NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE CAVITATION IN PUMP INDUCER
Main Article Content
Abstract
A numerical investigation of the non-cavitating and cavitating performance of a three-blade pump inducer under nominal and off-design operating conditions is presented. Three different simulated hydrofoils; a flat plate, “NACA0004", and "Clark-Y-6%" has been selected to represent the profile of the inducer blade. A 2D, steady, incompressible, turbulent, and isothermal flow field between the inducer blades is simulated using the FVM. The "Interface Tracking" model is selected to predict the cavity profile of the attached cavitation and the cavitating performance drop. For each blade profile, the influence of solidity in the range of (1.8 to 3.0) and blade angle in the range of (20° to 35°) on the inducer performance is studied. Comparing the present model with available experimental and numerical results, confirms that the developed model well predicts the general non-cavitating performance for an inducer having a flat plate blade profile. For "NACA0004", or "Clark-Y-6%" hydrofoil blade profiles, a reduction in the operating range of these inducers is produced. In addition, the developed model predicts the inception of cavitation earlier than the experimental results. The predicted cavitating head drop curve of an inducer having a flat plate blade profile is compared with available experimental results and a good agreement is obtained. The drop curve occurs suddenly and simultaneously with the experimental one. For "NACA0004“, or "Clark-Y-6%" hydrofoil blade profiles, a smooth curves with simultaneous or gradual head drop occurs with the experimental one, respectively. Generally, the agreement between the results is satisfactory
Article Details
How to Cite
Publication Dates
References
-Acosta, A.J., 1958, "An experimental study of cavitation inducers", Proceedings of 2nd Symposium on Navel Hydrodynamics, Washington D.C., pp. 533-557.
-Ait-Bouziad, Y., Farhat, M., Guennoun, F., Kueny, J.L., Avellan, F., 2003, "Physical modeling and simulation of leading edge cavitation, application to an industrial inducer", Fifth International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2003), (cav03-os-6-014), Osaka, Japan, November 1-4.
-Ait-Bouziad, Y., Farhat, M., Kueny, J.L., Avellan, F., Miyagawa, K., 2004, "Experimental and numerical cavitation flow analysis of an industrial inducer", nd 22 IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems, June 29 - July 2, Stockholm – Sweden.
-AL-Saffar, M.A., 2007, “Numerical investigation of the cavitation in pump inducer”, Ph. D. Thesis, Mechanical Department, College of Engineering, University of Baghdad, Iraq.
-Bakir, F., Kouidri, S., Mejri, I., Rey, R., 2003, "Hub shape effects under cavitation on the inducers performance", Fifth International Symposium on Cavitation (cav2003), (Cav03-OS-6-001), Osaka, Japan, November 1-4.
-Bakir, F., Rey, R., Gerber, A.G., Belamri, T., Hutchinson, B., 2004, "Numerical and experimental investigations of the cavitating behavior of an inducer", International Journal of Rotating Machinery,10: 15-25
-Brennen, C.E., 1995, "Cavitation and bubble dynamics", Oxford University Press.
-Brennen, C.E., 2005, "Fundamentals of multiphase flows", Cambridge University Press.
-Coutier-Delgosha, O., Morel, P., Fortes-Patella, R., Reboud, J.L., 2002, "Numerical simulation of turbopump inducer cavitating behavior", IJRM paper No. 02-Y-56, (Previously presented at ISROMAC-9 Conference, Honolulu).
-Coutier-Delgosha, O., Reboud, J.L., Fortes-Patella, R., 2001, "Numerical study of the effect of the leading edge shape on cavitation around inducer blade sections", Forth International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2001, session B7.003), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA, 20-23 June.
-Hirschi, R., Dupont, Ph., Avellan, F., Favre, J.-N., Guelich, J.-F., Parkinson, E., 1998, "Centrifugal pump performance drop due to leading edge cavitation : Numerical predictions compared with model tests", Journal of Fluid Engineering, Vol. 120, pp 705-711, December.
-Joussellin, F., Courtot, Y., Coutier-Delgosha, O., Reboud, J.L., 2001, "Cavitating inducer instabilities: Experimental analysis and 2D numerical simulation of unsteady flow in blade cascade", Forth International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2001, session B8.002), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA, 20-23 June.
-Nilsson, H., 2002, "Numerical investigation of turbulent flow in water turbines", Ph.D. Thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
-Reboud, J.L., Coutier-Delgosha, O., Pouffary, B., Fortes-Patella, R., 2003, "Numerical simulation of unsteady cavitating flows: Some applications and open problems", Fifth International Symposium on Cavitation (CAV2003), (CAV2003-IL-10), Osaka, Japan, November 1-4.
-Tokumasu, T., Sekino, Y., Kamijo, K., 2003, "A new modeling of sheet cavitation considering the thermodynamic effects", Fifth International Symposium on Caviation, (Cav03-GS-16-003), Osaka, Japan, November 1-4.
-Wang, Y., Komori, S., 1998, "Prediction of duct flows with a pressure-based Procedure", Journal of Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A, Applications, Vol. 33, No. 7, pp.723-748, Taylor & Francis, London.