Numerical Study Of Vortex Flows In A Centrifugal Pump In The Case Of Higher Flow Rate Than The Optimal Flow Rate

In a centrifugal pump, the vortex fluid flows between the blades of the pump impeller are one of the causes of pump hydraulic losses. It seems that the more the number of impeller blades of a centrifugal pump, the vortex fluid flows passing through the channel between the two blades of the impeller. In this article, two propellers are considered for a centrifugal pump, the first impeller has three blades and the second impeller has six blades. The outer diameter of the propeller and the inner diameter of the propeller and the speed of the water flow at the entrance of both the above propellers are the same. Using OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics software, the flow of water inside each of the above-mentioned two propellers has been studied in the flow mode lower than the optimal flow rate. The results of the computer simulation show that in the case of the pump impeller with three blades, a large vortex flow is formed near the outlet of the passage between the two successive blades. Whereas in the case of the pump impeller with six blade, a smaller vortex flow is formed on the pressure side of one of the blades.

Keywords:

Centrifugal pump , impeller , blades , vortex flow , optimal flow