Numerical Investigation of Cavitation Dynamics and Pressure Fluctuations in High-Speed Centrifugal Pump Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22688727Keywords:
Cavitation Dynamics (CD), Pressure Fluctuations (PF), Pressure Fluctuations (PF), High-Speed Centrifugal Pump Systems (HSCPS)Abstract
Cavitation is one of the most important hydraulic phenomena affecting the performance, reliability and operational stability of systems with high-speed centrifugal pumps. It occurs when the pressure inside the pump drops below the liquid's vapour pressure, causing vapour bubbles to form and then collapse. The high dynamics of these bubbles can cause significant pressure oscillations, losses, noise, vibration, material erosion, and reduced pump efficiency. The present study implements a numerical analysis of cavitation dynamics and pressure fluctuations in high-speed centrifugal pumps by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A three-dimensional numerical model of the pump is created, which incorporates the suction region, the impeller, and the volume. The multiphase cavitation model is used for numerical analysis to simulate the vapor generation and collapse under various operating conditions. The study examines the influence of rotational speed, flow rate, and inlet pressure by simulating changes in these parameters. Transient pressure data are obtained at key points in the pump to measure pressure variations and determine the predominant pressure pulsation characteristics. Important parameters such as vapor volume fraction, pressure distribution, velocity field, head coefficient, hydraulic efficiency and amplitude of pressure fluctuation are calculated, and correlations are developed between the cavitation intensity and the pump operating conditions. The results are expected to show that cavitation activity can be greatly amplified near the impeller blade leading edges and in low-pressure regions by increasing rotational speed and reducing inlet pressure. The effect of cavitation-induced vapor structures on the rotating blades and the flow field is demonstrated, resulting in periodic pressure variations due to blade-passing and unsteady vortex structures. The results are numerical and provide insight into the relationship between cavitation inception, vapour-cloud development, and pressure pulsation. Overall, the results provide a computational model for understanding and predicting cavitation phenomena in high-speed centrifugal pump systems. The results can improve pump design, optimise operating conditions, reduce cavitation, and support predictive maintenance. The research helps develop efficient, stable, and reliable centrifugal pumping systems in industrial, energy, water-management, and process-engineering applications.
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