Numerical simulation of unsteady flow characteristics in a centrifugal pump during runaway process caused by power failure

Abstract

Abstract Centrifugal pump is widely used in agricultural irrigation, petrochemical, mining, metallurgy and other industries. A special centrifugal pump with elbow pipe is researched in this paper. The flow rate and rotating speed change rapidly, especially in elbow pipe, causing serious pressure fluctuation and complex vorticity in the centrifugal pump. A user-defined function to solve the angular momentum equation was calculated the pump rotational speed. Unsteady numerical simulation with SST turbulence model is carried out and Short time Fourier transform (STFT) and vorticity strength are used to analyse the pressure fluctuation and vortexes respectively. The results indicate that the rotational speed first decreases to zero and then reversely increases to runaway speed. Large area vorticity appeared at the elbow pipe when the high amplitude frequency of pressure fluctuation increased. The change law of main frequency of pressure fluctuation at the elbow pipe is consistent with the rotational speed change ruler, which is equal to blade passing frequency (BPF). The main source of pressure fluctuation was rotor stator interaction. This study’s results provide a meaningful reference about pump runaway process caused by power failure, leading to the prevention of dangerous situations, for safe operations of the pumping unit.