scholarly journals Component Analysis of Unsteady Hydrodynamic Force of Closed-Type Centrifugal Pump with Single Blades of Different Blade Outlet Angles

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuyuki Nishi ◽  
Junichiro Fukutomi

Single-blade centrifugal impellers for sewage systems undergo both unsteady radial and axial thrusts. Therefore, it is extremely important for the improvement of pump reliability to quantitatively grasp these fluctuating hydrodynamic forces and determine the generation mechanism behind them. In this study, we conducted component analyses of radial and axial thrusts of closed, single-blade centrifugal pumps with different blade outlet angles by numerical analysis while considering leakage flow. The results revealed the effect of the blade outlet angle on the components of radial and axial thrusts. For increased flow rates, the time-averaged values of the pressure component were similar for all impellers, although its fluctuating components were higher for impellers with larger blade outlet angles. Moreover, the fluctuating inertia component of the impeller with a blade outlet angle of 8° decreased as the flow rate increased, whereas those with 16° and 24° angles increased. Therefore, the radial thrust on the hydraulic part was significantly higher for impellers with high blade outlet angles.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuyuki Nishi ◽  
Junichiro Fukutomi

Geometrically, the single-blade centrifugal impeller, commonly used today as a sewage pump, is not axially symmetric. For this reason, the static pressure around the impeller fluctuates greatly when the impeller is rotating, and not only the radial thrust but also the axial thrust shows large fluctuations. Therefore, it is extremely important for the improvement of pump reliability to quantitatively grasp these fluctuating hydrodynamic forces. In this study, we investigated the unsteady hydrodynamic forces in a closed-type centrifugal pump with a single blade for different blade outlet angles using a numerical analysis that takes into account both experiment and the leakage flow. The results clearly showed the effect of the blade outlet angle on that act on the impeller. The root-mean-square value of the fluctuating component of the total radial thrust was roughly the same for whichever impeller at low flow rate, but at high flow rates, the value increased for impellers with larger blade outlet angles. Moreover, when the leakage flow rate increased with increasing static pressure around the impeller, such that the rear and front shroud parts were subject to high pressure, the absolute value of the axial thrust on both these parts increased.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Qi Jia ◽  
Bao-Ling Cui ◽  
Zu-Chao Zhu ◽  
Yu-Liang Zhang

Abstract Affected by rotor–stator interaction and unstable inner flow, asymmetric pressure distributions and pressure fluctuations cannot be avoided in centrifugal pumps. To study the pressure distributions on volute and front casing walls, dynamic pressure tests are carried out on a centrifugal pump. Frequency spectrum analysis of pressure fluctuation is presented based on Fast Fourier transform and steady pressure distribution is obtained based on time-average method. The results show that amplitudes of pressure fluctuation and blade-passing frequency are sensitive to the flow rate. At low flow rates, high-pressure region and large pressure gradients near the volute tongue are observed, and the main factors contributing to the pressure fluctuation are fluctuations in blade-passing frequency and high-frequency fluctuations. By contrast, at high flow rates, fluctuations of rotating-frequency and low frequencies are the main contributors to pressure fluctuation. Moreover, at low flow rates, pressure near volute tongue increases rapidly at first and thereafter increases slowly, whereas at high flow rates, pressure decreases sharply. Asymmetries are observed in the pressure distributions on both volute and front casing walls. With increasing of flow rate, both asymmetries in the pressure distributions and magnitude of the pressure decrease.


