Vane – pass excitation force is a type of hydraulic load that, in centrifugal pumps, is due to pressure pulsation created by the interaction between the flow coming from the impeller blade trailing edge and the discharge volute cutwater or the diffuser. This hydraulic excitation is, with different intensity, characteristic of all centrifugal pumps, while pulsation frequency is fixed and related to impeller number blades and rotational speed. Intensity of the excitation force depends on off-design operation: the greater the distance from the best efficiency point (BEP), the higher the intensity. Since the interaction between hydraulic load and pump system can have critical consequences on system dynamic behavior if underestimated, in the present work we investigate this interplay. System resonances frequency must be designed far from vane pass excitation frequency, otherwise high vibrations, not detected during pump test alone, could occur during operation in plant. Considering the impossibility of removing completely this type of excitation, naturally present in a centrifugal pump, and the high costs related to system-plant modifications, the only solution is often to modify pump design changing exciting frequency. A specific impeller design was implemented to resolved the issue, obtaining  the reduction of  vibrations well below acceptance level.

These results illustrate the importance of the interactions between pump and system; in case of vane-pass vibrations, a problem specific impeller design can reduce vibrations without affecting significantly pump performances.

 


New Impeller Design Resolving Vibration Issue as Result of Uncontrolled Centrifugal Pump-System Interaction

Division / Sponsors: 
Heat Transfer Division (HTD), Fluids Engineering Division (FED)

Heat Transfer Summer Conference
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/HT/HT2020/volume/83709

18th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/ICNMM/ICNMM2020/volume/83693

Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting
Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/FEDSM/FEDSM2020/volume/83716

HT-ICNMM2020 - Virtual Conference, SHTC - Virtual Conference, FEDSM2020 - Virtual Conference

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