Influence of a Long Flexible Fiber on the Transport Capability of a Non-Clogging Pump

Abstract

During the operation of non-clogging pumps, the flexible long fiber is prone to clogging and winding during the flow process, which can result in damage to the non-clogging pump, so a numerical simulation method of a solid–liquid two-phase flow in a non-clogging pump with a flexible long fiber is proposed in this paper. The unsteady numerical simulation of the two-phase flow of a single flexible fiber with different densities, lengths and diameters in a double-blade non-clogging pump was carried out to study the influence of fiber parameters on fiber transport capability. The results show that at a density of 920 kg/m3, 300 kg/m3 and 732 kg/m3, the transport capability of flexible fibers decreases successively, and the transport time T0 is 0.32 s, 0.36 s and 0.48 s, respectively. The transport capability of flexible fibers with a length of 150 mm, 200 mm and 250 mm decreases successively, and the transport time T0 is 0.34 s, 0.48 s and 0.96 s, respectively. The transport time T0 is 0.48 s when the fiber diameter dp is 5 mm. When the fiber diameter dp is 7.5 mm, the transport time T0 is 0.51 s. When the fiber diameter dp is 10 mm, the fiber transport capability of the non-clogging pump decreased significantly, and the transport time T0 is 0.68 s. The fiber length has the most obvious effect on fiber transport capability, followed by the fiber diameter and fiber density.