Pulsation Characteristics Research Articles

Study on the multiphase unsteady flow characteristics of asymmetric multiphase rotor pumps

Existing multiphase pumps face challenges in transporting more than two phases, including high costs and energy consumption. To address the challenges of multiphase transportation in oilfields, a new multiphase rotor pump has been developed to reduce energy consumption and enhance efficiency. This study employs computational fluid dynamics technology, validated by experiments. Using dynamic mesh technology and the Eulerian multiphase flow model, the study analyzes the effects of pulsation characteristics, turbulent kinetic energy dissipation, gas content, bubble diameter, solid content, and particle diameter on pump performance. The results indicate that: (a) Compared to single-phase media, the pump's performance slightly decreases when transporting multiphase media, but the volumetric efficiency remains above 74%, indicating good media compatibility. Transport efficiency follows the order: ηsingle-phase > ηthree-phase > ηtwo-phase. (b) During transport, gas–solid mixtures tend to separate, with the gas phase primarily on the rotor surface and the solid phase along the pump chamber walls. Increasing the gas volume fraction reduces pump performance, but when the bubble diameter exceeds the meshing clearance, it can improve transport efficiency. Variations in sand content positively impact the pump's transport capacity. (c) Turbulent kinetic energy dissipation for single-phase, two-phase, and three-phase media is concentrated at the clearance and outlet. The dissipation intensity for multiphase media is greater than that for single-phase media and increases with the gas volume fraction. The solid phase shows minimal sensitivity to turbulent kinetic energy dissipation. The findings provide a reference for designing asymmetric multiphase rotor pumps and their use in petroleum transportation.

Large-eddy simulations of Francis turbine flow control by radial jets

Francis turbine operation often experiences part load conditions, at which precessing vortex core (PVC) and double-helix structures can occur, limiting the stable operation range. The study investigates the mitigation of these flow instabilities in a Francis turbine air model by implementing radial jet injection. This approach is based on linear stability analysis and its adjoint formulation, revealing sensitive flow areas. Manipulating these zones can significantly impact instability dynamics. We perform large-eddy simulation of turbulent swirling flow in the Francis turbine model and employ radial injection through 12 circularly distributed holes on the runner crown tip with an injection flow rate of 2% of the inlet flow rate. A comparison with experimental data and a convergence study demonstrated good agreement in velocity fields and pulsation characteristics. Flow control was conducted for a wide range of hole positions and different angles between radial jets and the base flow. Spectral analysis of wall-pressure fluctuations revealed an optimal hole position, coinciding with the experimental results. However, flow control in simulations was less effective, reducing pressure pulsations of azimuthal flow modes m = 0, 1, 2 × 64, 33, and 17%, accordingly. Variation of the jet angle orientation demonstrated the highest pressure variance suppression for 90°. In pressure variance contours, PVC diminishing was observed near the runner crown, but that was amplified downstream.

Experimental and numerical study on the quasi-periodic pulsation characteristics of cavitation flow in a control valve

Experimental and numerical study on the quasi-periodic pulsation characteristics of cavitation flow in a control valve

Pulsation Analysis of Hose Pumps with Different Roller Counts Based on Two-Way FSI

Xinjiang, as a major agricultural region, offers extensive application potential for hose pumps, given their excellent performance as fertilization devices. Analyzing the pulsation characteristics of hose pumps during operation is valuable for reducing noise and extending pump service life. To investigate the pulsation characteristics and unsteady flow of hose pumps with different roller numbers, this study adopts a bidirectional fluid-structure interaction (FSI) method and utilizes ANSYS 19.0 commercial finite element software to analyze the outlet and inlet pressure pulsations, outlet flow velocity pulsations, and the distribution of the flow field at the intermediate plane for both two-roller and three-roller pumps transporting high and low Reynolds number fluids under the same working conditions. It was observed that the three-roller pump exhibited higher outlet pressure compared with the inlet and that the pulsation intensity was lower in the three-roller pump than in the two-roller pump under the same conditions, with an analysis provided on the reasons for this phenomenon. This study offers theoretical support for the selection and further optimization of hose pump designs. To further reduce the negative effects of pulsations, it is recommended to increase the number of rollers in the design while also considering shape optimization of the pump casing or using feedback control systems to adjust and reduce pulsation intensity.

