CFD Calculation of a Mixed Flow Pump Characteristic From Shutoff to Maximum Flow

Abstract

The behavior of the flow in a vertical semi-axial mixed flow pump has been analyzed by numerical flow simulations of the entire stage, and the results have been compared to test data. As the flow is expected to be unsteady at part load in such a pump, the steady-state simulations were complemented with unsteady flow simulations of the entire machine at one part load operating point. Pressure measurements at different locations in the casing of the pump provided valuable data for the validation of the calculated pressure head. This paper shows that the pump characteristic can be quite accurately predicted from full load to part load by modern numerical tools. Simulations of the unsteady flow, which use much more computer resources, are also feasible in an industrial environment and yield detailed information about the flow patterns and pressure fluctuations in the pump.