Cavitation Behavior Research Articles

The effect of fan-type inducer blade tip geometry on cavitation behavior and noise in an industrial centrifugal pump

Cavitation is one of the biggest problems in industrial centrifugal pumps because it causes serious vibration and noise. Therefore, there is a demand for pump manufacturers to prevent problems due to the cavitation before delivering products to the site. Noise is considered to increase due to the development of cavitation at the tip of the inducer blades. In this study, the location of cavitation development was controlled by changing the inducer blade tip geometry to reduce noise. A centrifugal pump with a fan-type inducer was operated to measure noise at various cavitation numbers and flow rates with a microphone set up on the outer wall near the inducer. A visualization experiment using an acrylic casing around the inducer, a high-speed camera, and strobe light was also conducted to observe the behavior of cavitation development. The relationship between cavitation form and noise was investigated in detail.

Jet centrifugal pump internal flow numerical simulation and structural optimization

Abstract Jet centrifugal pump is essential equipment in multiple systems such as agricultural irrigation and energy production. This paper investigates the internal flow characteristics of jet centrifugal pumps at different flow rates and the cavitation behavior under high flow conditions by numerical simulation methods. Additionally, two performance optimization strategies are proposed based on simulation results. The findings indicate that high-velocity regions and low-pressure zones exist within the nozzle. As flow rate increases, the outlet velocity of the nozzle gradually decreases, and large areas of low pressure are observed near the inlet of the impeller. Cavitation occurs to varying degrees at flow rates of 4.056 m3/h and 3.840 m3/h. The turbulent kinetic energy contours for these conditions reveal uneven distribution within the jet nozzle, with higher values near the jet mixing layer, inner wall of the jet nozzle and impeller inlet. Structural optimization using hemispherical bolts significantly reduces the turbulent kinetic energy around the bolts, resulting in an increase in head ranging from 1.68% to 6.70% across various flow rates. Shortening the clearance between the impeller and the rear cover reduces energy losses, leading to an increase in head ranging from 2.72% to 5.86%.

Numerical simulation of unsteady cloud cavitation in an orifice nozzle by a compressible gas-vapor/liquid mixture cavitation model

Abstract Focused on the behaviour of unsteady cloud cavitation in a submerged orifice nozzle, this work presents a numerical investigation by using a compressible gas-vapor/liquid mixture cavitation model. The mean flow of the two-phase mixture is calculated by URANS for compressible fluid and the intensity of cavitation is evaluated by the gas volumetric void fraction considering the effect of fluid compressibility varying with phase change. Water jets issuing from a submerged orifice nozzle are investigated under different cavitation conditions. Computation results are compared with experiment data and the validity of computation is confirmed. The periodical shedding of cavitation clouds is captured reliably. Numerical simulations reveal that a leading cloud principally split by the shear flow and a subsequent cloud detached by the re-entrant jet are successively shed downstream, and they coalesce over the range of approximately x/d ≈ 2∼3. This process is repeated and the flow rate coefficient pulsates periodically under the effect of cavitation clouds.

Data-driven insights into cavitation phenomena: From spatiotemporal features to physical state transitions

The application of data-driven methods to study cavitation flow provides insights into the underlying mechanisms and richer physical details of cavitation phenomena. This paper aims to analyze the physically interpretable multi-state cavitation behavior. Initially, the spatiotemporal features of the cavitation flow are represented as network trajectories using principal component analysis. The k-means++ algorithm is then employed to obtain coarse-grained flow field states, and the centroid of each cluster served as a representative for the attributes of that state. Subsequently, the Markov state model is constructed to capture the dynamic transitions in the cavitation flow field. Through a detailed analysis of the dynamic transition model, the cavitation flow field states with genuine physical mechanisms are refined. Finally, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is utilized to extract the flow patterns corresponding to different states. The distribution characteristics of the flow field modes in different states correspond to their physical properties. These data-driven algorithm enables a detailed analysis of the typical states in periodic cavitation processes, such as cavity growth, development, shedding, and collapse, providing a deeper understanding of the cavitation flow characteristics in different typical states.

