Effect of impeller blades on water resistance coefficient and efficiency of mixed-flow pump

Abstract

In order to investigate effects of impeller blades on performance in mixed -flow pump, using unstructured tetrahedral mesh and SIMPLE algorithm, the simulation of three-dimensional flow inside a mixed-flow pump were done in Fluent. Adopting the time-averaged continuity equation, N-S equation and RNG k-e turbulence model in a relative coordinate system. The static pressure and absolute velocity distributions of impeller blades and stator blades were simulated. Under different blades, the flow resistance coefficient across pump was estimated in static, performance parameter was estimated in dynamic condition. It's found that water resistance coefficient and head were gradually increased, and efficiency firstly increased and then decreased with unobvious trend while rest geometrical unchanged. The results showed that: under special environment, design condition, number of impeller blades should as small as possible to meet efficiency requirement under a particular application. In addition, the optimum performance was achieved at 4 blades and 3 guide vanes.