NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THE FLOW IN THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP WITHIN VANE AND VANELESS DIFFUSER

In this study, the flow in a 5-bladed centrifugal pump within vaned and vaneless diffuser is analyzed numerically. The method contains of assumption as steady, incompressible and viscous flow solved according to 2-D Navier-Stokes equations relating finite volume technique. The pump used in this study runs at 890 rpm, its impeller diameter is approximately 20 cm and it has back-swept blade geometry. The jet-wake flow structures within the impeller and diffuser passages are investigated elaborately and in addition to this, the effects of vaned and vaneless diffuser of the pump are analyzed. The results are shown as velocity vectors, pressure and turbulent kinetic energy distributions in centrifugal pump, beside the performance curves. Moreover, the results are compared with available experimental data which is seen good agreement.