Numerical and experimental analysis of biomimetic tubercle for cavitation suppression in viscous oil flow around hydrofoil

This study explores the cavitation suppression mechanisms of biomimetic hydrofoils inspired by whale flipper tubercles, focusing on viscous oil flow around hydrofoils. A novel test system for viscous oil cavitation was developed, featuring a high-speed camera to capture transient cavitation phenomena. The study compared the cavitation behaviour of the flow around a basic blade (Base-blade) with that around a biomimetic blade (Bio-blade) designed with leading-edge tubercles. The visualization results demonstrated that the biomimetic structure significantly reduced the degree and unsteadiness of cavitation. The study also employed a three-dimensional CFD model using the Stress-Blended Eddy Simulation (SBES) method and the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri (ZGB) cavitation mass transfer model to reveal the flow mechanism. The Bio-blade reduced the vapour volume fraction by 9.67%, decreased the drag coefficient (Cd ) by 9.36%, and minimized the lift fluctuations compared to the Base-blade. The biomimetic design reduces the transient shedding cavitation scale, effectively suppressing severe cavitation events. The Bio-blade inhibited the formation of leading-edge separation vortices and reduced the scale of U-shaped vortices that enhance cavitation evolution. In summary, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the cavitation suppression mechanisms of biomimetic hydrofoils in high-viscosity fluids, offering valuable insights for future research and engineering applications.

Cavitation behavior of poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene)/polypropylene/poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) tri‐layer film: Influence of annealing and stretching temperature

AbstractIn this work, poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene)/polypropylene/poly(4‐methyl‐1‐pentene) tri‐layer films were prepared. The microstructure of the film was adjusted by annealing in the temperature range of 150–237.5°C. Afterward, the influence of annealing and stretching temperature on the cavitation behavior of the film was investigated by small‐angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS). Results showed that for the “butterfly” scattering in the early stage, the radius of gyration () and maximum dimension () of voids were ca. 75 and 200 nm, which were hardly influenced by annealing. Whereas, the volume fraction of voids was enlarged obviously, suggesting that more voids were formed; for the “streak” scattering in the late stage, the length of voids () grew gradually with stretching, and the ultimate value of was 432.5 nm for un‐annealed film and 176 nm for film annealed at 230°C. Simultaneously, the misorientation of voids was reduced from 0.33 to 0.18. As the stretching temperature was elevated from 30 to 45 and 60°C, and maintained at 75 and 200 nm, and was enlarged to 434 and 432 nm. At the same time, the number of voids was reduced obviously. As the stretching temperature was 90°C, the voids were suppressed.

Behavior of hydrofoil cavitation in a slit channel

The paper presents the results of a cavitation in a slit channel study and offers an analytical description of cavity development. Special emphasis was placed on examining partial cavitation near a NACA 0012 hydrofoil (NACA – the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) inside slit channels of different geometries. Experimental investigation was carried out via high-speed imaging and the laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) method. The experimental data showed that the local flow velocity in hydrofoil leading edge area increased abruptly under arising cavitation. In addition, occurrence of cavitation raised flow velocity pulsation by 20%. In the case of a shorter channel, cavity growth occurred at higher cavitation numbers than for a longer channel. The cavity growth velocity was higher for a shorter channel. We showed that the tendency of partial cavitation development in the slit channel can be described as follows: L/C ∼ σ−1, where L is the cavity length; C is the hydrofoil chord; σ is the cavitation number; and parameter A changes as the slit channel length is varied. Comparison of cavitation development near hydrofoil at different attack angles α inside the slit channel with a three-dimensional (3D) cavitation tunnel was conducted. Cavitation in the slit channel occurred at lower σ/2α values compared to 3D cavitation flow around the hydrofoil. To directly compare lengths of the attached cavities arising in slit channels and 3D cavitation tunnels, an additional parameter is proposed, taking into account friction of the slit channel: K = λ·l/D. This parameter allowed us to quantitatively compare the characteristics of cavitating hydrofoils in slit channels and 3D tunnels. The paper provides the governing criteria of the cavitation in the slit channel. Our results propose the physical foundations for the development of cavities in the slit channel.

