An Experimental Study on the Gas Entrainment in Horizontally and Vertically Installed Centrifugal Pumps

2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Neumann ◽  
Thomas Schäfer ◽  
André Bieberle ◽  
Uwe Hampel
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Inlet Flow ◽  
Pump Performance ◽  
Gas Entrainment

In this work, we have studied how gas accumulates in an industrial centrifugal pump under various steady-state two-phase flow conditions. Thereby, we considered both horizontal and vertical pump installation positions. Phase fractions within the impeller region of the pump have been quantitatively disclosed using high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT) and applying time-averaged rotation-synchronized CT scanning technique. The study was made for inlet volumetric gas flow rates between 0% and 5%. To account for different inlet flow conditions, which are assumed to occur during unwanted gas entrainment by hollow vortices, we produced disperse and swirling gas–liquid inlet flows. In this way, the influence of inlet flow boundary conditions on the pump performance as well as gas fraction distributions and gas holdup within the impeller wheel region could be successfully analyzed and compared with respect to the impeller alignment. It was shown that the installation position offers only a minor effect on the pump performance in comparison to the inlet flow conditions. In addition, for the first time, thin gas films at the pressure side of the impeller wheel blades could be visualized in an industrial centrifugal pump.

scholarly journals Investigation on centrifugal pump performance degradation under air-water inlet two-phase flow conditions

2018 ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiaorui Si ◽  
Qianglei Cui ◽  
Keyu Zhang ◽  
Jianping Yuan ◽  
Gérard Bois
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Pressure Pulsation ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Performance Degradation ◽  
Inlet Pressure ◽  
Pulsation Frequency ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Pump Performance

In order to study the flow characteristics of centrifugal pumps when transporting the gas-liquid mixture, water and air were chosen as the working medium. Both numerical simulation and experimental tests were conducted on a centrifugal pump under different conditions of inlet air volume fraction (IAVF). The calculation used URANS k-epsilon turbulence model combined with the Euler-Euler inhomogeneous two-phase model. The air distribution and velocity streamline inside the impeller were obtained to discuss the flow characteristics of the pump. The results show that air concentration is high at the inlet pressure side of the blade, where the vortex will exist, indicating that the gas concentration have a great relationship with the vortex aggregation in the impeller passages. In the experimental works, pump performances were measured at different IAVF and compared with numerical results. Contributions to the centrifugal pump performance degradations were analyzed under different air-water inlet flow condition such as IAVF, bubble size, inlet pressure. Results show that pump performance degradation is more pronounced for low flow rates compared to high flow rates. Finally, pressure pulsation and vibration experiments of the pump model under different IAVF were also conducted. Inlet and outlet transient pressure signals under four IAVF were investigated and pressure pulsation frequency of the monitors is near the blade passing frequency at different IAVF, and when IAVF increased, the lower frequency signal is more and more obvious. Vibration signals at five measuring points were also obtained under different IAVF for various flow rates.

Performance and pressure distribution changes in a centrifugal pump under two-phase flow

1998 ◽  
Vol 212 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
E T Pak ◽  
J C Lee
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Gradient ◽  
Pressure Distribution ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Void Fraction ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Positive Pressure ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Pump Performance

Pump performance characteristics change drastically under two-phase flow conditions from those of single-phase flow. This is due to a change in flow characteristics in the impeller. Owing to a positive pressure gradient the air bubble moves more slowly than the water in the impeller channel, but in the suction surface region of the impeller inlet, where a negative pressure gradient prevails, the bubbles move more quickly than the water. Thus, in the space just after this region the distributions of the void fraction obtained are considerably higher and uneven. The change in the pressure distribution owing to air admission is also particularly evident in the inlet region of the impeller. These changes bring about an alteration of the whole flow pattern in the impeller and also cause a drop in pump performance. The Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for two-phase flow in a centrifugal pump impeller are solved using a finite volume method to obtain the pressure, velocities and void fraction respectively. Good agreement is achieved when the predicted results are compared with those measured experimentally within the range of bubbly flow conditions.

scholarly journals Investigation on the Handling Ability of Centrifugal Pumps under Air–Water Two-Phase Inflow: Model and Experimental Validation

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiaorui Si ◽  
Gérard Bois ◽  
Qifeng Jiang ◽  
Wenting He ◽  
Asad Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Local Flow

