Investigation of double-volute balancing in centrifugal pumps

This study investigates the effect of radial hydraulic forces on low-specific-speed centrifugal pump bearings and assesses the effectiveness of the double-volute balancing technique in mitigating these forces. Numerical simulations were conducted on centrifugal pumps with both single- and double-volute designs. Experimental validation confirmed the numerical findings, establishing the technique's efficacy. Additionally, while size limitations often restrict the use of double-volutes in small pumps, their potential benefits and encouragement for further exploration are discussed for these applications, highlighting the significance of the double-volute arrangement in designing and operating high-pressure radial-flow centrifugal pumps. The simulations demonstrated a notable decrease in the radial hydraulic forces with the implementation of the double-volute configuration. Consequently, adopting a double-volute centrifugal pump design resulted in a substantial reduction in the impeller-induced forces and forces exerted on the bearings, leading to an approximate 45% decrease in the hydraulic radial forces. This result explains the significant reduction in impeller-induced and bearing forces.