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

Yang, W. F.; Zhang, R. H.; Wang, X. Y.; Guo, G. Q.

doi:10.47176/jafm.18.9.3233

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

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

¹ School of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730050, China

² Key Laboratory of Advanced Pumps, Valves and Fluid Control System of the Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730050, China

³ Key Laboratory of Fluid Machinery and Systems, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, 730050, China

10.47176/jafm.18.9.3233

Abstract

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.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Turbomachinary

References

Adu-Poku, K. A., Zhang, F., Appiah, D., Chen, K., Osman, F. K., & Acheaw, E. (2022). Study on the inner flow mechanisms and unsteady force distribution of side channel pump. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part A: Journal of Power and Energy, 236(6), 1109–1128. https://doi.org/10.1177/09576509221081618

Chen, Q., Huan, Y. L., Peng, Q. Z., Xin, Y. C., & Hui, N. C. (2022a). Flow mechanism and axial force distribution characteristics of multistage pump cavity. Science Progress, 105(4), 368504221145575. https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504221145575

Chen, K., Zhang, F., Appiah, D., Yuan, S., Hong, F., Zhu, L., & Song, M. (2022b). Effect of blade tip cutting angle on energy conversion mechanism of side channel pumps. Physics of Fluids, 34(2), 025107. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0082671

Fleder, A., & Böhle, M. (2012, September). Numerical and experimental investigations on the influence of the blade shape on industrial side channel pumps. International Rotating Equipment Conference (pp. 289-298).

Gantar, M., Florjancic, D., & Sirok, B. (2002). Hydraulic axial thrust in multistage pumps—origins and solutions. Journal of Fluids Engineering, 124(2), 336–341. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1454110

Gu, Y., Bian, J., Wang, Q., Stephen, C., Liu, B., & Cheng, L. (2024). Energy performance and pressure fluctuation in multi-stage centrifugal pump with floating impellers under various axial oscillation frequencies. Energy, 307, 132691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2024.132691

Guan, X. F. (2011). Modern pump theory and design. China Astronautic Publishing House.

Hu, Q., Zhai, X., & Li, Z. (2022). Multi-objective optimization of deep-sea mining pump based on CFD, GABP neural network and NSGA-III algorithm. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 10(8), 1063. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10081063

Jia, Z. M. (1993). Vortex pump, liquid ring pump, jet pump. China Machine Press.

Jin, F. Y., Tao, R., Zhu, D., & Xiao, R. F. (2022). Stability of the axial-auto-balanced impeller of centrifugal pump. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 34(4), 665-680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42241-022-0060-1

Li, Q. Q., Tang, D. L., Ge, J., Lu, Y., Bie, F. F., & Zhu, X. Q. (2024a). Effect of floating impeller on the inner flow characteristics and axial force in regenerative flow pump. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 60(14), 378–386. https://doi.org/10.3901/JME.2024.14.378

Li, W., Song, R., Wang, Y., Ji, L., Li, S., Ye, X., ... & Agarwal, R. (2024b). Research on axial force and energy balance of seawater desalination high-pressure pump-based whole flow field numerical calculation. Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Mechanical Engineering, 48(1), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40997-023-00642-0

Liu, Z. L., Jia, X., Zhang, S., Shi, F. X., & Sun, Y. (2014). Influence of impeller axial displacement on liquid pressure in centrifugal pump chamber. Journal of Lanzhou University of Technology, 40(6), 65-69. https://doi.org/10.13295/j.cnki.jlut.2014.06.016

Liu, Z. L., Wu, J., Zeng, J. L., Zhang, S., & Sun, Y. (2015). Influence of axial displacement of floating impeller on pump hydraulic performance. Journal of Lanzhou University of Technology, 41(2), 51-54. https://doi.org/10.13295/j.cnki.jlut.2015.02.011

Liu, Z. L., Xu, L. Z., Jia, X., Wu, J., & Wang, D. W. (2013). Analysis of liquid flow and axial force calculation in axial clearance for floating impeller of centrifugal pump. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 29(12), 79–85. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1002-6819.2013.12.01 1

Pehlivan, H., & Parlak, Z. (2019). Investigation of parameters affecting axial load in an end suction centrifugal pump by numerical analysis. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics, 12(5), 1615–1627. https://doi.org/10.29252/jafm.12.05.29623

Raheel, M. M., & Engeda, A. (2005). Systematic design approach for radial blade regenerative turbomachines. Journal of Propulsion and Power, 21(5), 884–892. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.1426

Wang, X., Wu, Y., Wu, C., Wu, P., Yang, S., & Wu, D. (2024). Axial force balance method for floating impeller of shielded centrifugal pump. Journal of ZheJiang University (Engineering Science), 58(8), 1577–1584. https://doi.org/10.3785/j.issn.1008-973 X.2024.08.005

Wang, X., Yao, L., & Zou, Z. (2022). Effect of loading level and axial distribution on uncertainty performance of turbine blade with geometric variations. Aerospace Science and Technology, 129, 107851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ast.2022.107851

Yan, S., Kan, Y., Li, X., Xiao, L., & Ye, Z. (2024). Numerical calculation and experimental study of the axial force of aero fuel centrifugal pumps. Applied Sciences, 14(10), 4313. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104313

Yang, W. F., Zhang, R. H., Yang, H. D., & Chen, X. B. (2024). Energy conversion characteristics of flow in vortex pump based on vortex analysis. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery, 55(5), 167–175. https://doi.org/10.6041/j.issn.1000-298.2024.05.015

Yang, W., Zhang, R., Wang, X., & Guo, G. (2025). Cavitation-induced variations in vortex structure and energy conversion dynamics in a vortex pump. Energy, 317, 134478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134478

Zeng, J. L., Liu, Z. L., Huang, Q., Quan, H., & Shao, A. C. (2022). Research on the modified mathematical prediction model of impeller cover side cavity liquid pressure for centrifugal pumps. Journal of Applied Fluid Mechanics, 15(3), 673–685. https://doi.org/10.47176/jafm.15.03.33327

Zhang, F., Böhle, M., Pei, J., Yuan, S., & Fleder, A. (2015). Numerical simulation and verification on flow characteristics of impeller axial and radial gaps in side channel pump. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering, 31(10), 78–83. https://doi.org/10.11975/j.issn.1002-6819.2015.10.0 11

Zhang, F., Yuan, S. Q., Wei, X. Y., & Chen, K. (2018). Study on Flow Loss Characteristics of Side Channel Pump Based on Entropy Production. Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 54(22), 137–144. https://doi.org/10.3901/JME.2018.22.137

Zhao, W. G., He, M. Y., Qi, C. X., & Li, Y. B. (2013, December). Research on the effect of wear-ring clearances to the axial and radial force of a centrifugal pump. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science And Engineering (Vol. 52, No. 7, p. 072015). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/52/7/ 072015

Zhu, D., Xiao, R., Yao, Z., Yang, W., & Liu, W. (2020). Optimization design for reducing the axial force of a vaned mixed-flow pump. Engineering Applications of Computational Fluid Mechanics, 14(1), 882-896. https://doi.org/10.1080/19942060.2020.1749933

Zhuang, H. W., Teng, J. F., & Zhu, M. M. (2020). Impacts of blades considering manufacturing tolerances on aerodynamic performance of compressor. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 54(09), 935-942. https://doi.org/10.16183/j.cnki.jsjtu.2020.150