Author(s):  
Isao Hagiya ◽  
Katsutoshi Kobayashi ◽  
Yoshimasa Chiba ◽  
Tetsuya Yoshida ◽  
Akira Arai

We predicted the leakage flow rates of a pressure seal in an actual high-pressure multistage pump. Since the pressure of the actual pump is higher than that of a model pump, accurate prediction of leakage flow rate and rotor dynamic forces for an actual pump is more difficult than that for a model pump. A non-contacting seal is used as a pressure seal to suppress leakage flow for high-pressure multistage pumps. When such pumps are operated at high speed, the fluid force acting on an eccentric rotor may cause vibration instability. For vibration stability analysis, we need to estimate static and dynamic characteristics of the pressure seals, i.e., leakage flow rate and rotor dynamic coefficients. We calculated the characteristics of the pressure seal based on Iwatsubo group’s method. The pressure seal we developed has labyrinth geometry consisting of grooves with different sizes. This method numerically calculates the characteristics of the grooved seal by using a three-control-volume model and a perturbation method. We compared the calculated and measured leakage flow rates. We found that the calculated results quantitatively agreed with the measured one in the actual pump and the characteristics of pressure and velocity for the seal with non-uniform-sized grooves were clarified.


Author(s):  
Zhigang Li ◽  
Zhi Fang ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Zhenping Feng

Abstract This paper deals with numerical predictions of the leakage flow rates, drag power and rotordynamic force coefficients for three types of helically-grooved liquid annular seals, which include a liquid annular seal with helically-grooved stator (GS/SR seal), one with helically-grooved rotor (SS/GR seal), and one with helical grooves on stator and rotor (GS/GR seal). These seals are frequently used for multiple-stage centrifugal pumps as they have the advantage of low leakage (even to zero) due to the “pumping effect” of the helical grooves. However, the static and rotordynamic characteristics of helically-grooved liquid annular seals still are not fully understood, and even more pronounced is the lack of effective numerical models in the literature. A novel transient CFD-based perturbation method was proposed for the predictions of the leakage flow rates, drag power and rotordynamic force coefficients of helically-grooved liquid annular seals. This method is based on the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solution with the mesh deformation technique and the multiple reference frame theory. The time-varying fluid-induced forces acting on the rotor/stator surface were obtained as a response to the time-dependent perturbation of the seal stator surface with the periodic motion, based on the multiple-frequency elliptical-orbit stator whirling model. The frequency-independent rotordynamic force coefficients were determined using curve fit and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) in the frequency domain. The CFD-based method was adequately validated by comparisons to the published experiment data of leakage flow rates and fluid response forces for three types of helically-grooved liquid annular seals. Based on the transient CFD-based perturbation method, numerical results of the leakage flow rates, drag powers and rotordynamic force coefficients were presented and compared for three types of helically-grooved liquid annular seals at five rotational speeds (n = 0.5 krpm, 1.0 krpm, 2.0 krpm, 3.0 krpm and 4.0 krpm), paying special attention to the effective stiffness coefficient and effective damping coefficient. Results show that the GS/GR seal has the best sealing capability, followed by the GS/SR seal and then the SS/GR seal. The leakage flow rate of all three helically-grooved seals monotonically decreases with the increasing rotational speed. The GS/SR seal possesses the best stiffness and damping capability, followed by the SS/GR seal and then the GS/GR seal. Rotordynamic instability problems are more likely caused by the GS/GR seal in multi-stage centrifugal pumps. From a rotordynamic viewpoint, the GS/SR helically-grooved liquid annular seal is a better seal concept for multi-stage centrifugal pumps.


