3D Numerical Flow Field Investigation of Centrifugal Slurry Pump with Water

The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) technique is the economic way of predicting the flow behavior inside the complex geometry. However, greater accuracy in the results is desirable to get confidence in the predicted fluid flow behavior. The performance characteristics of the centrifugal slurry pump were predicted using CFD with low accuracy. This is normally attributed to the unconventional design of the pump. In the present investigation, three-dimensional unsteady numerical simulations are performed for centrifugal slurry pump handling water to investigate the performance and flow field inside the pump. The accuracy of the simulations is checked by comparing the performance characteristics of the pump obtained numerically and experimentally. The obtained accuracy of the simulation for complete head–discharge characteristics and efficiency discharge characteristics, are ±2 and +6%, respectively. The numerical model is then used to study the flow behavior inside the centrifugal slurry pump. The flow characteristics like the pressure and velocity distribution on the impeller and casing and secondary flows between the impeller and casing space have been estimated.