Rotordynamic Force Prediction of a Shrouded Centrifugal Pump Impeller—Part II: Stability Analysis

Abstract

In Paper I, some test cases of centrifugal pump impellers which showed unconventional impedances curves were reviewed and possible sources of the bump and dip in the impedance curves were investigated by simulating a wear-ring seal pump impeller. In this paper, the unconventional impedances determined in Paper I are converted into a form for inclusion in rotordynamic stability and forced response analyses. First of all, a finite element (FE) rotor model is considered to investigate the influence of the bump and dip in the impedance curves on the rotordynamic stability. With the same FE model, speed-dependent impedances are calculated to obtain unbalance frequency response. Finally, a new linear curve-fit approach is developed to model the fluctuating impedances since the unconventional impedance cannot be expressed by the second-order polynomials with the rotordynamic coefficients (stiffness, damping, and mass). In order to validate the newly developed method, a Jeffcott rotor model with the impeller forces is considered and rotordynamic stability analysis is implemented. The results of the analysis show that the existence of the bump and dip in the impedance curves may further destabilize the rotor system.