Experimental investigation on the effect of the rotor-stator matching mode on velocity pulsation in the centrifugal pump with a vaned diffuser

Abstract

Centrifugal pumps play an indispensable role in nuclear power plants, where severe turbulent pulsations induced by the rotor-stator interference (RSI) can generate a substantial threat to the safe and stable operation of these facilities. In this study, in order to elucidate the effect of the match of rotor and stator blade number on the unsteady velocity pulsation characteristics inside a vaned diffuser centrifugal pump, three different schemes of rotor and stator matching modes were investigated using LDA measurement technology. The findings indicate that the match of rotor and stator blades exerts a substantial influence on the flow field structure inside the pump, leading to significant variations in the velocity maps near the tongue region. By comparing the blade passing frequency amplitudes of the three pumps, with fewer stator blades leading to a rapid increase in blade passing frequency amplitude. This study demonstrates that altering the match of rotor and stator blades can significantly change the RSI effect and alters the velocity distribution within the pump, and consequently changes the unsteady turbulence intensity in the interaction region. The research findings greatly enhance the understanding of velocity pulsation within the pump and provide effective support for mitigating RSI effect