Unsteady forces generated by fluid flow through the impeller shroud leakage path of a centrifugal pump were investigated. The effect of leakage path inlet swirl (pump discharge swirl) on the rotordynamic forces was re-examined. It was observed that increasing the inlet swirl is destabilizing both for normal and tangential rotordynamic forces. Attempts to reduce the swirl within the leakage path using ribs and grooves as swirl brakes showed benefits only at low leakage flow rate.

Issue Section:
Additional Technical Papers
Keywords:
pumps, rotors, swirling flow, mechanical stability
Topics:
Flow (Dynamics), Leakage, Pumps, Rotors, Whirls, Impellers, Pressure, Leakage flows
1.
Adkins
,
D.
, and
Brennen
,
C. E.
,
1988
, “
Analysis of Hydrodynamic Radial Forces on Centrifugal Pump Impellers
,”
ASME J. Fluids Eng.
,
110
, pp.
20
–
28
.
2.
Bolleter
,
U.
,
Wyss
,
A.
,
Welte
,
I.
, and
Sturchler
,
R.
,
1987
, “
Measurement of Hydraulic Interaction Matrices of Boiler Feed Pump Impellers
,”
ASME J. Vib., Acoust., Stress, Reliab. Des.
,
109
, pp.
144
–
151
.
3.
Jery, B., 1986, “Experimental Study of Unsteady Hydrodynamic Force Matrices on Whirling Centrifugal Pump Impellers,” Ph.D. thesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
4.
Guinzburg, A., 1992, “Rotordynamic Forces Generated By Discharge-to-Suction Leakage Flows in Centrifugal Pumps,” Ph.D. thesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
5.
Guinzburg
,
A.
,
Brennen
,
C. E.
,
Acosta
,
A. J.
, and
Caughey
,
T.
,
1993
, “
The Effect of Inlet Swirl on the Rotordynamic Shroud Forces in a Centrifugal Pump
,”
ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power
,
115
, pp.
287
–
293
.
6.
Uy
,
R.
, and
Brennen
,
C. E.
,
1999
, “
Experimental Measurements of Rotordynamic Forces Caused by Front Shroud Pump Leakage
,”
ASME J. Fluids Eng.
,
121
, pp.
633
–
637
.
7.
Sivo
,
J.
,
Acosta
,
A. J.
,
Brennen
,
C. E.
, and
Caughey
,
T. K.
,
1995
, “
The Influence of Swirl Brakes on the Rotordynamic Forces Generated by Discharge-to-Suction Leakage Flows in Centrifugal Pumps
,”
ASME J. Fluids Eng.
,
117
, pp.
104
–
108
.
8.
Tsujimoto
,
Y.
,
Yoshida
,
Y.
,
Ohashi
,
H.
, and
Ishizaki
,
S.
,
1997
, “
Fluid Force Moment on a Centrifugal Impeller in Precessing Motion
,”
ASME J. Fluids Eng.
,
119
, pp.
366
–
371
.
9.
Brennen, C. E., 1994, Hydrodynamics of Pumps, Concepts ETI and Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
10.
Hsu, Y., 2001, “Rotordynamic Forces Generated by Annular Leakage Flows in Centrifugal Pumps,” Ph.D. thesis, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA.
Copyright © 2002
 by ASME
You do not currently have access to this content.