Experiment of a centrifugal pump during changing speed operation

Abstract

In this paper, a method of changing rotational speed of impeller periodically as the pulsatile working condition is developed to realize pulse outputs both of flow discharge and of head for a centrifugal pump through experiment. The performance of the centrifugal pump under pulsatile working operation condition is measured which indicates this model pump could produce desired pulse flow under such condition. Flow patterns at four testing points under pulsatile conditions are obtained by means of the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology both with laser induced fluorescence (LIF) particles and refractive index matched (RIM) fluid. Results of PIV measurement show the distributions of velocity, streamlines, and the principal Reynolds normal stress (PRNS). Under the design flow rate condition, the relative velocity in the blade channel distributes smoothly and decreases from inlet to exit. And at the impeller exit, the relative velocity is lower close to suction side than that near pressure side of blade in most of blade channels.