Comparative Evaluation of Mesh Types on the Numerical Simulation Efficiency and Accuracy of a Centrifugal Pump with Experimental Validation

The selection of an appropriate mesh type plays a critical role in the preprocessing stage of numerical simulations, as it directly influences both computational efficiency and result accuracy—this is equally true for centrifugal pump simulations. This study investigates the transient internal flow characteristics of the ISW-۴۰-۱۶۰ horizontal centrifugal pump through a comparative analysis using three different mesh types: tetrahedral, hexahedral, and polyhedral. The influence of mesh type on computational cost, numerical dissipation, and simulation accuracy is systematically evaluated. The reliability of the numerical simulations is validated through comparison with experimental measurements. The results indicate that the polyhedral mesh reduced computational time by approximately ۶۶% compared to the tetrahedral mesh, and by ۳۳% compared to the hexahedral mesh. In terms of accuracy, both the hexahedral and polyhedral meshes outperformed the tetrahedral mesh in capturing vortices and pressure gradients. The hexahedral mesh exhibited the highest consistency with experimental measurements, followed closely by the polyhedral mesh, which outperformed the tetrahedral mesh. A comprehensive analysis suggests that the polyhedral mesh offers a well-balanced trade-off between computational efficiency and accuracy, making it a more versatile choice than the other two mesh types.

کلیدواژه ها:

Centrifugal pump ، Mesh type ، Numerical simulation ، Computational cost ، Computational accuracy