Effect of Speed Linear Decrease on Internal Flow Characteristics and Pressure Pulsations of Variable-Speed Pump Turbine in Turbine Mode

Pumped storage units often deviate from the optimal operating conditions in the process of regulating new energy fluctuations. To effectively improve the performance of the units, the variable speed of the units is one of the more feasible means at present. This paper focuses on the part-load condition of turbine operation, with an emphasis on the internal flow characteristics and pressure pulsation characteristics of the pump turbine during the linear reduction of the rated speed. It is found that the streamlines in the runner become turbulent in the process of speed reduction, forming a vortex at the inlet of the runner, and the vortex scale gradually increases with the speed reduction. The vortex rope in the draft tube undergoes three types of changes during the speed reduction: helical eccentric vortex rope, vanishing vortex rope, and columnar vortex rope. Before the speed change, the low-frequency components with high amplitude exist in each flow-passing part, but gradually disappear with the speed reduction. Except for the runner, the frequency affected by rotor–stator interference of each flow-passing part increases with the decrease of speed, and the growth is most obvious in the vaneless region. The findings of this research can serve as a valuable reference for the variable speed operation of pumped storage units.

Investigation of Pressure Pulsation and Vibration of the Internally Geared Screw Compressor

Abstract The Internally Geared Screw Machine (IGSM) is a relatively novel and promising type of positive displacement compressor concept that takes inspiration from classic gerotor pumps. The IGSM uses two rotors rotating in the same direction about parallel axes while maintaining continuous contact between both rotors which isolates several working chambers. By using ported end plate, the IGSM can determine the timing of the fluid entering and exiting the working chamber. There are several key advantages to the IGSM over traditional twin-screw compressors including reduction of the rotor to casting leakage, elimination of the blow hole area, reduction in sliding velocity at the point of contact, and a uniform circumferential rotor temperature profile. Although there is some research regarding the geometric profiling and chamber modeling of this type of machine, there is no research currently available on the pressure pulsation and vibration characteristics of the IGSM. The purpose of this paper is to provide an initial look into the pressure pulsation and vibration characteristics of the IGSM and how they differ from that of a traditional twin-screw machine. By explicating the key differences between the IGSM and the industry standard twin-screw compressor, this paper aims to better understand an important yet underdeveloped area of IGSM design.

Numerical simulation study of vortex cavitation and induced pulsation characteristics in spiral lobe pumps

Lobe pumps are used in many different sectors because of their versatility and effectiveness for managing multiphase flows. In this study, three-dimensional unsteady numerical simulations are performed to evaluate the vortex cavitation phenomenon in these pumps. The work combines dynamic meshing techniques, advanced vortex recognition methods, and a full cavitation model to provide insight into the genesis, evolution, and influence of vortex cavitation on pump performance. The results of the study demonstrate that under high-speed and high-pressure conditions, vortex flow occurs at the edge of the rear of the rotor lobe in the suction chamber of the lobe pump, resulting in the production of vortex cavitation. Cavitation is most strong at the core of the vortex, while the degree of cavitation at the edge of the vortex gradually diminished. The gas volume fraction reduces from 0.135 to 0.0832, and this makes the pressure decrease from 1.055 to 1.02 MP. The process of genesis, development, and removal of vortex cavitation is cyclic. At different levels of cavitation, the degree of pulsation in pump outlet flow, pressure, and radial force increases with increasing cavitation. Periodic vortex cavitation leads to periodic changes in pump output pressure, flow rate, radial force, and axial force.

Effect of electrical field on pulsation characteristics of laser-induced cavitation bubble

An experimental platform for laser-induced cavitation under the action of an electric field was built, and the bubble pulsation under two different conditions of infinite domain and solid wall was experimentally studied. The effects of voltage, laser energy, and liquid viscosity on bubble pulsation and the difference in the effect of voltage on bubble induced by different laser energies and bubble pulsation in different viscous liquids were explored. It is found that the size, velocity and period of bubble pulsation in infinite domain increase with the increase of laser energy, and the law is similar at the solid wall. When the voltage is applied, the size and period of bubble pulsation in infinite domain decrease with the increase of voltage, the bubble expansion speed decreases with the increase of voltage, but the bubble collapse speed increases with the increase of voltage. The diameter and velocity of bubble pulsation in infinite domain decrease with the increase of liquid viscosity, while the whole pulsation period of bubble increases with the increase of viscosity. Due to the damping effect of liquid, the effect of electric field on the bubble pulsation with higher viscosity is low.

