Development of Empirical Correlations for Centrifugal Pump Performance: Effects of Casing on Hydraulic Efficiency

The study evaluates the performance of a centrifugal pump by comparing two CFD configurations: an impeller-only model (Model-A) and a full pump model with casing (Model-B). Simulations were carried out using the standard k–ε turbulence model with ۴.۱۶ million computational elements, applying a total pressure inlet and a mass flow outlet as boundary conditions. Flow characteristics such as velocity distribution, static and total pressure, head coefficient, hydraulic loss coefficient, and efficiency were examined to establish empirical correlations between the two configurations. The results indicate that Model-A produces a more uniform velocity field with lower hydraulic losses, while Model-B shows flow recirculation and vortex formation near the volute tongue at low discharge, leading to increased energy dissipation and reduced efficiency. Static pressure results confirm the casing’s contribution to pressure recovery, albeit with added hydraulic losses. The proposed correlations accurately predict full pump performance from impeller-only data within ±۴%, offering a time- and cost-effective approach for centrifugal pump design and optimization.

کلیدواژه ها:

">Centrifugal pump ، ، ">Hydraulic efficiency ، ، ">Performance prediction ، ، ">Empirical correlations ، ، ">Steady-state simulation