Effect of Geometric Configuration of the Impeller on the Performance of Liquivac Pump: Single Phase Flow (Water)

Abstract

Liquivac pumps, with their unique shaped twin start helical rotor, have found utility in various sectors but the major drawback limiting in their global exploitation is their low performance. This paper investigates the study of performance of the Liquivac pump produced by Tomlinson Hall Ltd. Experimental data was used to validate a numerical model developed in Ansys Fluent 20.2 for the Liquivac pump. Four different geometric models of the rotor were tested numerically to find the optimum design using blade number and pitch length as the criteria to achieve improved efficiency. The choice of turbulence model is an important factor in the most accurate prediction with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Four different turbulence models were validated with experimental measurements. The realizable K-ε model gave the most accurate performance predictions with a relative deviation of 3.8%. So, the realizable K-ε model was employed for further parametric optimization of the rotor. The results indicate a reasonable improvement in the head and efficiency of the Liquivac pump with a new rotor geometry of four equidistant blades in the front, back and four flights with 30 mm pitch. This is attributed to the most favourable balance between the different losses and most guided and uniform flow inside the rotor channels.

Numerical Simulation of Sand Casting of Stainless Steel Pump Impeller

“…Its design typically comprises a central shaft surrounded by a series of vanes or blades arranged around its circumference. Fluid enters the impeller's center and is propelled outward by the blades, resulting in increased fluid velocity and pressure [1][2][3][4]. In recent years, impellers have become indispensable components across various industries, facilitating fluid movement and enhancing efficiency in processes ranging especially in water treatment, power generation, oil and gas production, chemical and pharmaceutical industry, food and beverage production, agriculture, marine, and HVAC systems [5,6].…”