Effects of oscillation frequency on the flow characteristics of a centrifugal pump impeller with sinusoidal flow rate

This study uses large eddy simulation to investigate the flow characteristics of a centrifugal pump impeller with sinusoidal flow rate and constant rotational speed. Five different oscillation frequencies (f/f₀ = 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2.0, and 3.0, where f₀ indicates one-ninth of the rotational speed) are selected to isolate the influence of oscillation frequency on the flow characteristics. Studies show that the pressure deviation between dropping and rising stages concentrates at the impeller inlet at instantaneous 0.5 Q_d (Q_d is the design load), and its value increases with the increase in oscillation frequency. The lowest period of many flow characteristics, including pressure fluctuation and head, equals to that of flow rate. The differences in pressure fluctuation between adjacent channels decreases with the increase in oscillation frequency. The first and second dominant frequencies of pressure fluctuation are mainly affected by the oscillation frequency in the nonstall passage, and they have an important relationship with the stall vortex in the stall passage. With the increase in oscillation frequency, the amplitude of lowest order head pulsation increases, and the high order head pulsation gradually weakens. The average head is approximately 2.36 m.