Abstract
The gas volume fraction (GVF) often changes from time to time in a multiphase pump, causing the power capability of the pump to be increasingly affected. In the purpose of revealing the pressure load characteristics of the multiphase pump impeller blade with the gas-liquid two-phase case, firstly, a numerical simulation which uses the SST k-ω turbulence model is verified with an experiment. Then, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is employed to investigate the variation characteristics of static pressure and pressure load of the multiphase pump impeller blade under the diverse inlet gas volume fractions (IGVFs) and flow rates. The results show that the effect of IGVF on the head and hydraulic efficiency at a small flow rate is obviously less than that at design and large flow rates. The static pressure on the blade pressure side (PS) is scarcely affected by the IGVF. However, the IGVF has an evident effect on the static pressure on the impeller blade suction side (SS). Moreover, the pump power capability is descended by degrees as the IGVF increases, and it is also descended with the increase of the flow rate at the impeller inlet. Simultaneously, under the same IGVF, with the increase of the flow rate, the peak value of the pressure load begins to gradually move toward the outlet and its value from hub to shroud is increased. The research results have important theoretical significance for improving the power capability of the multiphase pump impeller.
Highlights
Liu M. et al [18] proposed a hydraulic design approach of a controllable blade angle oriented with a multiphase pump based on an impeller and diffuser; the results revealed that the distributions of gas volume fraction (GVF) as well as the pressure would be of more uniformity following the optimization, enhancing transporting performance of the pump
As the inlet gas volume fractions (IGVFs) increases, the head and hydraulic efficiency of the multiphase pump all decrease gradually, and the increase of the flow rate make the gas-liquid twophase mixing in the multiphase pump gradually uniform
The static pressure on the blade pressure side (PS) is scarcely affected by the IGVF, while the IGVF has an evident effect on the static pressure on the impeller blade suction side (SS)
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Shi G. et al [11] carried out research on the energy conversion characteristics featured by the impeller blades under water as well as the gas-liquid two-phase under design working case; the results showed that the capacity of impeller energy conversion would have a step-by-step increase the moment the blade wrap angle changed from 0 to 60 degrees, and the capability began to degenerate gradually when the wrap angle was larger compared with 60 degrees. Liu M. et al [18] proposed a hydraulic design approach of a controllable blade angle oriented with a multiphase pump based on an impeller and diffuser; the results revealed that the distributions of GVF as well as the pressure would be of more uniformity following the optimization, enhancing transporting performance of the pump. The research results provide the references for the structure optimization design of the multiphase pump impeller blade, and it is helpful to improve the work performance of the multiphase pump
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