Abstract
AbstractExperiments were carried out in a 50‐m3 cylindrical tank to determine the influence of strong momentum on the formation of large‐scale gas‐core vortices. Gas‐core lengths were measured for varying volume flow rates and submergence depths. The critical Froude numbers were also determined and the efficiency of different vortex suppressors on the gas‐core formation was investigated. The horizontal velocity field inside the vortex core region was additionally recorded using particle image velocimetry. The experimental results were used to verify numerical simulations and compared to vortex models and correlations from literature.
Highlights
The occurrence of surface vortices in pump intakes represents a safety hazard for the reliable operation of cooling circuits in industrial facilities, such as chemical reactors, power plants, and hydroelectric power stations
When the liquid level above the pump intake is large in comparison to the pump intake diameter, inhomogenities in the inflowing liquid will cause the liquid bulk phase to circulate around the pump intake, forming a vortex [1]
The experiments conducted for the medium submergence depth of S = 1.5 m show that an intermediate floor has a negative, albeit minor influence on the gas-core lengths, reducing the critical Froude number from F = 1.5 to 1.4
Summary
The occurrence of surface vortices in pump intakes represents a safety hazard for the reliable operation of cooling circuits in industrial facilities, such as chemical reactors, power plants, and hydroelectric power stations. Surface vortices are a major cause for gas entrainment into the pump system, where the gas can accumulate inside the pump head and lead to a reduced pump capacity. Gas accumulation can even lead to the complete breakdown of the cooling circuit if enough gas accumulates inside the impeller blades of the pump. When the liquid level above the pump intake is large in comparison to the pump intake diameter, inhomogenities in the inflowing liquid will cause the liquid bulk phase to circulate around the pump intake, forming a vortex [1]. The strength of the vortex as well as the length of the forming gas core depend on various parameters, most notably the pump intake diameter, submergence, and orientation, the volume flow rate, and the circulation strength. Additional factors can be the shape of the liquid reservoir, the amount of pump intakes within close proximity and induced tangential momentum, through inlet pipes, rakes, or obstructions in the inflow
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