Experimental investigation of the unsteady flow in a double-blade centrifugal pump impeller

Abstract

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technology was used to study the unsteady internal flow in a double-blade centrifugal pump (DBCP) impeller at the design flow rate. Relative velocity distributions and turbulence intensity distributions in the DBCP impeller at six phase conditions were obtained. And mean dimensionless relative velocity, turbulence intensity, mean absolute flow angle, mean relative flow angle, mean dynamic pressure and mean angular momentum distributions at the different radii of impeller were calculated. Results show that from impeller inlet to impeller outlet, turbulence intensities gradually decrease. With the increase of radius r, mean dimensionless relative velocity first decreases and then increases, while variation tendencies of mean absolute flow angle and mean dynamic pressure are the opposite. With the increase of radius r, turbulence intensity and mean relative flow angle first decrease, then increase, and then decrease, while mean angular momentum gradually increases.