scholarly journals Numerical Analysis of Cavitation Instabilities in Inducer Blade Cascade

2008 ◽  
Vol 130 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoît Pouffary ◽  
Regiane Fortes Patella ◽  
Jean-Luc Reboud ◽  
Pierre-Alain Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Vapor Mixture ◽  
Cavitation Model ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Blade Cascade ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Cavitation Behavior

The cavitation behavior of a four-blade rocket engine turbopump inducer was simulated by the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code FINE∕TURBO™. The code was modified to take into account a cavitation model based on a homogeneous approach of cavitation, coupled with a barotropic state law for the liquid∕vapor mixture. In the present study, the numerical model of unsteady cavitation was applied to a four-blade cascade drawn from the inducer geometry. Unsteady behavior of cavitation sheets attached to the inducer blade suction side depends on the flow rate and cavitation number σ. Numerical simulations of the transient evolution of cavitation on the blade cascade were performed for the nominal flow rate and different cavitation numbers, taking into account simultaneously the four blade-to-blade channels. Depending on the flow parameters, steady or unsteady behaviors spontaneously take place. In unsteady cases, subsynchronous or supersynchronous regimes were observed. Some mechanisms responsible for the development of these instabilities are proposed and discussed.

scholarly journals Numerical Analysis of Cavitation Instabilities In Inducer Blade Cascade

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoiˆt Pouffary ◽  
Regiane Fortes Patella ◽  
Jean-Luc Reboud
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Vapor Mixture ◽  
Cavitation Model ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Blade Cascade ◽  
Cavitation Behavior ◽  
Unsteady Behavior

The cavitation behavior of a four-blade rocket engine turbopump inducer was simulated by the CFD code Fine/TurboTM. The code was modified to take into account a cavitation model based on a homogeneous approach of cavitation, coupled with a barotropic state law for the liquid/vapor mixture [1–4]. In the present study, the numerical model of unsteady cavitation was applied to a four-blade cascade drawn from the inducer geometry. Unsteady behavior of cavitation sheets attached to the inducer blade suction side depends on the flow rate and cavitation number σ. Numerical simulations of the transient evolution of cavitation on the blade cascade were performed for nominal flow rate and different cavitation numbers, taking into account simultaneously the four blade-to-blade channels. Depending on the flow parameters, steady or unsteady behaviors spontaneously take place. In unsteady cases, sub synchronous or super synchronous regimes were observed. Some mechanisms responsible for the development of these instabilities are proposed and discussed.

A Study of Cavitation Flow in a Centrifugal Pump at Part Load Conditions Based on Numerical Analysis

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Yuan ◽  
Yanxia Fu ◽  
Shouqi Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Flow Coefficient ◽  
Inlet Pipe ◽  
Part Load ◽  
Cavitation Inception ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Load Conditions

In order to predict cavitation performance of the centrifugal pump, including cavitating structures and vapour volume at the blade suction side, as well as its relationship with the backflow in the impeller eye, a 3D numerical simulation of detailed steady and unsteady cavitating flow was applied to reproduce its inner flow fields at part load conditions (0.5Qd and 0.4Qd). The comparisons of cavitation characteristics of the current centrifugal pump at an on-design point (1.0Qd) and a high flow rate (1.2Qd) were achieved as well. In addition, Frequency analysis of pressure fluctuations at the blade passages and the inlet pipe were also obtained during cavitation for a flow coefficient of 50%. The results further show that successive blade cavitation patterns and the creeping cavitation number dropping appear for a wide range of flow rates when the inlet total pressure decreases from cavitation inception to the breakdown of the centrifugal pump, as is quite different from that when cavitation occurs at 1.0Qd or 1.2Qd. Unbalanced attached cavities on the blade suction side were also observed at 0.5Qd. Meanwhile, the unsteady behaviour of cavities attached to the blade suction side and cavitation number dropping depend on the flow rate and cavitation number. Another significant characteristic of the phenomenon is that all the domain frequencies in blade passages and inlet pipe at part load conditions are 0.048Hz∼48.285Hz, which is typically lower than the shaft rotational frequency of the model centrifugal pump.

scholarly journals Numerical Model to Predict Unsteady Cavitating Flow Behavior in Inducer Blade Cascades

2006 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Fortes-Patella ◽  
O. Coutier-Delgosha ◽  
J. Perrin ◽  
J. L. Reboud
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Simple Algorithm ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Correction Method ◽  
Numerical Resolution ◽  
Finite Volume Discretization ◽  
Cavitation Behavior ◽  
Unsteady Cavitating Flow

