The important parameters affecting the impeller performance are the impeller diameter ratio, blade angles and number of blades. The current work describes the design and redesign (Size Optimization) of a 3D centrifugal impeller. Three impeller models with different shape numbers are considered. The initial design is carried out by using the design procedure and empirical equations.  The flow field is obtained by computational flow simulation. Specific work and shaft power are obtained from the simulation and are used to calculate the impeller design efficiency. Thereafter, for a given specific work and flow rate, the impeller size is decreased gradually. As a result, the impeller number of blades and outlet blade angle are recalculated in order to maintain the model design specific work. This is done as before using the standard design procedure. Then, the flow field is simulated to calculate the efficiency. The flow simulation outcomes validate the design and redesign procedure. Accordingly, the efficiency curve against impeller sizes is plotted to study the effect of changing the impeller diameter ratio on the efficiency. Further, the predicted specific work curves for original and optimized impeller are plotted and compared. Finally, for each model, the corresponding peak efficiency size is selected. As expected, the higher diameter ratios are obtained for lower shape numbers. The number of blades and the outlet blade angle increase with decrease in diameter ratio. The lowest diameter ratio is obtained under the conditions that the efficiency be more than 95% of the peak one and the number of blades be under 16.

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Flow Simulation and Size Optimization of Centrifugal Impeller

Wesam Dawood Salman Al-rubia*, S. Pavithran**
* Research Scholar, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune.
** Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune.
Periodicity:November - January'2013
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jme.3.1.2082

Abstract

The important parameters affecting the impeller performance are the impeller diameter ratio, blade angles and number of blades. The current work describes the design and redesign (Size Optimization) of a 3D centrifugal impeller. Three impeller models with different shape numbers are considered. The initial design is carried out by using the design procedure and empirical equations.  The flow field is obtained by computational flow simulation. Specific work and shaft power are obtained from the simulation and are used to calculate the impeller design efficiency. Thereafter, for a given specific work and flow rate, the impeller size is decreased gradually. As a result, the impeller number of blades and outlet blade angle are recalculated in order to maintain the model design specific work. This is done as before using the standard design procedure. Then, the flow field is simulated to calculate the efficiency. The flow simulation outcomes validate the design and redesign procedure. Accordingly, the efficiency curve against impeller sizes is plotted to study the effect of changing the impeller diameter ratio on the efficiency. Further, the predicted specific work curves for original and optimized impeller are plotted and compared. Finally, for each model, the corresponding peak efficiency size is selected. As expected, the higher diameter ratios are obtained for lower shape numbers. The number of blades and the outlet blade angle increase with decrease in diameter ratio. The lowest diameter ratio is obtained under the conditions that the efficiency be more than 95% of the peak one and the number of blades be under 16.

Keywords

Centrifugal Impeller, Size Optimization, Impeller Design, Flow Simulation.

How to Cite this Article?

Al-rubia,W.D.S., & Pavithran, S .(2013). Flow Simulation and Size Optimization of Centrifugal Impeller. i-manager's Journal on Mechanical Engineering, 3(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.26634/jme.3.1.2082

References

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[3]. E.C. Bacharoudis, A.E. Filios, M.D. Mentzos and D.P. Margaris (2008).“Parametric Study of a Centrifugal Pump Impeller by Varying the Outlet Blade Angle.” The Open Mechanical Engineering Journal, 2, 75-83.
[4]. Maitelli, C.W.S de P., Bezerr, V.M., de F., da Mata, W. “Simulation of flow in a centrifugal pump of ESP systems using Computational Fluid Dynamics”
[5]. L.M., Larosiliere and G.J. Skoch. “Aerodynamic synthesis of a centrifugal impeller using cfd and Measurements.” U.S. Army Research Laboratory, NASA Lewis Research Center, NASA Technical Memorandum 107515.
[6]. Shasa Xie. “Studies of the ERCOFTAC Centrifugal Pump with OpenFoam”. Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden 2010.
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