Effects of particle erosion on the submersible pump in an ultra-high voltage transformer

Abstract

The submersible pump is the only power component of the ultra-high voltage (UHV) transformer which plays a key role in the cooling effect of the transformer. Metal particles produced by erosion and wear of submersible pump blades and walls can pose a serious threat to the transformer. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the wear law of submersible pumps. In this study, the particle erosion of the submersible pump for solid–liquid flow is investigated numerically. Results show that the main erosion area occurs on the upper edge of the blades, and as the size and concentration of metal particles increase, the average erosion rate of each component also increases. The erosion patterns of blades and volute show asymmetry under the same conditions, the average erosion rate of each blade is related to its initial position, and the most severely eroded area of the volute occurs when the curvature angle of the volute is about 120°. When the particle size reaches 350 μm and the volume fraction is 0.4%, the average erosion rate of the blade reaches its peak. The outcome of this study can provide valuable reference data for the design of impurity monitoring of submersible pumps and proposing fault warning schemes.