Numerical Flow Simulation and Validation of an Electrical Submersible Pump

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Risa Rutter ◽  
Ketan Sheth ◽  
Roshani O’Bryan
Keyword(s):  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Turbulence Model ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Hydraulic Performance ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pump Head ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is used to investigate the hydraulic performance of a centrifugal pump within the electrical submersible pump (ESP) unit in single-phase flow. The geometry consists of a three-stage centrifugal pump with an impeller and a diffuser in each stage. The stage performance is influenced by the inlet and outlet conditions of the stage, and therefore, three stages were modeled. The simulations were run at 3,500 RPM for various flow rates within the operating range. The k-ε turbulence model and the shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model were used to compare the capabilities of the model on performance predictions. Simulations were run in steady and unsteady flow conditions with a single vane and a full pitch model. Hydraulic performance such as efficiency, pump head, and break horse power (BHP) obtained from numerical analysis were compared with the test results to validate the CFD model. The comparison results revealed that the CFD overpredicts the pump head and underpredicts the BHP by 5 to 10%. The discrepancy between measurements and predictions are reasonable because the hydraulic leakage and bearing power losses are not modeled in CFD. The overall predicted efficiency is higher than the measurements because of overpredicted head and underpredicted BHP. Comparing numerical simulations with different turbulent models showed no significant difference between the k-ε model and the SST model. The steady/ unsteady flow comparison also showed similarity in the hydraulic performance near the best efficiency point. For design purposes, steady flow simulation with a single vane and the k-ε model were used to cut computational time.

3D Quasi-Unsteady Flow Simulation in a Centrifugal Pump: Comparison With the Experimental Results

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Asuaje ◽  
Farid Bakir ◽  
Andres Tremante ◽  
Ricardo Noguera ◽  
Robert Rey
Keyword(s):  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
Pressure Fluctuations ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Numerical Predictions ◽  
Radial Thrust ◽  
Unsteady Flow Simulation

A 3D-CFD simulation of the impeller and volute casing of a centrifugal pump has been performed using commercial codes CFX 5.5 and CFX-TASCflow 2.12. The pump has an specific speed of 32 (metric units) and an outside impeller diameter of 400 mm. First, a 3D-flow simulation for the isolated impeller with a structured grid is presented. A sensitivity analysis regarding grid quality and turbulence models were also performed. A 3D quasi-unsteady flow simulation of the impeller-volute assembly is presented, as well. This flow simulation was carried out for several impeller blades and volute tongue relative positions. As a result, the radial thrust on the pump shaft were calculated for different flow rates. Experimental test were carried out in order to compare theoretical pressure fluctuations with the experimental ones measured by various unsteady pressure sensors placed on the impeller shroud and volute. The qualitative and quantitative results ratify numerical predictions.

Response of Blade Thickness to Hydraulic Performance of Stamping and Welding Multistage Centrifugal Pump

2012 ◽  
Vol 229-231 ◽  
pp. 351-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Gang Mu ◽  
Bo Zhu ◽  
Shui Hua Zheng ◽  
Jian Jun Gan
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Hydraulic Performance ◽  
Downward Trend ◽  
Blade Thickness ◽  
Multistage Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Pump Head ◽  
Cfd Numerical Simulation

Based on CFD numerical simulation, the effect of blade thickness on hydraulic performance was studied in DQ100-64-22 stamping and welding centrifugal pump. Six types of impellers with different blade thickness were assembled in the same pump to be investigated under design condition. The result indicates that both of head and efficiency are getting lower with the increase of blade thickness. Particularly, the downward trend is more striking when the blade thickness surpasses 2mm, but pump head decreases more gently than efficiency as the blade thickness increasing within 2mm.