Tail cavity pressure pulsation characteristics under varying ventilation pressure and duration

Tail cavity pressure pulsation characteristics under varying ventilation pressure and duration

Experimental and numerical study on cavitation pulsating pressure of water-jet propulsion axial-flow pump.

Cavitation may occur in water-jet pump during operation of water-jet propulsion vessel, and once cavitation occurs, the tip clearance pulsating pressure of the impeller may be intensified, resulting in increased vibration of the water-jet propulsion unit. In this paper, the cavitation pulsating pressure characteristics at different positions in the pump are studied by experiment and numerical simulation, and the pulsating pressure characteristics in tip clearance are mainly researched. Based on Star-CCM+ commercial software, unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations(RANS) numerical simulation is carried out, and the feasibility of the numerical simulation method is verified by uncertainty analysis. The results show that the cavitation pulsating pressure near the leading edge of the impeller in the tip clearance is the largest. The variation of the tip clearance pulsating pressure with the intensification of cavitation is studied by numerical simulation, and its mechanism is revealed. A dimensionless coefficient of net positive suction head (CNPSH) is proposed, and the study shows that the cavitation pulsation pressure coefficients of pumps of different scales are equal when the working conditions are similar and the CNPSH are equal, which indicates that the cavitation pulsating pressure performance of full scale pump can be predicted by model scale. It is of great significance to evaluate the vibration performance of the full scale water-jet propulsion.

Numerical Simulation and Model Test on Pressure Fluctuation and Structural Characteristics of Lightweight Axial Flow Pump

In order to explore the relationship between the hydraulic performance, pressure pulsation, and structural characteristics of lightweight axial flow pumps, this paper takes the axial flow pump as the research object and analyzes pressure pulsation and structural characteristics by changing the blade length and thickness to realize the lightweight design of the axial flow pump impeller. Compared with the initial scheme (Scheme 1), the mass of the impeller is reduced by 17.2% (Scheme 2) and 29.9% (Scheme 3), respectively. The lightweight axial flow pump (Scheme 2 and Scheme 3) has a lower pressure pulsation amplitude at the impeller outlet monitoring point under large flow conditions. After the lightweight design of the axial flow pump impeller, the blade becomes shorter, the mass becomes lighter, and the cavitation performance will become worse. The maximum equivalent stress of Scheme 2 and Scheme 3 is increased by 2.8% and 31.9%, respectively, compared to Scheme 1. The maximum deformation of Scheme 3 increased by 27% compared to Scheme 1. This research can provide guidance for the lightweight optimization design of the axial flow pump.

Noise reduction method for mine wind speed sensor data based on CEEMDAN-wavelet threshold

The mine wind speed sensor is an important intelligent sensing equipment in the mine intelligent ventilation system that can provide accurate and key wind speed parameters for the intelligent ventilation system. The turbulent pulsation characteristics of the airflow in the underground tunnel are a major factor for the inaccurate measurement of mine wind speed. Therefore, according to the random non-stationary characteristics of a turbulent pulsation signal, a denoising method based on adaptive complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMDAN) combined with the wavelet threshold is proposed for suppressing the turbulent pulsation noise in the wind speed signal. First, the CEEMDAN algorithm is used for decomposing the wind speed signal into a series of IMF components. Second, the continuous mean square error criterion is used for determining the high-frequency IMF components with more noise. The wavelet threshold denoising method is used for denoising the high-frequency IMF components with more noise. Finally, the denoised IMF components and remaining low-frequency IMF components are reconstructed for obtaining the denoised signal. The results of the denoising analysis of measured turbulent pulsation signals, comparative analysis of denoising of simulated turbulent pulsation signals by different joint denoising methods, and denoising analysis of actual mine wind speed sensor data indicate that the joint denoising method proposed in this study has a higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower root mean square error of the wind speed signal after denoising. Compared with the EMD-wavelet threshold and EEMD-wavelet threshold denoising methods, the denoising method proposed in this study is better and has higher denoising accuracy, which provides a new method for processing actual mine wind speed sensor data.

