Impeller design and CFD analysis of fluid flow in rotodynamic pumps

Abstract

The intricate internal flows in the rotodynamic water pump impellers can be well predicted by using computational fluid dynamics and mathematical modeling. An impeller is a radial type rotor that increases the acceleration of the fluid due to the centrifugal action and the fluid is pumped through the casing to a higher potential head. The efficiency and performance of the centrifugal pump can be enhanced by optimizing certain design parameters of the impeller. In this work, the impeller design and development of potential flow calculations for the liquid flow using the MATLAB software was performed. NX-CAD was used to model the impeller and pump. CFD analysis in ANSYS CFX showed the flow of liquid through the variable cross-section of the volute casing of the pump. Modification in impeller design showed that the overall performance of the pump can be improved. The program developed in the MATLAB also served as a type of calculator for determining the type of pump that can be used for various industrial purposes based on the velocity of the liquid, head and discharge rate.