Energy performance and flow characteristics of a multiphase pump with different tip clearance sizes

Zhang, Jinsong; Fan, Honggang; Zhang, Wei; Xie, Zhifeng

doi:10.1177/1687814018823356

Cited by 40 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 52 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…Next, the tip leakage vortex (TLV) occurs [8,9]. The TLV increases the hydraulic loss in the passage and weakens the hydraulic performance and efficiency, even causing vibration and noise, which has a considerable effect on the operation stability of pumps [10][11][12][13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Tip Clearance on Helico-Axial Flow Pump Performance at Off-Design Case

et al. 2021

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To reveal the effect of tip clearance on the flow behaviors and pressurization performance of a helico-axial flow pump, the standard k-ε turbulence model is employed to simulate the flow characteristics in the self-developed helico-axial flow pump. The pressure, streamlines and turbulent kinetic energy in a helico-axial flow pump are analyzed. Results show that the tip leakage flow (TLF) forms a tip-separation vortex (TSV) when it enters the tip clearance and forms a tip-leakage vortex (TLV) when it leaves the tip clearance. As the blade tip clearance increases, the TLV moves along the blade from the leading edge (LE) to trailing edge (TE). At the same time, the entrainment between the TLV and the main flow deteriorates the flow pattern in the pump and causes great hydraulic loss. In addition, the existence of tip clearance also increases the possibility of TLV cavitation and has a great effect on the pressurization performance of the helico-axial flow pump. The research results provide the theoretical basis for the structural optimization design of the helico-axial flow pump.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Tip Clearance on Helico-Axial Flow Pump Performance at Off-Design Case

et al. 2021

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“…According to the results, the total radial force on the principal axis harbored close association to the fluctuation of mass flow rate within each single flow passage and the radial force upon the blade PS decreased as the tip clearance increased. Zhang J S. et al [14] selected tip clearance sizes of 0.0, 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 mm for investigating the effects of tip clearance oriented with energy performance and flow characteristics of a multiphase pump. As the results demonstrated, the dominant frequencies and maximum amplitudes of pressure fluctuation rose were rising along with the growth in tip clearance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of the Gas Volume Fraction on the Pressure Load of the Multiphase Pump Blade

et al. 2021

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The gas volume fraction (GVF) often changes from time to time in a multiphase pump, causing the power capability of the pump to be increasingly affected. In the purpose of revealing the pressure load characteristics of the multiphase pump impeller blade with the gas-liquid two-phase case, firstly, a numerical simulation which uses the SST k-ω turbulence model is verified with an experiment. Then, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software is employed to investigate the variation characteristics of static pressure and pressure load of the multiphase pump impeller blade under the diverse inlet gas volume fractions (IGVFs) and flow rates. The results show that the effect of IGVF on the head and hydraulic efficiency at a small flow rate is obviously less than that at design and large flow rates. The static pressure on the blade pressure side (PS) is scarcely affected by the IGVF. However, the IGVF has an evident effect on the static pressure on the impeller blade suction side (SS). Moreover, the pump power capability is descended by degrees as the IGVF increases, and it is also descended with the increase of the flow rate at the impeller inlet. Simultaneously, under the same IGVF, with the increase of the flow rate, the peak value of the pressure load begins to gradually move toward the outlet and its value from hub to shroud is increased. The research results have important theoretical significance for improving the power capability of the multiphase pump impeller.

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“…Many research results on tip clearance flow have achieved by high-speed photography and PIV; however, due to the high cost, long period and difficulty in measuring in the tip region using experiment method, numerical simulation is still the main method to investigate the tip leakage flow at present. Zhang, J et al 16 studied the effect of different tip clearances on the energy and flow characteristics in the multiphase pump based on the shear stress transport (SST) k-x turbulence model. The results showed that the tip clearance increase proportionally with a entrainment strength between the tip leakage flow and the main flow along the leakage rate.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Velocity characteristics in a multiphase pump under different tip clearances

Shi

Liu

Xiao

et al. 2020

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A:

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To investigate the effect of tip clearance on the velocity distribution in a multiphase pump, the internal flow and velocity distribution characteristics in pump under different tip clearances are studied using experimental and numerical methods. Simulations based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) and the standard k-ε turbulence model are carried out using ANSYS CFX. Under conditions of inlet gas void fraction (IGVF) is 5% at the flow rate of 0.6Q, 0.7Q and 0.8Q (Q is the design flow rate), the accuracy of the numerical method is verified by comparing with the experimental data using high-speed photography. Results show that the leakage flow interacts with the main flow and evolves into the tip leakage vortex (TLV). Due to the TLV, the pressure, velocity, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), vorticity and streamlines on the S2 stream surface in the impeller and diffuser are changed greatly under different tip clearances. The velocities at the impeller outlet and diffuser inlet along the radial direction are also changed. The axial velocity distribution is similar to the meridional velocity distribution at the impeller blade outlet. While the relative velocity and absolute velocity distribution show the opposite trends. In addition, the vorticity is larger near the tip separated vortex and the hydraulic loss in pump is also increased due to the TLV.

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Energy performance and flow characteristics of a multiphase pump with different tip clearance sizes

Cited by 40 publications

References 52 publications

Effect of Tip Clearance on Helico-Axial Flow Pump Performance at Off-Design Case

Effect of Tip Clearance on Helico-Axial Flow Pump Performance at Off-Design Case

Effect of the Gas Volume Fraction on the Pressure Load of the Multiphase Pump Blade

Velocity characteristics in a multiphase pump under different tip clearances

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