Deposition of solid particles exposed to the suction of dual pumps in the tank of a pumping station

Abstract

The present study aims to reveal solid-liquid two-phase flow patterns in a pumping station which is featured by the deployment of two pumps in a cylindrical tank. The computational fluid dynamics technique (CFD) was used to simulate the flows. The numerical scheme constructed was validated through solid particle velocity measured using a phase Doppler particle analyzer (PDPA). Effects of the inter-pump distance and the mounting height of the pumps were investigated. The results indicate that the flow in the tank is dominated by large-scale flow structures. In vertical direction, solid particles experience three distinct stages, namely acceleration, velocity stabilization and velocity declining stages. As the space between the two pumps is enlarged, the dispersion of solid particles at the tank bottom is promoted. With increasing mounting height of the two pumps, discrepancy of solid-phase concentration between the two pump inlet sections is enhanced, improving the risk of solid particle deposition.