Transient vortical structure evolution under part-load condition in a high-power double-suction centrifugal pump based on Liutex method

Abstract

In order to investigate the evolution of vortical structures inside a high-power double-suction centrifugal pump, the flow fields were solved numerically by the SST k-ω turbulence mode. After experimental validation, the Liutex/Rortex method was adopted for identifying vortices for each step from the numerical results, and the enstrophy was adopted to present the kinetic energy that vortical structures contained. The vortical structures at different seconds were obtained, and the vortices evolution was figured out. The results indicate that: the wake vortex was the dominant type inside the volute. Vortical structures at the impeller inlet evolve periodically. The interactions between the impeller leading edge with suction ribs and the blade trailing edge and volute tongues were critical factors for vortex evolution. Vortical structures mainly formed at the impeller inlet near the blade suction side. The suction rib would decrease the absolute rotational intensity around it, but the relative local rigid vortex would keep a high intensity. Due to the suction rib and volute tongues, the vortices variated with a period of 1/2T.