Comparison Of Full-Scale PIV Measurements With CFD Simulations Of A Ship Propeller Inflow

Flow around the ship's hull and specifically the inflow conditions of the propeller(s) critically influence the propeller efficiency and cavitation behaviour. In a typical single-propeller vessel, the hull of the ship creates a velocity deficit in the top part of the propeller disk. This creates suitable conditions for cavitation, which is the main source of noise and vibration both inside the vessel as well as in the marine environment. Recently, two measurement campaigns were performed using a novel full-scale stereo-PIV device built to measure flows around vessels sailing at sea. During the first campaign, performed in one of MARIN's basins, the device was commissioned. The second campaign was performed during a sea trial; it resulted in propeller inflow data that can be used for validating CFD codes. The uncertainty of the PIV measurements was assessed using both campaigns. In the basin, uncertainty bias could be determined by comparing the PIV results with the carriage speed. At sea, the random part of uncertainty was determined by quantifying the standard deviation of the mean velocity for all three velocity components in the wake peak area of the propeller inflow. Overall, the uncertainty was found to be acceptably small, given the scale of the measurement and the necessity to work with naturally occurring seeding particles in the sea. CFD calculations of the same full-scale flow were performed using an in-house flow solver. The CFD results predicted the propeller RPM and the delivered power measured during the full-scale trial well, which gives confidence in the ability of CFD to predict ship trial performance. The comparison of the flow fields was good, with the PIV results demonstrating that full-scale PIV can be done reliably, and that the CFD is able to capture the major features of the flow in the considered area. For a large part of the flow field, the CFD was within the measurement uncertainty band. The wake peak was slightly underpredicted, which may be related to roughness effects on the boundary layer thickness.

Enhanced hydrofoil pressure field reconstruction through phase-informed sensing and sensor optimization

This study proposes a cost-effective mixed-learning method for the cavitation behavior on hydrofoils, aiming to predict the global pressure field on the hydrofoil surface with sparse placed pressure sensors and the variation of the cavity outline captured by the high-speed cameras. The method integrates CS (compressed sensing) and deep learning techniques. Firstly, within the framework of CS, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is utilized to identify the best measuring points and achieve the initial reconstruction accordingly. Subsequently, in combination with the phase information, the final reconstructions are obtained within the deep learning framework. Through validation, the proposed mixed-learning model demonstrates significantly improved reconstruction performance compared to a single source of pressure information and an unoptimized measurement point position and significantly reduces the number of sensors. This provides a novel and effective approach for accurately predicting the pressure field on hydrofoil surfaces. Furthermore, the study evaluates the robustness concerning hydraulic sensor measurement errors, sensor placement deviations, missing measuring points, reconstruction performance under various cases and hydrofoil surface regions, and the contribution of optimized measuring points to the global field. Results show that the mixed-learning model exhibits robustness against typical measurement errors, position deviations of hydraulic sensors and missing measuring points on the suction side. Additionally, a positive correlation exists between the average pressure gradient under different conditions and regions and the reconstruction error, with the pressure side region significantly contributing to global field reconstruction. These findings underscore the mixed model's superiority in predicting pressure fields on hydrofoils and offer guidance for rational sensor installation.

Pressure Drop and Cavitation Optimization of a Relief Valve Featuring Quick Coupling Used in Radar Systems

AbstractThis extensive study is carried out to minimize the pressure drop of a relief valve featuring quick-releasing coupling used in radar systems. The 3D two-phase computational fluid dynamic (CFD) study is verified with the experiments, and Taguchi’s orthogonal method is implemented for pressure drop optimization. Realizable k–ε turbulence model with enhanced wall treatment and the Schnerr and Sauer cavitation model are enforced within the numerical study. Four angles—the collet angle, the inlet angle, the plug angle, and the outlet angle—are considered at five levels of variation for the orthogonal optimization process. According to the statistical analysis, two more designs are suggested, and one of them resulted in further improved pressure drop performance. Moreover, the cavitation behavior of the proposed design is compared with the base design through water vapor volume fractions. While the water vapor volume fraction of the base design is 0.0045, no vapor formation is observed in the optimized designs at 20 l/min. The results of the proposed design are also validated by the experiments. The outcomes of the study showed that the inlet angle has a significant effect on the pressure drop phenomenon.

Experimental Study of the Cavitating Flow on an Independently Heated Venturi Nozzle

Abstract Despite the observation of change in the cavitation regime on a heated surface, the specific section of the wall surface that plays a more dominant role in this transition phenomenon remains unknown. This study experimentally investigated the effect of surface temperature of different regions on the cavitating flow in terms of the cavitation regime. The experiments were conducted using a convergent-divergent Venturi nozzle comprising two parts that could be heated independently. The Venturi nozzle could be fully or selectively heated at either the front, where the leading edge of the cavity sheet was located, or the rear, where the cavity sheet developed. The cavitation behavior under different heating conditions was investigated using high-speed visualization and fluctuating pressure measurements. Compared with the non-heated case, which exhibited a sheet-cloud cavitation regime, the cavitation regime on the completely heated Venturi nozzle exhibited transient cavitation. The same transition phenomenon was observed when only the front of the Venturi nozzle was heated. A liquid film was observed beneath the cavity sheet of transient cavitation when only the front portion was heated. In contrast, heating the rear part alone did not induce a change in the cavitation regime. Thus, it appeared that the transition of the cavitation regime on a heated surface was mainly influenced by the temperature increase at the leading edge of the cavity sheet.