Experimental investigation of chocked cavitation flow and its oscillation mechanism in jet pump cavitation reactors under limited operation stage

Experiments were conducted in this study to investigate the chocked cavitation characteristics and its oscillation mechanism in jet pump cavitation reactors (JPCR) under limited operation stage (LOS) utilizing a synchronous measurement system. The pulsation characteristics of cavitation in JPCR under various inlet and outlet pressures were analyzed by the processed high-speed camera images. Furthermore, correlation between cavitation and pressure pulsation as well as the mechanism of cavitation oscillation in JPCR under LOS are elucidated based on synchronized measurements. The results reveal that the typical jet choked cavitation flow field can be divided into three characteristic regions, i.e., stability region, oscillation region and collapse region. Changes in flow parameters cause variations in the areas of these three regions and shift the initial and collapse positions of cavitation. The time-averaged length of cavitation clouds varies linearly with the absolute pressure ratio at the outlet, corresponding to both stable and unstable LOS. Notably, the results reveal a clear correlation between the grayscale of cavitation clouds and pressure fluctuations over time, identifying the inverse pressure gradient as the primary cause of cavitation oscillation in the throat tube during unstable LOS.

Evolution mechanism of internal flow in the hump region and hump optimization of axial-flow reactor coolant pump

The Nuclear Reactor Coolant Pump (RCP) serves as a pivotal equipment in nuclear power plants, and its operational reliability is directly linked to the overall safety of the plant. When operating in the hump region, axial-flow reactor coolant pumps inevitably experience significant vibration and noise. Therefore, it is necessary to study the internal flow characteristics in the hump region to achieve effective control and increase the hump margin, keeping it away from the normal operating region. This study conducted analyses of pressure pulsation characteristics under various flow rates through experimentation. Additionally, numerical simulations were employed to scrutinize the internal flow of the pump under corresponding flow rates. Research has found that the disturbance of intermediate frequency signals is the main reason for the increase in pressure fluctuations in the hump region, rooted in the annular flow at the impeller inlet and vortex phenomena in the flow channel. Subsequently, the performance of the hump region was improved by optimizing the design of the vane inlet attack angle. The conclusions drawn from this study provide insights and a foundation for the optimal design of reactor coolant pumps.

Shock Wave and Aeroelastic Coupling in Overexpanded Nozzle

The growing demand for increasing the engine power of a liquid rocket is driving the development of high-power De-Laval nozzles, which is primarily achieved by increasing the expansion ratio. A high-expansion-ratio for De-Laval nozzles can cause flow separation, resulting in unsteady, asymmetric forces that can limit nozzle life. To enhance nozzle performance, various separation control methods have been proposed, but no methods have been fully implemented thus far due to the uncertainties associated with simulating flow phenomena. A numerical study of a high-area-ratio rocket engine is performed to analyze the aeroelastic performance of its structure under flow separation conditions. Based on numerical methodology, the flow inside a rocket nozzle (the VOLVO S1) is analyzed, and different separation patterns are comprehensively discussed, including both free shock separation (FSS) and restricted shock separation (RSS). Since the location of the flow separation point strongly depends on the turbulence model, both the single transport equation and two-transport-equation turbulence models are simulated, and the findings are compared with the experimental results. Therefore, the Spalart–Allmaras (SA) turbulence model is the ideal choice for this rocket nozzle geometry. A wavelet is used to analyze the amplitude frequencies from 0 to 100 Hz under various pressure fluctuation conditions. Based on a clear understanding of the flow field, an aeroelastic coupling method is carried out with loosely coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD)/computational structural dynamics (CSD). Some insights into the aeroelasticity of the nozzle under separated flow conditions are obtained. The simulation results show the significant impact of the structural response on the inherent pressure pulsation characteristics resulting from flow separation.

Influence of deflector on the internal flow characteristics and pulsation characteristics of the roots-type hydrogen circulation pump

The internal flow instability and high pulsation characteristics in the Roots-type hydrogen circulation pump (RHCP) are the main causes of its aerodynamic noise. This study proposes two mathematical models of new deflectors combined in the static domain to improve flow stability and reduce gas pulsations. Meanwhile, this study also compares the simulation results of different cases with a combination of different deflectors and then chooses the best performance case to research with the original model. Results found that placing the V-shaped deflector at the inlet of the rotor domain effectively reduces pressure pulsations in the RHCP at low rotary speeds. The pressure pulsation index at the inlet of the rotor domain decreased by about 26% compared to the original modal, and the outlet pressure pulsation index decreased by about 10%. Additionally, at low rotary speed, the V-shaped deflector significantly reduces the impact of radial clearance leakage flow on the flow characteristics inside the suction chamber, which improves the gas flow characteristics in the suction chamber. These research findings provide new ideas and methods for designing and manufacturing RHCPs.

