Study on pressure distribution of pump chamber and axial force in particle-laden flow of centrifugal pump

To explore the pressure distribution characteristics of pump chambers, and the law governing the axial force in a particle-laden flow centrifugal pump, a semi-open impeller centrifugal pump was selected as the research object. The particle model and heterogeneous model were used to develop the numerical calculations of the particle-laden flow field within the centrifugal pump. For the liquid phase we adopted the shear–stress–transport (SST) turbulence model, while for the solid phase we adopted the discrete phase zero equation model. The external characteristics, pressure distribution and axial forces were compared and analyzed (1) for a constant solid particle diameter, d, of 0.1 mm and particle volume fractions, C v , of 0, 1, 5, and 10%, and (2) for a constant particle volume fraction, C v , of 10% and solid particle diameters, d, of 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5 mm. The correlations between the particle volume fractions and solid particle diameters with the pump chamber pressure distributions and axial forces were obtained. The results show that when C v increased from 1–10%, or d from 0.01–0.5 mm, the pump head and efficiency decreased continuously under the same flow rate. At the same time, larger particle volume fractions resulted in larger pressures at the same radius, while for larger solid particle diameters, smaller pressures were obtained at the same radius. Under the same flow rate, when C v increased from 1–10%, the total axial force of the centrifugal pump increased, but it was smaller than what was achieved under the clean-water condition. When d increased from 0.01 to 0.5 mm, the total axial force of the centrifugal pump decreased. This study provides a reference for the calculation and balance of the total axial force in a particle-laden flow centrifugal pump.