Author(s):  
Huang Chen ◽  
Yuanchao Li ◽  
Joseph Katz

Previous studies have shown that axial casing grooves (ACGs) are effective in delaying the onset of stall, but degrade the performance of axial turbomachines around the best efficiency point (BEP). Our recent experimental study [1] in the JHU refractive index-matched liquid facility have examined the effects of ACGs on delaying stall of a one and half stage compressor. The semicircular ACGs based on Müller et al. [2] reduce the stall flow rate by 40% with a slight decrease in pressure rise at higher flow rates. Stereo-PIV (SPIV) measurements at a flow rate corresponding to the pre-stall condition of the untreated machine have identified three flow features that contribute to the delay in stall. Efficiency measurements conducted as part of the present study show that the ACGs cause a 2.4% peak efficiency loss. They are followed by detailed characterizations of the impact of the ACGs on the flow structure and turbulence in the tip region at high flow rates away from stall. Comparisons with the flow structure without casing grooves and at low flow rate are aimed at exploring relevant flow features that might be associated with the reduced efficiency. The SPIV measurements in several meridional and radial planes show that the periodic inflow into the groove peaks when the rotor blade pressure side (PS) overlaps with the downstream end of the groove, but diminishes when this end faces the blade suction side (SS). The inflow velocity magnitude is substantially lower than that occurring at a flow rate corresponding to the pre-stall conditions of the untreated machine. Yet, entrainment of the PS boundary layer and its vorticity during the inflow phase generates counter-rotating radial vortices at the entrance to the groove, and a “discontinuity” in the appearance of the tip leakage vortex (TLV). While being exposed to the blade SS, the backward tip leakage flow causes flow separation and formation of a counter-rotating vortex at the downstream corner of the groove, which migrates towards the passage with increasing flow rate. Interactions of this corner vortex with the TLV cause fragmentation of the latter, creating a broad area with secondary flows and elevated turbulence level. Consequently, the vorticity shed from the blade tip remains scattered from the groove corner to the blade tip long after the blade clears this groove. The turbulence peaks around the corner vortex, the TLV, and the shear layer connecting it to the SS corner. During periods of inflow, there is a weak outflow from the upstream end of the groove. At other phases, most of the high secondary flows are confined to the downstream corner, leaving only weak internal circulation in the rest of the groove, but with a growing shear layer with elevated (but weak) turbulence originating from the upstream corner. Compared to a smooth endwall, the groove also increases the flow angle near the blade tip leading edge (LE) and varies it periodically. Accordingly, the magnitude of circulation shed from the blade tip and leakage flow increase near the leading edge. The insight from these observations might guide the development of ACGs that take advantage of the effective stall suppression by the ACGs but alleviate the adverse effects at high flowrates.


Author(s):  
Giulio Cantini ◽  
Simone Salvadori ◽  
Massimiliano Insinna ◽  
Giorgio Peroni ◽  
Gilles Simon ◽  
...  

Regenerative pumps are characterized by a low specific speed that place them between rotary positive displacement pumps and purely radial centrifugal pumps. They are interesting for many industrial applications since, for a given flow rate and a specified head, they allow for a reduced size and can operate at a lower rotational speed with respect to purely radial pumps. The complexity of the flow within regenerative machines makes the theoretical performance estimation a challenging task. The prediction of the leakage flow rate between the rotating and the static disks has the greatest impact on the prediction of global performance. All the classical approaches to the disk clearance problem assume that there is no relevant circumferential pressure gradient. In the present case, the flow develops along the tangential direction and the pressure gradient is intrinsically non-zero. The aim of the present work is to develop a reliable approach for the prediction of leakage flows in regenerative pumps. A preliminary numerical simulation on a virtual model of a regenerative pump where the disk clearance is part of the control volume has been performed for three different clearance aspect ratios. The outcome of that campaign allowed the authors to determine the behavior of the flow in the cavity and choose correctly the baseline hypotheses for a mathematical-physical method for the prediction of leakage flows. The method assumes that the flow inside of the disk clearance is two-dimensional and can be decomposed into several stream-tubes. Energy balance is performed for each tube, thus generating a system that can be solved numerically. The new methodology was tuned using data obtained from the numerical simulation. After that, the methodology was integrated into an existing one-dimensional code called DART (developed at the University of Florence in cooperation with Pierburg Pump Technology Italy S.p.A.) and the new algorithm was verified using available numerical and experimental data. It is here demonstrated that an appropriate calibration of the leakage flow model allows for an improved reliability of the one-dimensional code.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Wei Dong ◽  
Diyi Chen ◽  
Jian Sun ◽  
Yan Dong ◽  
Zhenbiao Yang ◽  
...  