The paper presents experimental and numerical investigations performed on a single stage, single-suction, horizontal-orientated centrifugal pump in air–water two-phase non-condensable flow conditions. Experimental measurements are performed in a centrifugal pump using pressure sensor devices in order to measure the wall static pressures at the inlet and outlet pump sections for different flow rates and rotational speeds combined with several air void fraction (a) values. Two different approaches are used in order to predict the pump performance degradations and perform comparisons with experiments for two-phase flow conditions: a one-dimensional two-phase bubbly flow model, and a full “Three-Dimensional Unsteady Reynolds Average Navier–Stokes” (3D-URANS) simulation using a modified k-epsilon turbulence model combined with the Euler–Euler inhomogeneous two-phase flow description. The overall and local flow features are presented and analyzed. Limitations concerning both approaches are pointed out according to some flow physical assumptions and measurement accuracies. Some additional suggestions are proposed in order to improve two-phase flow pump suction capabilities.

scholarly journals A Review of Design Considerations of Centrifugal Pump Capability for Handling Inlet Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flows

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1078 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qifeng Jiang ◽  
Yaguang Heng ◽  
Xiaobing Liu ◽  
Weibin Zhang ◽  
Gérard Bois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Working Fluid ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase Flows ◽  
Two Phase

Most of the pumps working under two phase flows conditions are used in petroleum industry applications, like electrical submersible pumps (ESP) for hydrocarbon fluids, in chemistry, nuclear industries and in agriculture for irrigation purposes as well. Two-phase flows always deteriorate overall pump performances compared with single flow conditions. Several papers have been published aiming to understand flow physics and to model all the main mechanisms that govern gas pocket formation and surging phenomena. These mechanisms depend on the pump type, the impeller geometry, the rotational speed, design and off-design liquid flow rate conditions, the volumetric gas fraction, the fluid properties and the inlet pressure. In the present paper, a review on two phase performances from various centrifugal pumps designs is presented, mainly based on experimental results. The main focus is devoted to detect the significant geometrical parameters that: (1) Modify the pump head degradation level under bubbly flow regime assumption; (2) Allow single stage centrifugal pumps keep working under two-phase flow conditions with high inlet void fraction values before pump shut down, whatever the pump performance degradations and liquid production rates should be. Because most of the published experimental studies are performed on dedicated laboratory centrifugal pump models, most of the present review is based on air-water mixtures as the working fluid with inlet pressures close to atmospheric conditions. The following review supposes that gas phase is considered as a non-condensable perfect gas, while the liquid phase is incompressible. Both phases are isolated from external conditions: neither mass nor heat transfer take place between the phases.

Ultrafast X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging for Hydrodynamic Investigations of Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Centrifugal Pumps

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Schäfer ◽  
Martin Neumann-Kipping ◽  
André Bieberle ◽  
Martina Bieberle ◽  
Uwe Hampel
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Image Data ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Pump Performance ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Computed

Abstract Gas entrainment into centrifugal pumps decreases pump performance and may raise safety issues, e.g., through insufficient cooling. Although there is some phenomenological knowledge in the form of correlations between operating parameters and pump performance, a further understanding via direct observation of the gas–liquid mixture was so far not possible. In this paper, we demonstrate the capability of ultrafast X-ray computed tomography (UFXCT) to disclose gas–liquid two-phase flow dynamics in the impeller region of a centrifugal pump mockup. Experiments were performed for gas injection at impeller speeds between 1300 rpm and 1600 rpm. We analyzed the X-ray image sequences with respect to characteristics of the gas distribution and compared them with time-averaged image data of a real pump obtained earlier with gamma-ray computed tomography (CT).

