Efficiency and Pressure Pulsation Analysis of a Double Suction Centrifugal Pump with Different Arrangement Impellers

Abstract:

Double suction centrifugal pumps are widely employed in large water supply projects. In the present study, a double suction centrifugal pump with the staggered arrangement impeller in a domestic water supply project has been mapping and modeling, and then the symmetrical arrangement impeller of a double suction centrifugal pump has been designed for comparison. The commercial code was used to investigate the pump efficiency and the time variation of pressure at the zone of volute tongue. This unsteady flow feature was investigated by the large eddy simulation (LES) method with the sliding mesh technology. The analysis indicated that the pump efficiency of the double suction centrifugal pump with staggered arrangement impeller is lower than that with the symmetrical one. The frequency of pressure pulsation at the volute tongue is consistent with the blade passing frequency. The staggered arrangement impeller can reduce the levels of pressure pulsation significantly.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 433-440)
• Pages: 709-715
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.433-440.709
• Online since: January 2012
• Authors: Mei Qing Liu, Qiu Wei Li, Yao Hua Bai, Zhi Yong Liu, Pei Jie He
• Keywords: Double-Suction Centrifugal Pump, Efficiency, Pressure Pulsation, Staggered Arrangement Impeller

References

[1] Majidi K. Numerical study of unsteady flow in a centrifugal pump[J]. Journal of Turbo machinery, v 127, n 2, pp.363-371, April (2005).

DOI: 10.1115/1.1776587

[2] Spence RRG, Teixeira JA. Investigation into pressure pulsation in a centrifugal pump by numerical and experimental methods[J]. Computers and Fluids, v 37, n 6, pp.690-704, July (2008).

DOI: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2007.10.001

[3] Spence RRG, Teixeira JA. A CFD parametric study of geometrical variations on the pressure pulsations and performance characteristics of a centrifugal pump. Computers and Fluids, v 38, n 6, pp.1243-1257, June (2009).

DOI: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2008.11.013

[4] Gonzalez J, Santolaria C, Blance E. The influence of volute tongue on the pressure oscillations inside a centrifugal pump[C]/Proceedings of the XXIst IAHR Symposium Hydraulic Machinery and System, Switzerland, 2002: 847~854.

[5] Chu S, Dong R, Katz J. Relationship between unsteady flow, pressure fluctuations, and noise in a centrifugal pump, part B: effects of blade-tongue interactions[J]. Journal of Fluids Engineering , Transactions of the ASME, 1995, 117(1): 30~35.

DOI: 10.1115/1.2816814

[6] Gallimore S. Axial flow compressor design. Presented at the successful exploitation of CFD in turbo machinery design. 1 Birdcage Walk, London: IMechE: 19th March (1998).

[7] Cong Guohui, Wang Fujun. Numerical investigation of unsteady pressure fluctuations near volute tongue in a double-suction centrifugal pump. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Machinery, v 39, n 6, pp.60-63.

[8] Wang Yang, Dai Cui. Analysis on pressure fluctuation of unsteady flow in a centrifugal pump. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Machinery, v 41, n 3, pp.91-95, March 2009. (in Chinese).