Tip clearance in pump induces tip leakage vortex (TLV), which interacts with the main flow and leads to instability of flow pattern and decrease of pump performance. In this work, the characteristics of TLV in a mixed-flow pump are investigated by the numerical simulation using shear stress transport (SST) k–ω turbulence model with experimental validation. The trajectory of the primary tip leakage vortex (PTLV) is determined, and a power function law is proposed to describe the intensity of the PTLV core along the trajectory. Spatial–temporal evolution of the TLV in an impeller revolution period T can be classified into three stages: splitting stage, developing stage, and merging stage. The TLV oscillation period TT is found as 19/160 T, corresponding to the frequency 8.4 fi (fi is impeller rotating frequency). Results reveal that the TLV oscillation is intensified by the sudden pressure variation at the junction of two adjacent blades. On analysis of the relative vorticity transport equation, it is revealed that the relative vortex stretching item in Z direction is the major source of the splitting and shedding of the PTLV. The dominant frequency of pressure and vorticity fluctuations on the PTLV trajectory is 8.4 fi, same as the TLV oscillation frequency. This result reveals that the flow instability in the PTLV trajectory is dominated by the oscillation of the TLV. The blade number has significant effect on pressure fluctuation in tip clearance and on blade pressure side, because the TLV oscillation period varies with the circumferential length of flow passage.

Spatial-temporal evolution of tip leakage vortex in a mixed flow pump with tip clearance

Entropy production diagnostic analysis of energy consumption for cavitation flow in a two-stage LNG cryogenic submerged pump

Propellers, pumps, and turbines are widely applied in marine equipment, water systems, and hydropower stations. With the increasing demand for energy conservation and environmental protection, the high efficiency and the stable operation of pumps and turbine have been drawing great attention in recent decades. However, the tip clearance between the rotating impeller and the stationary shroud can induce leakage flow and interact with the main stream, introducing complex vortex structures. Consequently, the energy performance and the operation stability of pumps and turbines deteriorate considerably. Constant efforts are exerted to investigate the flow mechanism of tip-clearance flow and its induced influence on performance. However, due to various pump and turbine types and the complexity of tip-clearance flow, previous works are usually focused on a specific issue. Therefore, a systematic review that synthesizes the related research is necessary and meaningful. This review investigates related research in the recent two decades in the perspectives from fundamental physics to engineering applications. Results reveal the vortex types, trajectory, evolution, and cavitation behaviors induced by tip-clearance flow. It is concluded that the influence characteristics of tip clearance on energy performance are closely related to the machinery type. Tip-clearance size and tip shape are found to be crucial parameters for tip-leakage vortex (TLV). The proposed optimization schemes are also demonstrated to provide inspiration for future research. Overall, this review article provides a coherent insight into the characteristics of tip-clearance flow and the associated engineering-design applications. On the basis of these understandings, comments on conducted research and ideas on future research are proposed.

A Review of Tip Clearance in Propeller, Pump and Turbine

The tip-leakage vortex (TLV) cavitation is a challenging issue for a variety of axial hydraulic turbines and pumps from both technical and scientific viewpoints. The flow characteristics of the TLV cavitation were widely studied in the past decades, but the knowledge about the tip-leakage cavitating flow is still limited. The present paper reviews the progresses in the researches of the TLV cavitation, including the numerical methods for the TLV cavitation, the flow characteristics of the TLV, the influences of the TLV cavitation on the local flow field and the control strategies of the TLV cavitation. It is indicated that the non-condensable gas may play an important role in the development of the TLV cavitation, and this fact should be considered during a careful simulation of the TLV cavitation. It is also suggested that the development of the TLV cavitation will significantly influence the distributions of the vorticity and the turbulence kinetic energy. Due to the complexity of the TLV cavitation, it is still an open question how to suppress the TLV cavitation in a simple but effective way. Finally, based on these understandings, some advanced topics for the future work are suggested to further promote the study of the TLV cavitation, for a deeper knowledge about the TLV cavitation.

A review of cavitation in tip-leakage flow and its control

A high-speed centrifugal pump with a splitter-blade inducer is investigated in this work. The flow with rotating cavitation is numerically simulated, external characteristics are subjected to experimental tests, and the internal flow is visualized. These procedures are conducted to obtain the pressure, velocity, and vapor volume fraction distribution in the inducer and the impeller of the centrifugal pump. Bubble occurrence, development, and collapse are also observed. The predicted H-Q and η-Q curves agree with the experimental results of external characteristics. The calculated vapor volume fraction also agrees with the experimental results obtained from the visualization system. The mechanism of bubble evolution and the anti-cavitation performance of the high-speed centrifugal pump with a splitter-blade inducer are clearly elucidated.

Numerical and experimental investigations on the cavitation characteristics of a high-speed centrifugal pump with a splitter-blade inducer

Performance assessment of electrically driven pump-fed LOX/kerosene cycle rocket engine: Comparison with gas generator cycle

A hydraulic performance test is conducted for a fuel pump of a liquid rocket engine turbopump. The pump driven by an electric motor is tested in a water environment. Experimental results indicate that the inducer has a negligible effect on the head and efficiency of the pump but a significant effect on the cavitation performance. Additionally, an autonomous inducer test is carried out to investigate the effect of the inducer on the pump performance in more detail, and it is found out that the pump reaches a critical cavitation point when the inducer head is dropped by 55%. A reduction of required net positive suction head of the centrifugal pump by attachment of an inducer is also calculated considering the flow interference between the inducer and the centrifugal impeller, and it is found that the calculation shows a reasonable agreement with the test.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0954406212449939

Study on inducer and impeller of a centrifugal pump for a rocket engine turbopump

Cavitation instabilities of an inducer in a cryogenic pump

Experimental and computational studies on an inducer with and without a bearing strut are performed to evaluate the effects of a strut on the performance of an inducer. Global performance data such as head rise and efficiency, and detail flow characteristics such as surface static pressures are measured and compared with computational results. Generally a good agreement is observed between experimental and computational results, but some discrepancies are observed due to complex flow features such as backflows at the inlet and strut/inducer interactions. For the flow rates where the backflow region is large, installing a strut enhances the hydraulic performance of the inducer by diminishing the size of the backflows. The result also shows that the strut has negligible effects on the suction performance of the inducer.

Effects of a Bearing Strut on the Performance of a Turbopump Inducer

The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effects of tip clearance on cavitation performance and flow characteristics in a turbopump inducer by using computational fluid dynamics Three different tip clearances were analyzed under design (Qd) and off-design (08Qd and 12Qd) cavitating conditions The Rayleigh–Plesset model was implemented in ANSYS CFX 130 by using rate equation controlling vapor generation and condensation in the context of two-phase one-fluid analysis to calculate the cavitating flows Numerical results in this study were validated by comparison with experimental results for suction performance Cavitation inception occurs at the leading edge of the blade tip For high cavitation numbers, the static pressure under cavitating conditions is almost the same as that under noncavitating conditions because tip vortex cavitation and tip leakage vortex cavitation do not affect the flow significantly or deteriorate the overall performance Tip vortex cavitation and tip leakage

Chang-Ho Choi

Papers

Performance assessment of electrically driven pump-fed LOX/kerosene cycle rocket engine: Comparison with gas generator cycle

Study on inducer and impeller of a centrifugal pump for a rocket engine turbopump

Cavitation instabilities of an inducer in a cryogenic pump

Effects of a Bearing Strut on the Performance of a Turbopump Inducer

Tip Clearance Effects on Cavitation Evolution and Head Breakdown in Turbopump Inducer