Pump Performance Improvement by Restraining Back Flow in Screw-Type Centrifugal Pump

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (4) ◽  
pp. 755-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasushi Tatebayashi ◽  
Kazuhiro Tanaka ◽  
Toshio Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Back Flow ◽  
Pump Performance ◽  
Impeller Outlet ◽  
Pump Head ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Set Up

The authors have been investigating the various characteristics of screw-type centrifugal pumps, such as pressure fluctuations in impellers, flow patterns in volute casings, and pump performance in air-water two-phase flow conditions. During these investigations, numerical results of our investigations made it clear that three back flow regions existed in this type of pump. Among these, the back flow from the volute casing toward the impeller outlet was the most influential on the pump performance. Thus the most important factor to achieve higher pump performance was to reduce the influence of this back flow. One simple method was proposed to obtain the restraint of back flow and so as to improve the pump performance. This method was to set up a ringlike wall at the suction cover casing between the impeller outlet and the volute casing. Its effects on the flow pattern and the pump performance have been discussed and clarified to compare the calculated results with experimental results done under two conditions, namely, one with and one without this ring-type wall. The influence of wall’s height on the pump head was investigated by numerical simulations. In addition, the difference due to the wall’s effect was clarified to compare its effects on two kinds of volute casing. From the results obtained it can be said that restraining the back flow of such pumps was very important to achieve higher pump performance. Furthermore, another method was suggested to restrain back flow effectively. This method was to attach a wall at the trailing edge of impeller. This method was very useful for avoiding the congestion of solids because this wall was smaller than that used in the first method. The influence of these factors on the pump performance was also discussed by comparing simulated calculations with actual experiments.

A Method for Correlating the Characteristics of Centrifugal Pumps in Two-Phase Flow

1978 ◽  
Vol 100 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslaw Mikielewicz ◽  
David Gordon Wilson ◽  
Tak-Chee Chan ◽  
Albert L. Goldfinch
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Direction ◽  
Semiempirical Method ◽  
Head Loss ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Loss Ratio ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Reversed Flow ◽  
Two Phase

The semiempirical method described combines the ideal performance of a centrifugal pump with experimental data for single and two-phase flow to produce a so-called “head-loss ratio,” which is the apparent loss of head in two-phase flow divided by the loss of head in single-phase flow. This head-loss ratio is shown to be primarily a function of void fraction. It is demonstrated that the measured characteristics of a centrifugal pump operating in two-phase flow in normal rotation and normal and reversed flow directions (first and second -quadrant operation) and in reversed rotation and reversed flow direction (third-quadrant operation) can be reproduced with acceptable accuracy.

Prediction of Pump Performance Under Air-Water Two-Phase Flow Based on a Bubbly Flow Model

1993 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 781-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiyoshi Minemura ◽  
Tomomi Uchiyama
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Bubbly Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Performance Change ◽  
Void Fractions ◽  
Two Phases

This paper is concerned with the determination of the performance change in centrifugal pumps operating under two-phase flow conditions using the velocities and void fractions calculated under the assumption of an inviscid bubbly flow with slippage between the two phases. The estimated changes in the theoretical head are confirmed with experiments within the range of bubbly flow regime.

Pump Performance Improvement by Restraining Back Flow in Screw-Type Centrifugal Pump

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasushi Tatebayashi ◽  
Kazuhiro Tanaka ◽  
Toshio Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Back Flow ◽  
Pump Performance ◽  
Impeller Outlet ◽  
Pump Head ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Set Up

The authors have been investigating the various characteristics of screw-type centrifugal pumps, such as pressure fluctuations in impellers, flow patterns in volute casings, and pump performance in air-water two-phase flow conditions. During these investigations, numerical results of our investigations made it clear that three back flow regions existed in this type of pump. Among these, the back flow from the volute casing toward the impeller outlet was the most influential on the pump performance. Thus the most important factor to achieve higher pump performance was to reduce the influence of this back flow. One simple method was proposed to obtain the restraint of back flow and so as to improve the pump performance. This method was to set up a Ring-like wall at the suction cover casing between the impeller outlet and the volute casing. Its effects on the flow pattern and the pump performance have been discussed and clarified to compare the calculated results with experimental results done under two conditions — namely, one with and one without this Ring-type wall. The influence of wall’s height on the pump head was investigated by numerical simulations. In addition, the difference due to the wall’s effect was clarified to compare its effects on two kinds of volute casing. From the results obtained it can be said that restraining the back flow of such pumps was very important to achieve higher pump performance. Furthermore, another method was suggested to restrain back-flow effectively. This method was to attach a wall at the trailing edge of impeller. This method was very useful for avoiding the congestion of solids because this wall was smaller than that used in the first method. The influence of these factors on the pump performance was also discussed by comparing simulated calculations with actual experiments.

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