Showing papers by "Matthew Stickland published in 2011"

Design optimisation of a regenerative pump using numerical and experimental techniques

Abstract: Purpose – Regenerative pumps are the subject of increased interest in industry as these pumps are low‐cost, low‐specific speed, compact and able to deliver high heads with stable performance characteristics. However, these pumps have a low efficiency (35‐50 per cent). The complex flow field within the pumps represents a considerable challenge to detailed mathematical modelling. Better understanding of the flow field would result in improvement of the pump efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to consider a numerical and experimental analysis of a regenerative pump to simulate the flow field and math pump performance.Design/methodology/approach – This paper outlines the use of a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to simulate the flow field within the regenerative pump and compare the CFD results with new experimental data. A novel rapid manufacturing process is used to consider the effect of impeller geometry changes on the pump efficiency.Findings – The CFD results demonstrate that it i...

A One-Dimensional Numerical Model for the Momentum Exchange in Regenerative Pumps

Abstract: The regenerative pump is a rotor-dynamic turbomachine capable of developing high heads at low flow rates and low specific speeds. In spite of their low efficiency, usually less than 50 %, they have found a wide range of applications as compact single-stage pumps with other beneficial features. The potential of a modified regenerative pump design is presented for consideration of the performance improvements. In this paper the fluid dynamic behaviour of the novel design was predicted using a one-dimensional model developed by the authors. Unlike most one-dimensional models previously published for regenerative pumps, the momentum exchange is computed numerically. Previous one-dimensional models relied on experimental data and correction factors; the model presented in this paper demonstrates accurate prediction of the pump performance characteristics without the need for correction with experimental data. The validity of this approach is highlighted by the comparison of computed and measured results for two different regenerative pump standards. The pump performance is assessed numerically without the need of correction factors or other experimental data. This paper presents an approach for regenerative pumps using a physically valid geometry model and by resolving the circulatory velocity in peripheral direction.

Computational and Experimental Study on the effect of flow field distortion on the accuracy of the measurements made by anemometers on the Fino3 Meteorological mast

Abstract: This paper reports on the experimental and computational modelling of the flow field around the FINO3 mast and provides an estimate of the amount of distortion that might be expected on instrumentation mounted on such a large structure. The open source C++ toolbox OpenFOAM was used for the CFD analysis. In order to validate the CFD model, experimental work was carried out in an open section wind tunnel using hot wire anemometry to measure the velocity profile around a sub-scale model of part of the FINO3 mast. The experimental data are in good agreement with the data from the CFD simulation

An open source CFD study of air flow over complex terrain

Abstract: This paper presents an open source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study of air flow over a complex terrain. The open source C++ toolbox OpenFOAM has been used for the CFD analysis and the terrain considered is a scale model of Berlengas Island, which lies close to the Portuguese coast. In order to validate the CFD model, experimental work has been carried out in an open-section wind tunnel using hot-wire anemometry to measure the wind profiles above the island. In the majority of cases, the OpenFOAM CFD solutions show very good agreement with the experimental wind profile data, confirming that open source CFD solutions are possible for environmental flows over complex terrain.