Experimental investigation of floor-attached vortex effects on the pressure pulsation at the bottom of the axial flow pump sump

Abstract

The influence of the floor-attached vortex on the pressure pulsation at the pump sump was investigated using the experimental analysis, and the theoretical analysis according to the theory of eddy dynamics. When the floor-attached vortex appeared under the large flow rate conditions, the time-domain characteristics curves for the pressure pulsation were significantly disordered and the pressure pulsation amplitudes at different points with floor-attached vortex varied significantly. The position of the vortex was consistent with the position of the low-pressure area at the floor of the pump sump and a large pressure gradient existed at the vortex appearing area. Through the theoretical and experimental analysis, it was found that the pressure pulsation induced by the floor-attached vortex fluctuates periodically with time, and the shape of the pressure pulsation curve is approximately the cosine functional curve.