Application of Wray–Agarwal Turbulence Model in Flow Simulation of a Centrifugal Pump With Semispiral Suction Chamber

2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leilei Ji ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Weidong Shi ◽  
Ramesh K. Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Turbulence Model ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Turbulence Models ◽  
Internal Flow ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Operating Conditions

Abstract The Wray–Agarwal (WA) turbulence model is selected to simulate the internal and external characteristics of a centrifugal pump with semispiral suction chamber; the numerical results are compared with the experimental data and computed results predicted by standard k–ε, renormalization group (RNG) k–ε, and shear stress transport (SST) k–ω turbulence models. The results show that the WA model could be effectively used to compute the energy performance of centrifugal pump under full range of operating conditions and gives higher accuracy than other models. Overall, the WA model shows closer similarity to the experimental data and gives more uniform flow field in the impeller region compared to that predicted by other models. In prediction of internal flow fields of the pump, overall the WA model is more accurate and efficient being a one-equation model. The control of undamped eddy viscosity variable R (= k/ω) in WA model does not allow the overestimation of turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent eddy frequency obtained with other models, which leads to its advantage in accurate prediction of both internal and external flow characteristics of centrifugal pump.

scholarly journals Numerical Flow Simulation and Cavitation Prediction in a Centrifugal Pump using an SST-SAS Turbulence Model

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ennouri ◽  
H. Kanfoudi ◽  
A. Bel Hadj Taher ◽  
R. Zgolli ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Turbulence Model ◽  
Flow Simulation ◽  
Numerical Flow Simulation

On the Effect of Volute Design on Unsteady Flow and Impeller–Volute Interaction in a Centrifugal Pump

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Litfin ◽  
Antonio Delgado
Keyword(s):  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Stokes Equations ◽  
Hydraulic Performance ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Navier Stokes ◽  
Pump Impeller ◽  
Navier Stokes Equations ◽  
The Impact

The main objective of the presented work is to investigate the effect of volute design on the impeller–volute interaction. Therefore a low specific speed centrifugal pump impeller has been employed and three different volutes with circular cross-sections have been designed using the constant-velocity approach. Numerical simulations of the simplified pump model have been performed by means of ANSYS® CFX®, solving the 3D unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. The three designs are compared in terms of hydraulic performance and also the flow patterns in the different volutes are examined in detail, including velocity, swirl and pressure distributions on different cross-sections along the volute as well as the charging of the volute. To show the impact of the volute on the impeller flow, also the pump impeller has been simulated without the volute and a thorough comparison of the time averaged results has been conducted. This has been done at the design flow rate as well as for overload and part load conditions. Also the unsteady flow inside a blade channel of the impeller during a revolution is investigated, revealing significant variations of its operating point, especially at off-design conditions. As a result of the performed studies it can be seen how the different volute designs interact with the impeller depending on the operation point and how this affects the hydraulic performance of the pump.

Test and application of electrical submersible pump units at White Tiger field

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 82-86
Author(s):  
A.N. Ivanov ◽  
◽  
V.A. Bondarenko ◽  
M.M. Veliev ◽  
E.V. Kudin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Submersible Pump ◽  
Electrical Submersible Pump ◽  
White Tiger

Effect of semi-open impeller side clearance on centrifugal pump cavitation inception

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-39
Author(s):  
A. Farid ◽  
A. Abou El-Azm Aly ◽  
H. Abdallah
Keyword(s):  
Centrifugal Pump ◽  
Static Pressure ◽  
Rotation Speed ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Severe Condition ◽  
Cavitation Inception ◽  
Total Input ◽  
Input Pressure ◽  
Pump Head ◽  
Pump Pressure

Cavitation in pumps is the most severe condition that centrifugal pumps can work in and is leading to a loss in their performance.  Herein, the effect of semi-open centrifugal pump side clearance on the inception of pump cavitation has been investigated.  The input pump pressure has been changed from 80 to 16 kPa and the pump side clearance has been changed from 1 mm to 3 mm at a rotation speed of 1500 rpm. It has been shown that as the total input pressure decreased; the static pressure inside the impeller is reduced while the total pressure in streamwise direction has been reduced, also the pump head is constant with the reduction of the total input pressure until the cavitation is reached. Head is reduced due to cavitation inception; the head is reduced in the case of a closed impeller with a percent of 1.5% while it is reduced with a percent of 0.5% for pump side clearance of 1mm, both are at a pressure of 20 kPa.   Results also showed that the cavitation inception in the pump had been affected and delayed with the increase of the pump side clearance; the cavitation has been noticed to occur at approximate pressures of 20 kPa for side clearance of 1mm, 18 kPa for side clearances of 2mm and 16 kPa for 3mm.

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