The Response of a Centrifugal Pump to Fluctuating Rotational Speed

Abstract

A theoretical and experimental study has been made on the dynamic characteristics of a centrifugal pump subject to sinusoidal changes in rotational speed. Time-dependent rotational speed, flow-rate, and total pressure rise are measured for a variety of amplitude and frequency of the fluctuating rotational speed. Measured flow-rate as well as total pressure rise is compared with the quasi-steady ones. Unsteady flow analysis is made for a two-dimensional circular cascade by use of the singularity method. The calculated frequency characteristics are compared with the corresponding experimental ones. The deviation of unsteady characteristics from quasi-steady ones is evident, and the numerical results agree qualitatively with the measured ones. It was found that with the increased frequency of rotational speed fluctuations the dynamic characteristics deviate remarkably from quasi-steady ones. Moreover, a criterion for the assumption of quasi-steady change is presented.