Measurements of Rotating Stall Inside a Centrifugal Pump Impeller

Abstract

Velocity measurements have been obtained in a centrifugal pump with a volute. The measurements have been obtained between the blade passages of a shrouded impeller and in the volute region using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). Complimentary measurements have been obtained with pressure transducers circumferentially mounted on the volute. The flow through the impeller is measured at both design load and at several off-design conditions including severe off-design conditions. Results show that flow behaviour at design conditions Qd is well behaved. At reduced flow off-design conditions (0.25Qd) the measured flow pattern was altered significantly showing alternating stable stationary stalled and unstalled passages. Spectral analysis of the data from the LDV probe and the pressure probes showed a marked change in the spectrum as the stall phenomena occurs. This result is in contrast with previous researchers who have reported partially stalled flow passages or rotating stall conditions where the stall pattern rotated relative to the impeller with a regular frequency.