Affiliation:
1. Department of Applied Mechanics, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj-211004, India
Abstract
Background:
The application of centrifugal pumps is found in domestic and petrochemical
industries. Industrial centrifugal pumps are designed and tested using water as working fluid before
supplied to industries, as water is commonly available. However, centrifugal pumps are used in industries
for various applications, which involve the handling of fluids other than water- like saline-water,
crude oil, gasoline, etc. Consequently, hydraulic performance of the pump differs from the designed
and tested values and pump performance becomes unpredictable. Cavitation characteristics of the pump
handling different fluids other than water are also changed and many a time, cavitation starts prematurely.
As a result, the operating cost of pump is increased.
Objective:
A CFD based computational analysis of a single-stage, single-entry industrial centrifugal
pump having double-volute casing is carried out to compare the performance and cavitation characteristics
for various working fluids, namely water, saline water with varying salinity, gasolene and crude oil.
Methods:
Multiple Reference Frame method (MRF) available in Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes
(RANS) equations based CFD solver Ansys-CFX is used in the present study. CFD simulation is carried
out for five flow rates with Standard k-ε turbulence model. Rayleigh-Plesset equation describing
the growth of a single vapor bubble in a liquid is used for predicting the cavitation flow behaviour.
Results:
Minimum static pressure is computed at the suction side of saline water as compared to the
other working fluids studied here. Hydraulic efficiency of crude oil is found to be the lowest as compared
to other fluids. Supercavitation (excessive formation of vapor bubbles and sudden drop in head
up to 3%) starts early for saline water with 40g/kg salinity.
Conclusion:
The results show little variation in pump efficiency when water and saline water are used
as working fluids. However, cavitation characteristics differ considerably with the working fluids. Recent
patents filed/published in this area revealed that efforts are needed to develop effective cavitationresistant
centrifugal impellers and pumps.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
General Materials Science
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