Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study on the Gas-liquid Two-phase Flow in the Pump During the Gas Cut-off Transition Process
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this article is to describe the flow mechanism and investigate the internal pump flow properties during the gas cut-off transition process.Design/methodology/approach - High-speed photography (HSP) was used to capture the flow in the transparent model pump made of plexiglass. During the gas cut-off transition process, the gas-liquid two-phase flow in the pump was numerically simulated using the Eulerian-Eulerian heterogeneous flow model and SST k-ω turbulence model. The visual investigation served as confirmation for the simulation results.Findings - As the gas volume fraction decreases during the gas cut-off transition process, the pressure in the volute gradually rises until it eventually exhibits a periodic variation. In the flow direction, the time-averaged pressure rises steadily. Along the volute's radial direction, the gas volume fraction slowly decreases. Due to the impact of impeller rotating, the outlet pressure increases with the decrease of the integral rate of the gas phase inside the impeller. At this time, the integral rate of the gas phase at the outlet has not yet changed, so the change in outlet gas volume fraction always lags behind the change in outlet pressure. The pump's gas cut-off transition process is complete when the outlet gas volume fraction stops fluctuating.Originality/value - The varying trend in gas volume fraction and pressure with time during the centrifugal pump's gas cut-off transition process was exposed, and the judgment standard for the end of the process was established. The research results are beneficial for gaining a better understanding of the pump's performance, and are of great significance for the reliable operation and structural optimization of centrifugal pumps.
Authors: Fan Yang, Jiahui Zhang, Chunlei Shao
Institution: Nanjing Tech University
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411122199