Axial Thrust Control of High-speed Centrifugal Pump with Cavity Vanes

Abstract

A high-speed centrifugal pump requires more attention to the control of its axial thrust due to the high discharge pressure than a conventional industrial pump. Vanes employed toward the rear cavity of the impeller can be an effective device to control the axial thrust of the pump. The vanes disturb circumferential flow of the cavity and it can modify the axial force acting on the impeller. In this paper, three types of vanes are installed in the high-speed centrifugal pump for liquid rocket engines and the thrust of the pump is measured with an additional thrust measurement unit. According to the results, shapes of cavity vanes have effects on the axial thrust of the pump. As the height of vanes increases, the outlet pressure of the rear floating ring seal decreases which results in a decrease of the thrust. On the other hand, head of the pump is almost same regardless of cavity vanes. Also, the pressure drop of the bypass pipeline increases when vanes are removed. † 서 론

CFD Analysis on the Balancing Hole Design for Magnetic Drive Centrifugal Pumps

“…This condition decreased the head and efficiency, but it could also effectively reduce the axial thrust. Kim et al [8] proposed a method of installing a vane in the pump casing in addition to the existing axial thrust control design to control the pressure of the cavity at the back of the impeller. When the axial thrust of the pump was measured by attaching three kinds of vanes to the rear of the impeller of a high-speed centrifugal pump manufactured for liquid rocket engines, the shape of the vane did not have a significant effect on the pump head.…”