Numerical Calculation of the Three-Dimensional Swirling Flow Inside the Centrifugal Pump Volutes

Abstract

The flow inside the volute of a centrifugal pump is threedimensional and, depending upon the position of the inlet relative to the cross-section center line, a single or double swirling flow occurs. The purpose of this study was the calculation of the three-dimensional swirling flow inside the centrifugal pump volute.The developed flow solver provides detailed pressure and velocity distribution information inside the volute, and the calculated results are verified by means of the experimental results presented in the literature.Three-dimensional continuity and momentum equations are solved by means of an artificial compressibility technique. The finite volume approach is applied for space discretization, and an explicit fourth-order modified Runge-Kutta scheme is used for time discretizetion.Calculations are performed at three different mass flows, one of which corresponds to the design's point mass flow. The calculated volute flow conditions—namely, the variation in static pressure and total pressure and the through-flow and swirling component of the flow velocity over the cross-sections, which are located at various circumferential positions—are compared with the experimental data in detail, and they exhibit a good agreement with the measured flow field.