Open Access

ARTICLE

LES Analysis of the Unsteady Flow Characteristics of a Centrifugal Pump Impeller

Ting Zhang¹, Denghao Wu^1,2,*, Shijun Qiu², Peijian Zhou¹, Yun Ren³, Jiegang Mou¹

1 School of Metrology and Measurement Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
2 Leo Group Pump Co., Ltd., Taizhou, China
3 Zhijiang College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China

* Corresponding Author: Denghao Wu. Email:

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2022, 18(5), 1349-1361. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2022.019617

Received 02 October 2021; Accepted 21 February 2022; Issue published 27 May 2022

Abstract

Stall phenomena increase the complexity of the internal flow in centrifugal pump impellers. In order to tackle this problem, in the present work, a large eddy simulation (LES) approach is applied to determine the characteristics of these unstable flows. Moreover, a vorticity identification method is used to characterize quantitatively the vortex position inside the impeller and its influencing area. By comparing the outcomes of the numerical simulations and experimental results provided by a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, it is shown that an apparent “alternating stall” phenomenon exists inside the impeller when relatively small flow rate conditions are considered. The stall is generated near the suction side of the blade inlet, grows towards the high-pressure side of the blade in the circumferential direction, and gradually attenuates. As the flow rate decreases, the number of stalls remains unchanged, while the related influencing area and strength gradually increase and the circumferential velocity increases.

---

Keywords

---