Study on the influence of guide vane opening on pressure pulsation of pump-turbine under zero flow pump condition

Abstract Reversible pump-turbine is the key equipment of energy conversion in large pumped storage power station, and it is the core of stable operation of power station. Under the pump condition, the internal pressure pulsation law of the pump-turbine has an important influence on the stable operation of the pump. In order to study the pressure pulsation characteristics of pump-turbine in pump mode under zero flow condition, this study carried out unsteady numerical simulation on three kinds of guide vane openings, and analyzed the amplitude frequency characteristics of pressure pulsation in turbine under different head and the influence of internal flow characteristics on pressure pulsation. The research shows that in the pump mode, when the guide vane opening of the turbine increases, the influence of the blade frequency and the shaft frequency on the vaneless area increases, resulting in the maximum pressure fluctuation amplitude in the vaneless area under the pump condition, especially when GVO = 19 °. At the same time, due to the influence of dynamic and static interference, the larger turbulent kinetic energy appears in the vaneless area and the connection between the guide vane flow channel and the runner flow channel, resulting in an increase in hydraulic loss. Both the experimental and simulation results show that the guide vane opening of 19 ° should be avoided to reduce the hydraulic loss in the vaneless area when the turbine is operated under the zero flow pump condition.

Pressure pulsation and radial force characteristics of dual-side impellers for the turbine energy recovery integrated machine

Abstract The inherent instabilities within the structure of the turbine-type energy recovery integrated machine (TT-ERIM) have the potential to compromise its smoothness and longevity, which could result in malfunctions. The dynamics of the dual-side impeller of TT-ERIM have been investigated through the use of computational fluid dynamics software (CFX) and the manipulation of the inlet flow rate. Pressure pulsation and radial force on each side under different flow conditions, and their impact on the hydraulic performance of the impeller and volute, are compared and evaluated through unsteady numerical calculations. The results show that the pressure fluctuation pattern of a centrifugal pump impeller is suboptimal at low flow rates, with fluctuations increasing as the flow rate falls below the rated value. Conversely, the pressure fluctuations of the turbine impeller remain consistent and are slightly reduced with excessively high flow rates. The generation of a negative pressure zone in the turbine impeller is indicative of an uneven overall pressure distribution. This research provides a theoretical framework for enhancing the TT-ERIM operational stability.

Experimental investigation on the effect of the rotor-stator matching mode on velocity pulsation in the centrifugal pump with a vaned diffuser

Centrifugal pumps play an indispensable role in nuclear power plants, where severe turbulent pulsations induced by the rotor-stator interference (RSI) can generate a substantial threat to the safe and stable operation of these facilities. In this study, in order to elucidate the effect of the match of rotor and stator blade number on the unsteady velocity pulsation characteristics inside a vaned diffuser centrifugal pump, three different schemes of rotor and stator matching modes were investigated using LDA measurement technology. The findings indicate that the match of rotor and stator blades exerts a substantial influence on the flow field structure inside the pump, leading to significant variations in the velocity maps near the tongue region. By comparing the blade passing frequency amplitudes of the three pumps, with fewer stator blades leading to a rapid increase in blade passing frequency amplitude. This study demonstrates that altering the match of rotor and stator blades can significantly change the RSI effect and alters the velocity distribution within the pump, and consequently changes the unsteady turbulence intensity in the interaction region. The research findings greatly enhance the understanding of velocity pulsation within the pump and provide effective support for mitigating RSI effect.

Study on the internal flow evolution mechanism and pressure pulsation characteristics of the transient process of variable speed regulation of centrifugal pump

Abstract In view of the fact that it is not possible to quantitatively analyze any change in the internal flow characteristics of traditional centrifugal pumps during variable speed regulation, numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out in this study to obtain the optimal adjustment range of variable speed regulation. A single-stage IS80-65-160 centrifugal pump is modeled in 3D using Pro/E and ICEM software, followed by CFD simulations. Results are compared with experimental data, showing good agreement. Variable speed adjustments ranging from 0.5-1.0 times the original values are applied to observe changes in internal flow characteristics, such as velocity and turbulent kinetic energy. Pressure and velocity variations in different parts of the pump are studied under varied working conditions. Pressure pulsation frequency domain characteristics are measured at monitoring points in the volute. Findings indicate that as flow rate decreases due to variable speed regulation, velocity decreases linearly, while turbulent kinetic energy decreases quadratically in a uniform distribution. Pressure fluctuations within the volute remain within 0.01 Cp range, but at the tongue, fluctuations can reach up to 0.6 Cp, suggesting an optimal adjustment range within 30% of the rated value.