Evaluation and Investigation of Hydraulic Performance Characteristics in an Axial Pump Based on CFD and Acoustic Analysis

Abstract

In this work, the internal flow behaviour and characteristic pressure fluctuations of an axial pump with varying water conditions are analysed. The impact of tip vortex flow on the pattern of turbulent flow is simulated numerically by the application of the CFD technique and experimentally using an acoustics analysis method. The numerical CFD data are verified with an experimental test model for accuracy and reliability. Based on the results, the difference in pressure in the internal flow and at the surfaces of the blade can be impacted through tip leakage vortex regions, which leads to changes in internal flow. Subsequently, the flow in the clearance and tip leakage vortex regions is changed. Moreover, the results reveal that the suction wall upstream is more unsteady near the surface due to more mixing, secondary flow, and tip leakage vortices. Pressure fluctuation occurs near the tip of the blade, caused by the increasing vortex flow velocity and hence raising the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE). Using different monitoring points at the blade impeller reveals high values of the pulsation amplitude. Owing to the region of clearance backflow under low-water conditions, the axial pump displays larger fluctuations in pressure near the tip blade area. Because the leakage flow leaves the gap at a high flow rate, shear layers are formed quickly between the main flow and the leakage flow. Near the end wall, there is a negative-vorticity-induced vortex. Moreover, as the flow rate increases, the pump’s amplitude decreases along with its main frequency. For the low-water flow, the results reveal that there is an important clearance backflow because the axial pump has large clearance.