A correlative approach to evaluating the links between local microstructural parameters and creep initiated cavities

The study and modelling of material degradation processes, such as the initiation and growth of creep cavities in high-temperature applications, require a correlative and comprehensive knowledge of the microstructure. However, individual microscopy is limited to a small region and specific microstructural information of the specimen. This work demonstrates a novel correlative microscopy approach for characterising creep cavitation and establishing correlations with local microstructural parameters in a statistical manner. This approach combines datasets from stitched higher-resolution backscattered electron (BSE) images, XeF2 Focused Ion Beam (FIB) images, and backscattered electron diffraction (EBSD) maps with advanced image correlation techniques. Deep-learning image segmentation techniques and statistical analysis are applied to find relations between creep cavitation and local microstructural environment. This approach is demonstrated in a cyclic creep-tested 316H stainless steel specimen with extensive creep cavities. The results show that in this material, strain localization, grain boundary misorientation, and substantial precipitation dominate the nucleation of cavities, whereas other microstructural properties such as grain size and Schmid factor play smaller roles. This study presents the use of the correlative microscopy approach to provide new insights into creep cavitation behaviour and its implications for establishing creep cavitation damage models.

Effect of micro-particles on cavitation erosion behavior of 2Cr3WMoV steel

Purpose This paper aims to study the influence of microparticles on the surface cavitation behavior of 2Cr3WMoV steel; microparticle suspensions of different concentration, particle size, material and shape were prepared based on ultrasonic vibration cavitation experimental device. Design/methodology/approach 2Cr3WMoV steel was taken as the research object for ultrasonic cavitation experiment. The morphology, quantity and distribution of cavitation pits were observed and analyzed by metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. Findings The study findings showed that the surface cavitation process produced pinhole cavitation pits on the surface of 2Cr3WMoV steel. High temperature in the process led to oxidation and carbon precipitation on the material surface, resulting in the “rainbow ring” cavitation morphology. Both the concentration and size of microparticles affected the number of pits on the material surface. When the concentration of microparticles was 1 g/L, the number of pits reached the maximum, and when the size of microparticles was 20 µm, the number of pits reached the minimum. The microparticles of Fe3O4, Al2O3, SiC and SiO2 all increased the number of pits on the surface of 2Cr3WMoV steel. In addition, the distribution of pits of spherical microparticles was more concentrated than that of irregularly shaped microparticles in turbidity. Originality/value Most of the current studies have not systematically focused on the effect of each factor of microparticles on the cavitation behavior when they act separately, and the results of the studies are more scattered and varied. At the same time, it has not been found to carry out the study of microparticle cavitation with 2Cr3WMoV steel as the research material, and there is a lack of relevant cavitation morphology and experimental data.

Investigation of Optimum Production Conditions and the Stability of β-Cyclodextrin-Perfluorocarbon Nanocone Clusters for Histotripsy Applications.

Nanocone clusters (NCCs) have been developed as clusters with inclusion complexes of FDA-approved β-cyclodextrin (βCD) and perfluorocarbons (PFC) (i.e., perfluoropentane (PFP) and perfluorohexane (PFH)) and have shown promise in nanoparticle-mediated histotripsy (NMH) applications owing to their lowered cavitation threshold, ease of production, and fluorocarbon quantification. However, there is still a lack of information on the best conditions of the synthesis of NCCs as a product that can have a maximum determinable fluorocarbon content and maintain the stability of the NCC during synthesis and when used as histotripsy agents or exposed to physiological conditions. These concerns about the stability of the clusters and the best possible formulation are investigated in the current work. The cluster formation potential was tested taking into consideration the nature of both PFCs and βCD by employing different synthesis conditions in terms of solution and environmental parameters such as concentration of solvent, stoichiometry between βCD and PFCs, temperature, pH, solvent type, etc. The best route of synthesis was then translated into various batch sizes and investigated in terms of the PFC loading and yield. These studies revealed that preparing NCCs in double-distilled water in an ice bath at the optimized solution concentration gave the highest yields and optimal PFC loading, as determined from gas chromatography. Furthermore, the stability of the clusters with different stoichiometries was scrutinized in varying concentrations, mechanical disruption times, pH levels, and temperature conditions, showing effects on each cluster's particle size in dynamic light scattering, visualized in transmission electron microscopy, and cavitation behavior in agarose gel tissue phantoms. These studies revealed stable clusters for all formulations, with PFH-containing NCCs emerging to be the most stable in terms of their cluster size and bubble formation potential in histotripsy. Finally, the shelf life of these clusters was investigated using DLS, which revealed a stable cluster. In conclusion, NCCs have shown high stability in terms of both synthesis, which can be replicated in gram-level production, and the cluster itself, which can be exposed to harsher conditions and still form stable bubbles in histotripsy.

A review of bubble collapse near particles

Bubble–particle interactions are of great importance in cavitation bubble dynamics, especially in the case of silt-laden flow. In this paper, a review of the physical mechanisms involved in bubble collapse near particles is presented, with an emphasis on the jet and shock wave phenomenon. First of all, the collapse of a bubble occurring close to a flat wall is introduced to provide a basis for understanding cavitation behavior near boundaries. Then, with the aim of revealing the physical processes that occur during bubble collapse near particles, this is followed by a detailed discussion, with plentiful examples, of the collapse process (the inception, growth, collapse, rebound, and final disappearance of the bubble) and the formation and behavior of jets (the inception jet, counter jet, and double jets) and shock waves (incident, reflected, jet-induced, and jet-split shock waves).

Optimization of Composite Cavitation Nozzle Parameters Based on the Response Surface Methodology

Cavitation is typically observed when high-pressure submerged water jets are used. A composite nozzle, based on an organ pipe, can increase shear stress on the incoming flow, significantly enhancing cavitation performance by stacking Helmholtz cavities in series. In the present work, the flow field of the composite nozzle was numerically simulated using Large Eddy Simulation and was paired with the response surface method for global optimizing the crucial parameters of the composite nozzle to examine their effect on cavitation behavior. Utilizing peak gas-phase volume percent as the dependent variable and the runner diameter, Helmholtz chamber diameter, and Helmholtz chamber length as independent variables, a mathematical model was constructed to determine the ideal parameters of the composite nozzle through response surface methodology. The optimized nozzle prediction had an error of only 2.04% compared to the simulation results, confirming the accuracy of the model. To learn more about the cavitation cloud properties, an experimental setup for high-pressure cavitation jets was also constructed. Impact force measurements and high-speed photography tests were among the experiments conducted. The simulated evolution period of cavitation cloud characteristics is highly consistent with the experimental period. In the impact force measurement experiment, the simulated impact force oscillates between 256 and 297 N, and the measured impact force oscillates between 260 N and 289 N, with an error between 1.5% and 2.7%. The simulation model was verified by experimental results. This study provides new insights for the development of cavitation jet nozzle design theory.

Large-eddy simulation of elliptic hydrofoil tip vortex cavitation under incipient conditions

Large-eddy simulation (LES) is used to simulate flow over a three-dimensional elliptical hydrofoil at 12 degrees angle of attack and Reynolds numbers (Re) of 9×105 and 1.4×106 based on root chord length and freestream velocity. The simulations are performed at the cavitation number (σ) of 2.1 and are based on the experiments of Boulon et al. (1999), who studied the tip vortex cavitation behavior under the confinement of side and bottom walls. The present simulations correspond to their case where the confinement due to the bottom wall is negligible. The computational model of Brandao and Mahesh (2022) that treats vapor as a passive scalar in an incompressible liquid is extended to account for multiple groups of bubbles of different sizes, effectively making it a polydisperse model. This allows us to investigate the effects of water quality on inception. The simulations include two different freestream nuclei distributions that are taken from the water tunnel data of Khoo et al. (2020c). It was found that inception is strongly dependent on the amounts of nuclei in the freestream. When the flow is depleted of nuclei, inception is an intermittent event confined to a location very close to the hydrofoil tip. However, when the flow is rich in nuclei, a larger portion of the tip vortex cavitates, as well as part of the suction side very close to the leading edge of the hydrofoil. Probability density functions revealed that cavitation occurs in any region experiencing a pressure field lower than vapor pressure when the flow is rich in nuclei, while extremely low values of pressure (usually kPa of tension) are required to make a flow depleted of nuclei cavitate. The topology of a flow poor in nuclei was investigated and inception was found to occur in regions dominated by irrotational straining with high stretching rates. Lagrangian statistics showed that as Re is increased, nuclei have higher likelihood of experiencing very low pressure fields. However, the amount of time they are subject to very low pressures is also shorter with increasing Re.

