an effective attempt to evaluate the overall pulsating level of the model pump. Results show that numerical method can predict the components at fBPF effectively; however, it has limited ability in capturing noise frequencies motivated by unsteady separate flow and non-linear interaction effect. Around the nominal flow rate, the predicted amplitudes at fBPF agree well with the experimental results, showing larger difference at the off-design conditions. To predict the pulsating level of the components at fBPF, two fitted equations of the RMS values versus the flow rate and specific speed are carried out, which would be very helpful in evaluating the pressure pulsation level in the centrifugal pump.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J. Feng, F. K. Benra and H. J. Dohmen, Investigation of periodically unsteady flow in a radial pump by CFD simulations and LDV measurements, Journal of Turbomachinery, 133 (1) (2011) 011004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. M. Zhang and H. Tsukamoto, Unsteady hydrodynamic forces due to rotor-stator interaction on a diffuser pump with identical number of vanes on the impeller and diffuser, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 127 (4) (2005) 743–751.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. G. R. Cristiano, M. P. Borja and E. Eduard, Monitoring of rotor-stator interaction in a pump-turbine using vibration measured with on-board sensors rotating with shaft, Shock and Vibration, Article ID 276796 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  4. A. L. Yang, D. P. Lang and G. P. Li, Numerical research about influence of blade outlet angle on flow-induced noise and vibration for centrifugal pump, Advances in Mechanical Engineering, Article ID 583482 (2014) 11.

    Google Scholar 

  5. J. Pei, S. Q. Yuan, X. J. Li and J. P. Yuan, Numerical prediction of 3-D periodic flow unsteadiness in a centrifugal pump under part-load condition, Journal of Hydrodynamics, 26 (2) (2014) 257–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. J. Pei, S. Q. Yuan and J. P. Yuan, Fluid-structure coupling effects on periodically transient flow of a single-blade sewage centrifugal pump, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 27 (7) (2013) 2015–2013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. S. S. Yang, H. L. Liu, F. Y. Kong, B. Xia and L. W. Tan, Effects of the radial gap between impeller tips and volute tongue influencing the performance and pressure Pulsations of pump as turbine, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 136 (2014) 054501–1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Q. R. Si, J. P. Yuan, S. Q. Yuan, W. J. Wang, L. Zhu and G. Bois, Numerical investigation of pressure fluctuation in centrifugal pump volute based on SAS model and experimental validation, Advances in Mechanical Engineering, Article ID 972081 (2014) 11.

    Google Scholar 

  9. R. Spence and J. Aaral-Teixeira, Investigation into pressure pulsations in a centrifugal pump using numerical methods supported by industrial tests, Compt. Fluids, 37 (6) (2008) 690–704.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. R. Barrio, J. Parrondo and E. Blanco, Numerical analysis of the unsteady flow in the near-tongue region in a volute-type centrifugal pump for different operating points, Comput. Fluids, 39 (2010) 859–870.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  11. J. L. Parrondo, J. González and J. Fernández, The effect of the operating point on the pressure fluctuations at the blade passage frequency in the volute of a centrifugal pump, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 124 (2002) 784–790.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. L. T. Ye, S. Q. Yuan and J. F. Zhang, Effect of splitter blades on the unsteady flow of a centrifugal pump, ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting (FEDSM), Rio Grande (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  13. B. L. Cui, C. F. Wang and Z.C. Zhu, Influence of blade outlet angle on performance of low-specific-speed centrifugal pump, Journal of Thermal Science, 22 (2) (2013) 117–122.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. N. Zhang, M. G. Yang, B. Gao and Z. Li, Unsteady phenomena induced pressure pulsation and radial load in a centrifugal pump with slope volute, ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting (FEDSM), Nevada, USA (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  15. N. Zhang, M. G. Yang, B. Gao, Z. Li and D. Ni, Unsteady pressure pulsation and rotating stall characteristics in a centrifugal pump with slope volute, Advances in Mechanical Engineering, Article ID710791 (2014) 11.

    Google Scholar 

  16. N. Zhang, M. G. Yang, B. Gao, Z. Li and D. Ni, Experimental investigation on unsteady pressure pulsation in a centrifugal pump with special slope volute, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 137 (2015) 061103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. L. Zhou, W. D. Shi, W. Li and R. Agarwal, Numerical and experimental study of axial force and hydraulic performance in a deep-well centrifugal pump with different impeller rear shroud radius, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 135 (2013) 104501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. W. J. Wang and Y. Yang, Analysis of inner flow in low specific speed centrifugal pump based on les, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 27 (6) (2013) 1619–1626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. H. L. Liu, Y. Wang, D. X. Liu, S. Q. Yuan and J. Wang, Assessment of a turbulence model for numerical predictions of sheet-cavitating flows in centrifugal pumps, Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 27 (9) (2013) 2743–2750.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Q. R. Si, S. Q. Yuan, J. P. Yuan and L. Yun, Investigation on flow-induced noise due to backflow in low specific speed centrifugal pumps, Advances in Mechanical Engineerin, Article ID 109048 (2013) 11.

    Google Scholar 

  21. S. J. Guo and M. Yoshiyuki, Experimental investigation on pressure fluctuation and vibration of impeller in a centrifugal pump with vaned diffusers, JSME, 48 (1) (2005) 136–143.

    Google Scholar 

  22. A. Lucius and G. Brenner, Numerical simulation and evaluation of velocity fluctuations during rotating stall of a centrifugal pump, ASME J. Fluids Eng., 133 (8) (2011) 081102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

    Ning Zhang, Minguan Yang, Bo Gao, Zhong Li & Dan Ni

Authors
  1. Ning Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Minguan Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bo Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zhong Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dan Ni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ning Zhang.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Simon Song

Ning Zhang is currently studying for his Ph.D. at the School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, China. He received his Master’s degree in 2014 from Jiangsu University. He majors in unsteady flow phenomena in fluid machineries, especially in pumps, including rotor-stator interaction (FSI), flow induced vibration (FIV), and vortex induced vibration (VIV).

Minguan Yang was born in 1952. Currently, he is a professor and a Ph.D. candidate supervisor at the School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University. His major research fields focus on multiphase flow within pumps and optimal design of fluid machineries.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, N., Yang, M., Gao, B. et al. Experimental and numerical analysis of unsteady pressure pulsation in a centrifugal pump with slope volute. J Mech Sci Technol 29, 4231–4238 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-0919-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-0919-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation