Analysis of silt abrasion and blade shape optimization in a centrifugal pump

Abstract

Water flow and silt movement in a double-suction centrifugal pump were simulated using an Euler–Lagrange multiphase flow model. Blade erosion rates were predicted using a particle erosion model and the influence of inlet and outlet shapes on silt abrasion was analyzed. The results show: the inlet relative velocity is larger on the suction side than on the pressure side; the blade inlet and outlet are severely silt abraded and the average erosion rate is always larger on the suction side than on the pressure side; the inlet relative velocity and the impact angle are two important influencing factors, and can be controlled by changing the inlet and outlet shapes to reduce erosion rate and increase pump efficiency. In this simulation, two effective means of reducing erosion rates are decreasing the hydraulic loss and increasing pump head and pump efficiency.