Cavitation in viscoelastic dilute polymer solutions through a Venturi nozzle

This research experimentally examines the influence of viscoelastic dilute water solutions of polyethylene oxide on Venturi cavitation. Variations in solutions are engineered to manipulate the viscoelastic properties that in turn affect cavitation patterns and attributes. The consequences of viscoelasticity and flow conditions on cavitation are quantified using dimensionless numbers, including the elasticity number (El), the Reynolds number (Re), and the pressure ratio (κ). The experiment identifies three distinct cavitation patterns in the solutions, with their transitions being impacted by alterations in El and κ. As El amplifies, the cavitation bubbles expand and get smoother, and the reentrant jet thickens and amplifies. The behavior of cavitation aligns with the model proposed by Zhang et al. [Phys. Fluids 31, 097107 (2019)], suggesting the critical role of the reentrant jet in the shedding of the cavity cluster. The study also substantiates that the reentrant jet intensifies with ascending El or Re. The collective influence of El, Re, and κ is discovered to shape the cavitation length and shedding frequency of cavity clusters. An increased El or a decreased Re reinforces the vorticity and the reentrant jet, which inevitably leads to a reduction in cavitation lengths and an uptick in the shedding frequency. Conversely, a larger El results in a more gradual response of the bubble to pressure alterations and pronounced rebounds, extending the cavitation length.

Creep deformation and cavitation in an additively manufactured Al-8.6Cu-0.4Mn-0.9Zr (wt%) alloy

Creep deformation and cavitation were investigated at 300 ºC in both tension and compression for an additively manufactured Al-8.6Cu-0.5Mn-0.9Zr (wt%) alloy in the as-fabricated state and after various aging treatments (aging at 300 °C/200 h or 350 °C/24 h and overaging at 400 °C/200 h). Creep mechanisms at 300 °C were determined by relating the measured creep response to corresponding microstructural and X-ray computed tomography observations. In compression, alloys in the as-fabricated and two aging conditions exhibited similarly high creep resistance. Overaging (400 °C/200 h) led to substantial coarsening of intragranular θ-Al2Cu precipitates and an expected drop in their Orowan strengthening contribution. In tension, minimum strain rates comparable to those in compression were obtained at any given stress; however, upon accumulation of some plastic strain in the matrix, creep cavities started to form, leading to accelerated tertiary stage creep deformation and rupture. Cavitation occurred exclusively along melt pool boundaries due to locally enhanced diffusion enabled by (ⅰ) large grain-boundary area in adjacent fine-grained zones and (ⅱ) localization of creep strain in nearby heat-affected zones. Although cavity growth was initially diffusion-controlled, its rate was determined by matrix creep rate, consistent with constrained cavity growth mechanisms. This study reveals how microstructural complexities induced by the additive manufacturing process affect the creep and cavitation behavior of Al-Cu-Mn-Zr alloys. The underlying creep and cavitation mechanisms uncovered in this study point to pathways that improve the high-temperature properties of additively manufactured alloys.

Performance improvement of a double-suction centrifugal pump for water supply system based on energy loss analysis and cavitation behaviour prediction

ABSTRACT To gain a comprehensive understanding of the energy dissipation of a double-suction pump, analysing the energy loss of its various components is necessary. However, the liquid temperature in the double-suction pump remains almost constant, using the entropy production or dissipation method to evaluate energy loss is difficult. The traditional analysis method based on pressure drop cannot quantify the internal energy changes in each component. To solve this problem, a pressure energy loss evaluation approach is developed on the basis of the pressure drop theoretical analysis and numerical prediction, and the effects of cavitation on the energy loss are investigated. The structure of the volute casing is improved to enhance the performance based on energy loss analysis and cavitation behaviour prediction. The results show that the energy loss efficiencies for the suction casing, impeller, and volute casing are 0.55, 4.6, and 5%, respectively, at the design flow rate. The proportion of energy loss in the impeller and volute casing increased with a decrease in NPSHa. The RNG k–ε and k–ω turbulence models are chosen for the numerical simulation, and the numerically predicted results are verified experimentally.