Numerical Study Of Vortex Flows In A Centrifugal Pump With Optimal Flow Rate

In centrifugal pumps, in the channel between two consecutive blades of the pump impeller, the passing water flow has vortex flows. Vortex flows may lead to the cavitation phenomenon in the center of the vortex. In this article, two impellers are considered for a centrifugal pump, the first impeller has three blades and the second impeller has six blades. The outer diameter of the impeller and the inner diameter of the impeller and the velocity of the water flow at the entrance of both the above impellers are the same. Using OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics software, the flow of water inside each of the above-mentioned two impellers has been studied in the optimal flow mode. The results of computer simulation show that increasing the number of propeller blades causes smaller vortex flows in the channel between two successive blades of the impeller and consequently results in reduction of strength of the vortices.

Keywords:

Centrifugal pump , pump impeller blades , vortex liquid flows , optimal mass flow rate , hydraulic efficiency