Jiaxing Lu

Bio: Jiaxing Lu is an academic researcher from Jiangsu University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Mechanics & Centrifugal pump. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 8 publications receiving 59 citations.

Numerical and experimental investigation on the development of cavitation in a centrifugal pump

Abstract: Concerning the development of cavitation in a centrifugal pump, numerical simulations and experimental investigations have been carried out in a closed hydraulic test rig. The internal flow characteristics and pressure pulsation at pump inlet and outlet have been analyzed during the process of cavitation development. The results of the research reveal the occurrence and development of cavitation in the centrifugal pump which has been confirmed through experiments and numerical simulation. The degree of pump cavitation could be monitored through pump inlet and outlet pressure pulsation. Compared with pump outlet pressure pulsation, pump inlet pressure pulsation is more sensitive to the change of cavitation. According to the results of the investigation, the typical frequency of pump inlet pressure pulsation could be regarded as around 30 Hz in the severe cavitation conditions. Meanwhile, the pump head dropped by 0.77% from noncavitation conditions which could be regarded as a symbol of incipient cavitation.

The characteristics investigation under the unsteady cavitation condition in a centrifugal pump

Abstract: Numerical simulation and experimental method are combined to investigate the pump inlet and outlet pressure fluctuations, the vibration characteristics and the internal flow instabilities under the unsteady cavitation condition in a centrifugal pump. It is found that the unsteady cavitation starts to generate as the NPSHa is lower than 5.93 m. Apparent asymmetric and uneven cavity volume distribution on each blade and in the impeller can be observed as the NPSHa decreases from 4.39 m to 1.44 m, which includes the cavitation develops from cavitation surge, rotating cavitation to asymmetric cavitation. The flow vortexes in each blade channel are produced in the cavity trailing edges by the shedding and collapse of cavitation, which interfere with each other and aggravate the flow instabilities. The dominant frequencies of the pump inlet and outlet pressure fluctuations are the shaft frequency and blade passing frequency under the unsteady cavitation conditions, respectively. Broadband pulses are obtained from both the pump inlet and outlet pressure pulsations, which results from the random shedding and collapse of unsteady cavitation bubbles. Obvious corresponding relationship between the root mean squares of the vibration measured in different positions and the suction performance curve is found under both the non-cavitation and unsteady cavitation conditions.

Investigation on the vibration and flow instabilities induced by cavitation in a centrifugal pump

Abstract: Numerical calculations and experimental measurements were carried out in a closed hydraulic test rig to investigate the vibration characteristics and instabilities induced by the development of cav...

An experimental study on the cavitation vibration characteristics of a centrifugal pump at normal flow rate

Abstract: Cavitation is a challenging flow abnormality that leads to undesirable effects on the energy performance of the centrifugal pump and the reliable operation of the pump system. The onset and mechanism of a phenomenon that results in unsteady cavitation must be realised to ensure a reliable operation of pumps under the cavitation state. This study focuses on cavitation instability at normal flow rate, at which point the unsteady cavitation occurs as the available net positive suction head (NPSHa) falls below 5.61 m for the researched pump. An ameliorative algorithm–united algorithm for cavitation vibration analysis is proposed on the basis of short time Fourier transform (STFT) and Wigner–Ville distribution (WVD). The STFT–WVD method is then tested using vibration data measured from the centrifugal pump. The relationship between vibration and suction performance indicates that the inception and development of cavitation can be effectively detected by the distribution and intensity of the united algorithm at the testing points. Intermediate frequency components at approximately 6 kHz fluctuate initially with the development of cavitation. A time–frequency characteristic is found to be conducive to monitoring the cavitation performance of centrifugal pumps.

Internal flow structure, fault detection, and performance optimization of centrifugal pumps

Abstract: This review mainly summarizes the latest developments in the internal flow field and external characteristics of centrifugal pumps. In particular, the latest findings of centrifugal pumps focused on turbulence and cavitation models, flow visualization methods, and fault detection based on noise and vibration. The external characteristics, cavitation, and vibration of the centrifugal pump were extensively discussed. In addition, advanced multi-objective optimization methods for improving impeller’s efficiency and reducing net positive suction head (NPSH) were briefed. Although some progress was made in this field, there remain many unsolved problems, such as monitoring and modeling of cavitation, rotational stall phenomenon, and discrepancies between simulation and measurement. In the future, researchers are encouraged to employ multi-dimensional flow visualization technologies and high-performance computing facilities to advance existing understandings on these issues and create new research directions.

Pump as turbine cavitation performance for both conventional and reverse operating modes: A review

Abstract: With the increasing adoption of renewable energy sources globally, hydropower contributes significantly to energy generation through various schemes ranging from big to small-scale plants. In small-scale hydropower plants, the preference for reverse-operated pumps (known as pump as turbines or PATs) over small-scale hydroturbines has increased. However, apart from the associated economic advantages, PATs, like any other hydraulic machinery, are not free from common problems such as cavitation. Cavitation is a phenomenon in which air bubbles are formed within the fluid medium due to substantial local pressure drop and their eventual collapse causes material erosion and degrades the overall machine efficiency. Several studies have focused on PAT conventional operating mode, while its reverse mode just begun to gain research interest. Nevertheless, cavitation remains a common problem in PATs at various hydro-sites. Therefore, to analyze PAT cavitation performance and highlight the differences between its two operating modes in terms of their development mechanisms, this article presents a thorough review of PAT cavitation dynamics and influencing parameters, as well as the future research directions. It is found that PAT reverse mode is more prone to cavitation, but more damages would occur in the conventional mode. Nevertheless, modifying the PAT geometric design parameters can considerably improve its cavitation performance. However, this approach has not been sufficiently investigated for PAT reverse operating mode and hence requires further research. Note that the terms “PAT conventional mode,” “PAT pumping mode,” and “pump” are equally used throughout this paper. • Studies on cavitation performance in hydraulic pumps as turbines (PATs) are reviewed. • Both pump and turbine modes are considered in the review. • PATs are found to have gained importance due to their applicability in remote areas. • PAT reverse mode operations require high heads and flows; prone to cavitation. • Geometric design modification is widely used for PAT cavitation performance improvement.

Unsteady flow characteristics and cavitation prediction in the double-suction centrifugal pump using a novel approach:

Abstract: The recent advances in centrifugal pump design do not only require a better suction performance but also there have been attempts to reduce design time at a lower cost. The traditional trial-and-er...