No abstract

A proper design of centrifugal pumps reduces power loss and improves efficiency. This study aims to investigate and analyze the effect of different volute collector configurations on centrifugal pump performance. Locations of losses are detected using the entropy production rate, whereas the number of losses is evaluated using user-defined codes. Three volute collectors are selected based on their connections with standard pipes. A steady flow numerical analysis is performed to determine the performance parameters of the centrifugal pump and select a modified volute collector design. Comparing the results of experiments on the base and modified volute collectors confirmed that the proper design of the volute collector can help reduce the secondary flow losses at subsequent locations, which reduces the entropy production and losses. As compared to the base pump, the modified volute collector improved the pump efficiency by 3% at the duty flow.

The design and off-design performance of a centrifugal pump largely depends on geomechanical parameters. This study aims at enhancing the performance by optimizing three geomechanical parameters of impeller-volute interactions. The present optimization is carried out using the Taguchi method combined with a numerical approach. A comparison between the base and optimized pumps is presented under the design and off-design conditions based on numerical and experimental analyses. The numerical results reveal that, compared to the base pump, the optimized pump shows the improved performance through uniform pressure distribution in the impeller, the reduced low-pressure region towards a blade’s leading edge, and the stable total pressure at the impeller-volute interaction zone. The experimental results suggest that the optimized pump covers a wider range of operation, and its best efficiency point (BEP) is 10%, 5%, and 12% higher in flow rate, head, and efficiency, as compared to the base one.