Unsteady flow phenomena like rotating stall frequently occur in centrifugal pumps under off-design conditions. Rotating stall could lead to flow instabilities and pressure pulsation, which affect the normal operation of pumps. The mechanism of rotating stall has not been sufficiently understood in previous researches. In this study, the impact of rotating stall in the impeller on centrifugal pump stability and pressure pulsation is numerically investigated. This paper aims to detect the unsteady flow characteristics inside the centrifugal pump by computational fluid dynamics technology, to analyze pressure pulsations caused by rotating stall and to explore the propagation mechanism of rotating stall. Unsteady numerical simulations are performed by ANSYS 16.0 to model the unsteady flow within the entire flow passage of a centrifugal pump under 0.4QBEP and 0.6QBEP working conditions. Through flow characteristics research, the generation and propagation of rotating stall are discovered. Flow separation appears near the leading edge of the pressure side and transforms into vortices, which move along the passage. Meanwhile, the stall cells rotate circumferentially in the impeller. Additionally, frequencies and amplitudes of pressure pulsations related to rotating stall are investigated by spectrum analysis. The results detect a possible characteristic frequency of rotating stall and show that the interaction between stall cells and the volute tongue could have an influence on rotor–stator interaction (RSI).
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February 2018
Research-Article
Unsteady Flow and Pressure Pulsation Characteristics Analysis of Rotating Stall in Centrifugal Pumps Under Off-Design Conditions
Xiaoran Zhao,
Xiaoran Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhaoxr14@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhaoxr14@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Yexiang Xiao,
Yexiang Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: xiaoyex@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: xiaoyex@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Zhengwei Wang,
Zhengwei Wang
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wzw@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wzw@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Yongyao Luo,
Yongyao Luo
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: luoyy@tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: luoyy@tsinghua.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Lei Cao
Lei Cao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: caolei613@126.com
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: caolei613@126.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Xiaoran Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhaoxr14@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: zhaoxr14@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn
Yexiang Xiao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: xiaoyex@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: xiaoyex@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Zhengwei Wang
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wzw@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: wzw@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Yongyao Luo
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: luoyy@tsinghua.edu.cn
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: luoyy@tsinghua.edu.cn
Lei Cao
State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: caolei613@126.com
Engineering and Department of
Thermal Engineering,
Tsinghua University,
Beijing 100084, China
e-mail: caolei613@126.com
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received July 20, 2016; final manuscript received May 16, 2017; published online October 24, 2017. Assoc. Editor: Olivier Coutier-Delgosha.
J. Fluids Eng. Feb 2018, 140(2): 021105 (7 pages)
Published Online: October 24, 2017
Article history
Received:
July 20, 2016
Revised:
May 16, 2017
Citation
Zhao, X., Xiao, Y., Wang, Z., Luo, Y., and Cao, L. (October 24, 2017). "Unsteady Flow and Pressure Pulsation Characteristics Analysis of Rotating Stall in Centrifugal Pumps Under Off-Design Conditions." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. February 2018; 140(2): 021105. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4037973
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