The balancing holes in centrifugal pumps with seals mounted in both suction and discharge sides are one of the approaches used by pump manufacturers to reduce the axial thrust. The balance hole diameter directly affects the axial force of the centrifugal pump. The flow characteristics in the balance chamber are closely related to the balance hole diameter. However, research is not very clear on the internal flow of the balanced chamber, due to the small axial and radial sizes and the complicated flow conditions in the chamber. In this paper, we analyzed the influence of the balance hole diameter on the liquid leakage rate, flow velocity, and vortex motion in the balance chamber. The results indicated that when the balance hole diameter was lower than the design value, the volume flow rate of leakage flow was proportional to the diameter. The liquid flow rate and vortex distribution rules in the balance chamber were mainly associated with the coeffect of radial leakage flow in the rear sealing ring interval and the axial balance hole leakage flow. The research has revealed the mechanisms of leakage flow of the balance chamber in the centrifugal pump and that this is of great significance for accurate calculation and balancing of the axial force.


Author(s):  
Luo Yin ◽  
Han Yuejiang ◽  
Dong Jian

Abstract Torque is one of the most important operating parameters of centrifugal pumps which reflects the internal flow rate of centrifugal pumps. In order to explore the unsteady characteristics of torque of centrifugal pumps based on sensorless monitoring technology, a series of accurate measurements of torque of experimental centrifugal pump were carried on based on the test data collected. The frequency characteristic spectrums of torque were established and analyzed under different operation conditions. The analysis results shows that the torque of the experimental centrifugal pump varies approximately linearly with the increase of flow rate in time domain. Besides, a gentle trend of the torque fluctuation is also founded. Through frequency domain, the analysis results show that the dominant frequencies under different flow rates and cavitation conditions are all axial frequencies. The magnitude of amplitude has nothing to do with the flow rates or the cavitation conditions, and the internal flow rates of centrifugal pumps have no obvious effects on the fundamental frequency of torque of centrifugal pumps.


Author(s):  
Stefan Berten ◽  
Filippo Tomasini ◽  
Wolfgang Maurer ◽  
Philippe Dupont

The prediction of the performance characteristic in centrifugal pumps at flow rates other than the design flow is of high relevance but relatively uncertain. In the present study, an evaluation of the existing shut-off head prediction methods and an assessment of both, the empirical approach and the numerical simulation are performed. For this purpose, after a review of existing methodologies, the empirical predictions are compared against available statistical data for single stage volute pumps. The CFD study, performed for 3 different single stage volute pumps with specific speeds between nq = 12 and nq = 54 is quantitatively compared against available model test data, which were obtained using precision manufactured hydraulic components. Several empirical methods from open literature have been reviewed for the shut-off head prediction. An overview of different prediction methods has been presented by Dyson [1], these and an empirical correlation proposed by Guelich have been compared against available data. The numerical study at shut-off condition requires a full-pump geometry, which also includes long suction and pressure pipes. Unlike several analyses present in the literature (Dyson & Texeira [2], Benigni et al. [3], Liu et al. [4]), which consider the internal leakage flow in the outlet boundary, the shut-off condition is obtained by imposing walls at inlet and outlet boundaries, but leakage flow through the gap between casing and impeller which is essential for the recirculation of the flow is numerically modeled. Because of the unsteady nature of the pressure in the pump volute, a transient simulation is performed and the predicted shut-off head is the average of the whole range of results for a minimum of 10 impeller revolutions.


1980 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Iino ◽  
H. Sato ◽  
H. Miyashiro

An experimental and theoretical study is performed with a single stage pump. The influence of the flow rate, the axial displacement of the impeller, and annular seal clearances on the hydraulic axial thrust is investigated. Pressure distributions measured in the space between the impeller and the casing agree with those calculated by the Kurokawa-Toyokura method when the leakage flow is inward in the space. It is clarified that the method is sometimes not available for the outward leakage flow because of the large thickness of the boundary layer in the space. A computer program for calculating the axial thrust in multistage centrifugal pumps is developed based on the method and experimental results. Axial thrusts measured in prototype multistage pumps agree with the calculation.


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