Effect of Impeller Diameter on Dynamic Response of a Centrifugal Pump Rotor

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of impeller diameter on the dynamic response of a centrifugal pump using an inverse dynamic method. For this purpose, the equations of motion of the shaft and the impeller are derived based on Timoshenko beam theory considering the impeller as a concentrated mass disk. For practical modeling, the model of Jones and Harris is added to the equation to include the effect of bearings. As a case study, the model is applied to a process pump used in an oil refinery. Computing the eigenvalues of the model and comparing them with the natural frequencies of the structure, the model updating of the problem is performed through an indirect method. Three impellers with different diameters are applied to the updated model. The results show that increasing the diameter of the pump impeller can increase the amplitude of vibration up to 52% at critical speeds of the rotor. It is found that in addition to the hydraulic condition and efficiency, the impeller diameter should be considered as an important factor in the selection of centrifugal pumps.