The cavitation behavior of a four-blade rocket engine turbopump inducer is simulated. A two-dimensional numerical model of unsteady cavitation was applied to a blade cascade drawn from an inducer geometry. The physical model is based on a homogeneous approach of cavitation, coupled with a barotropic state law for the liquid/vapor mixture. The numerical resolution uses a pressure-correction method derived from the SIMPLE algorithm and a finite volume discretization. Unsteady behavior of sheet cavities attached to the blade suction side depends on the flow rate and cavitation number. Two different unstable configurations of cavitation are identified. The mechanisms that are responsible for these unstable behaviors are discussed, and the stress fluctuations induced on the blade by cavitation instabilities are estimated.

scholarly journals Influence of the Blade Number on Inducer Cavitating Behavior

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Coutier-Delgosha ◽  
G. Caignaert ◽  
G. Bois ◽  
J.-B. Leroux ◽  
Patrick Olivier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Blade Number ◽  
Radial Forces ◽  
Critical Cavitation

Effects of the blade number on the performance of a rocket engine turbopump inducer are investigated in the present paper. For that purpose, two inducers characterized by three blades and five blades respectively were manufactured and tested experimentally. The two inducers were designed on the basis of identical design flow rate, and identical pressure elevation at nominal flow rate. The first part of the study focuses on the steady behavior of the inducers in cavitating conditions: evolutions of performance, torque, mass flow rate, and amplitude of radial forces on the shaft according to the inlet pressure are considered. Several flow rates and rotation speeds are investigated. Significant differences between the inducers are obtained concerning the critical cavitation number, the amplitude of the radial forces, and the organization of cavitation in the machinery. Cavitation instabilities are investigated in the second part of the study. Various flow patterns are detected according to the mass flow rate and the cavitation number.

scholarly journals Influence of the Blade Number on Inducer Cavitating Behavior

2012 ◽  
Vol 134 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Coutier-Delgosha ◽  
G. Caignaert ◽  
G. Bois ◽  
J.-B. Leroux
Keyword(s):  
Mass Flow Rate ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Blade Number ◽  
Radial Forces ◽  
Critical Cavitation

Effects of the blade number on the performance of a rocket engine turbopump inducer are investigated in the present paper. For that purpose, two inducers characterized by three blades and five blades, respectively, were manufactured and tested experimentally. The two inducers were designed on the basis of identical design flow rate and identical pressure elevation at nominal flow rate. The first part of the study focuses on the steady behavior of the inducers in cavitating conditions: evolutions of performance, torque, mass flow rate, and amplitude of radial forces on the shaft according to the inlet pressure are considered. Several flow rates and rotation speeds are investigated. Significant differences between the inducers are obtained concerning the critical cavitation number, the amplitude of the radial forces, and the organization of cavitation in the machinery. Cavitation instabilities are investigated in the second part of the study. Various flow patterns are detected according to the mass flow rate and the cavitation number.

Numerical Simulation of Cavitating Flow in a Francis Turbine

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingjiu Zhou ◽  
Zhengwei Wang ◽  
Yongyao Luo ◽  
Guangjie Peng
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Transport Equation ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Suction Side ◽  
Cavitating Flow ◽  
Francis Turbine ◽  
Efficiency Change ◽  
Experiment Data ◽  
Calculation Results ◽  
Vapor Fraction

The 3-D unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-tokes equations based on the pseudo-homogeneous flow theory and a vapor fraction transport-equation that accounts for non-condensable gas are solved to simulate cavitating flow in a Francis turbine. The calculation results agreed with experiment data reasonably. With the decrease of the Thoma number, the cavity first appears near the centre of the hub. At this stage the flow rate and the efficiency change little. Then the cavity near the centre of the hub grows thick and the cavities also appear on the blade suction side near outlet. With further reduce of the Thoma number the cavitation extends to the whole flow path, which causes flow rate and efficiency decrease rapidly.

Assessment of Unsteady Flows in Turbines

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. P. Sharma ◽  
G. F. Pickett ◽  
R. H. Ni
Keyword(s):  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Flow Parameters ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Turbine Design ◽  
The Impact

The impacts of unsteady flow research activities on flow simulation methods used in the turbine design process are assessed. Results from experimental investigations that identify the impact of periodic unsteadiness on the time-averaged flows in turbines and results from numerical simulations obtained by using three-dimensional unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes indicate that some of the unsteady flow features can be fairly accurately predicted. Flow parameters that can be modeled with existing steady CFD codes are distinguished from those that require unsteady codes.

