Rotating speed influence on internal flow characteristics of electric submersible pump

Abstract

In order to study rotating speed influence on internal flow characteristics of ESP (electric submersible pump), the electric submersible pump under different rotating speed schemes are simulated. The results of the simulation show that the gas is unevenly distributed in the blade passage and mainly concentrated on the inlet side of the passage near the front cover plate as the impeller rotates. In the blade passage, the gas phase shows periodic aggregation and diffusion. When the impeller rotating speed increases, the cycle of periodic accumulation is shortened. In the meanwhile, diffusion of gas phase in the blade passage is shortened. With the gas phase concentration in the impeller decreases, the overall flow velocity in the blade passage, the inlet pressure difference, outlet pressure difference increase. With the impeller rotating speed increases, the pressure difference between two sides of blade and the fluctuation frequency of blade surface load increase gradually like it.