Study on the Effect of Floating Impeller Axial Displacement on the Performance and Axial Force of Vortex Pumps

The impact of the axial displacement of a floating impeller in a vortex pump on performance and axial force was investigated through numerical simulations, validated by experimental tests. Simulations were conducted to calculate axial forces at various impeller positions under different operating co...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: W. F. Yang, R. H. Zhang, X. Y. Wang, G. Q. Guo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Isfahan University of Technology 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jafmonline.net/article_2719_3194215334a11c299bc5473469e158e2.pdf
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The impact of the axial displacement of a floating impeller in a vortex pump on performance and axial force was investigated through numerical simulations, validated by experimental tests. Simulations were conducted to calculate axial forces at various impeller positions under different operating conditions. The results indicate that increasing the axial displacement of the impeller reduces both the pump head and efficiency. Compared with inlet axial clearance, reducing the outlet axial clearance improves energy conversion while having a smaller effect on head performance. At lower flow rates, the pressure difference between the balance cavities on both sides of the floating impeller increases, leading to a higher axial force. Adjusting the axial position of the impeller can effectively reduce axial force, optimising both its magnitude and direction to help restore the impeller to a central position. The balance cavity modifies the static pressure distribution in the high-pressure region of the impeller, further minimising extreme axial force values in this region. However, as flow rate increases, the influence of the balance cavity diminishes.
ISSN:1735-3572
1735-3645