Characterization of Rotating Cavitation in a High Speed Inducer of Liquid Rocket Engine

2011 ◽  
Vol 320 ◽  
pp. 196-201
Author(s):  
Fei Tang ◽  
Li Jia Wen
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Liquid Rocket Engine ◽  
Blade Surface ◽  
Cavitation Phenomenon ◽  
Flow Fluctuations ◽  
Blade Cascade ◽  
Liquid Rocket

Rotating cavitation is one of the most important problems in the development of modern high performance rocket pump inducers. In this paper, a numerical simulation of rotating cavitation phenomenon in a 2D blade cascade of liquid rocket engine inducer was carried out using a mixture model based on Rayleigh-Plesset equation. The purpose is to investigate the characterization of rotating cavitation in a high speed inducer. The results show that when sub-synchronous rotating cavitation occurs, the speed for the length of the blade surface cavitation is lower than the speed frequency of rotation shaft with the same direction. The external aspect is that the pressure at the upstream of blades changes synchronous. Thus, the generation of sub-synchronous rotating cavitation is closely related to the changes of flow angel which caused by the flow fluctuations. Hence, elimination of the flow rate redistribution among the flow channel can effectively suppress the occurrence of this phenomenon.

scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Analysis and Redesign of an Imbedded Bellmouth Nozzle in a Turbine Cascade Inlet Section

1996 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 529-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Giel ◽  
J. R. Sirbaugh ◽  
I. Lopez ◽  
G. J. Van Fossen
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Experimental Measurements ◽  
Inlet Section ◽  
Turbine Cascade ◽  
Blade Cascade ◽  
Inlet Geometry ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Transonic Turbine ◽  
Flow Nonuniformity

Experimental measurements in the inlet of a transonic turbine blade cascade showed unacceptable pitchwise flow nonuniformity. A three-dimensional, Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the imbedded bellmouth inlet in the facility was performed to identify and eliminate the source of the flow nonuniformity. The blockage and acceleration effects of the blades were accounted for by specifying a periodic static pressure exit condition interpolated from a separate three-dimensional Navier–Stokes CFD solution of flow around a single blade in an infinite cascade. Calculations of the original inlet geometry showed total pressure loss regions consistent in strength and location to experimental measurements. The results indicate that the distortions were caused by a pair of streamwise vortices that originated as a result of the interaction of the flow with the imbedded bellmouth. Computations were performed for an inlet geometry that eliminated the imbedded bellmouth by bridging the region between it and the upstream wall. This analysis indicated that eliminating the imbedded bellmouth nozzle also eliminates the pair of vortices, resulting in a flow with much greater pitchwise uniformity. Measurements taken with an installed redesigned inlet verify that the flow nonuniformity has indeed been eliminated.

Critical Suction Peformance Test of Turbopump Assembly for a Liquid-Propellant Rocket Engine

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hang Gi Lee ◽  
Ju Hyun Shin ◽  
Suk Hwan Yoon ◽  
Dae Jin Kim ◽  
Jun Hwan Bae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Nitrogen ◽  
Performance Test ◽  
Rocket Engine ◽  
Lightweight Design ◽  
Cavitation Number ◽  
Inlet Pressure ◽  
Liquid Oxygen ◽  
Pump Failure ◽  
Critical Cavitation ◽  
Suction Performance

This study investigates the behavior of a turbopump assembly during critical cavitation of the propellant pumps in the upper rocket engine of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II. Turbopumps operate under conditions involving low pressure at the pump inlet and high rotational speeds to allow for a lightweight design. This severe environment can easily cause cavitation to occur in the pump. This cavitation can then cause the pump operation to fail. As the cavitation number in the pump decreases below the critical point, the pump fails to operate. There is concern regarding the behavior of the turbopump assembly arising from pump failure due to cavitation. It is necessary to verify the problems that may occur if the turbopump assembly operates under extreme conditions, such like the critical cavitation. This study performed tests to investigate the breakdown of pumps in the turbopump assembly. Tests were conducted with liquid nitrogen, water, and high-pressure air instead of the mediums used during actual operation of liquid oxygen, kerosene, and hot gas. The turbopump was tested at the design point of 27,000 rpm, while the inlet pressure of each pump was controlled to approach the critical cavitation number. The turbine power output was maintained during the tests. The results show that the breakdown point of the oxidizer pump using liquid nitrogen, which is a cryogenic medium, occurred at a lower cavitation number than during an individual component suction performance test using water. The fuel pump using water, meanwhile, experiences breakdown at similar cavitation numbers in both tests. As the breakdown of the pump occurs, the power required by that pump decreases, and the rotational speed of the turbopump increases. Compared with individual pump suction performance tests, this breakdown test can be used to determine the limit of the propellant inlet pressure of the turbopump and to characterize the behavior of the turbopump assembly when a breakdown occurs. Vibrations were also analyzed for tests at a high cavitation number and at the critical cavitation number. The vibration increased with breakdown and notable frequencies were analyzed.

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