The Role of Blade Sinusoidal Tubercle Trailing Edge in a Centrifugal Pump with Low Specific Speed

Bowen Li,Xiaojun Li,Xiaoqi Jia,Hua Fang,Feng Chen

doi:10.3390/pr7090625

Abstract

Pressure pulsations may cause high-amplitude vibrations during the process of a centrifugal pump. The trailing edge shape of the blade has a critical influence on the pump’s pressure fluctuation and hydraulic characterization. In this paper, inspired by the humpback whale flipper, the authors research the impact of applying the sinusoidal tubercles to the blade suction side of the trailing edge. Numerical calculation and experiments are carried out to investigate the impact of the trailing edge shape on the pressure pulsations and performance of a centrifugal pump with low specific speed. Two designed impellers are tested, one is a sinusoidal tubercle trailing edge (STTE) impeller and the other is the original trailing edge (OTE) prototype. The detailed study indicates that the sinusoidal tubercle trailing edge (STTE) reduces pressure pulsation and enhances hydraulic performance. In the volute tongue region, the pressure pulsation amplitudes of STTE at fBPF decrease significantly. The STTE impeller also effectively changes the vortex structure and intensity in the blade trailing edge area. This investigation will be of great benefit to the optimal design of pumps.

Highlights

The centrifugal pump is an important energy conversion and fluid transfer tool and is widely used in various fields, such as the agriculture, industry, urban water supply, aerospace, and fire engines.According to an annual report made by the European Commission, pump systems account for about22% of the electric energy supply in the world [1]
When a centrifugal pump operates under partial-flow conditions, fluid transport is quite disordered
Many researchers have investigated the methods to improve the performance and weaken pressure pulsation amplitude in a low-specific-speed centrifugal pump

Summary

Introduction

The centrifugal pump is an important energy conversion and fluid transfer tool and is widely used in various fields, such as the agriculture, industry, urban water supply, aerospace, and fire engines.According to an annual report made by the European Commission, pump systems account for about22% of the electric energy supply in the world [1]. The centrifugal pump is an important energy conversion and fluid transfer tool and is widely used in various fields, such as the agriculture, industry, urban water supply, aerospace, and fire engines. According to an annual report made by the European Commission, pump systems account for about. 22% of the electric energy supply in the world [1]. Due to the low operating efficiency of pumps, most of the energy is not used efficiently. There is an urgent need to improve the energy conversion utilization of pump systems. When a centrifugal pump operates under partial-flow conditions, fluid transport is quite disordered. The operation efficiency is very low, especially for a pump with low specific speed

Methods

Results

Conclusion