Numerical Simulation of the Dynamic Effects Due to Impeller-Volute Interaction in a Centrifugal Pump

This paper shows the capability of a numerical simulation in capturing the dynamic and unsteady flow effects inside a centrifugal pump due to the impeller-volute interaction. The object of the study is a commercial centrifugal water pump with backward curved blades, which is built within a vaneless single tongue volute. For the numerical simulation, the viscous Navier-Stokes equations are handled with an unsteady calculation and the sliding mesh technique is applied to take into account the impeller-volute interaction. In keeping the unsteady terms of the equations active it is possible to correctly simulate the effects of the blade passage in front of the tongue and both the flow and pressure fluctuations induced. Time averaged numerical results are compared with the experimental performance curve and good agreement is found. The numerical flow analysis allows the study of different variables which are always difficult to measure experimentally. The dynamic variables obtained with the proposed numerical model are compared with the experimental data. In particular, the amplitude of the fluctuating pressure field at the blade passing frequency is successfully captured by the model for a wide range of operating flow rates. Therefore, the main achievement of the work is in providing the modeling possibilities for the prediction of the dynamic interaction between the flow at the impeller exit and the volute tongue. Such effects at the blade passing frequency appear to follow a clear flow rate dependent spatial pattern around the volute.