Energy performance and unsteady gas-liquid flow characteristics of a multiphase rotodynamic pump: An experiment

Huichuang Li, Jiahang Yang, Wenwu Zhang, Liwei Hu, Ao Liang and Zhifeng Yao

Applied Energy, 2024, vol. 375, issue C, No S0306261924014958

Abstract: The multiphase rotodynamic pump, as an energy conversion device, is widely used in the multiphase transport process. Visual measurement of unsteady flow in such a pump is of great significance in improving its energy performance and transport efficiency. In this study, the performance measurements and visualized flow tests for a gas-liquid multiphase rotodynamic pump were conducted using a constructed experimental system. The experimental results indicate that as the liquid flow rate increases, the pressurization of the multiphase pump decreases gradually, with efficiency initially increasing and then decreasing. With an increase in rotating speed, both the pressurization and efficiency curves of the multiphase pump shift upward and to the right. As the inlet gas void fraction(IGVF) increases, the pressurization of the multiphase rotodynamic pump decreases, overall showing four stages, i.e., slow descent, descent, decay, and smooth descent, corresponding to the Isolated bubbly flow(IBF), Bubbly flow(BF), Gas pocket flow(GPF) and Separation flow(SF) respectively. The multiphase pump operates relatively stable at IBF and BF conditions, severely deteriorates at GPF conditions and is almost ineffective at SF conditions. High-speed photography images were processed using MATLAB, revealing that the sizes and quantities of bubbles at the impeller inlet approximately follow a normal distribution. When n = 2950 r/min, the bubble diameters of 0.4 mm, 0.8 mm and 1.5 mm respectively correspond to the peak values of bubble numbers at IGVF = 0.6%, 3.47% and 10%. The bubble shapes at the impeller inlet are mainly spherical and ellipsoidal. Due to various forces and tip leakage flow(TLF), bubbles in the impeller undergo coalescence and breakup phenomena. Radial vortices(RV) and longitudinal vortices(LV) occur in the guide vane. The former is formed by the adverse pressure gradient at the guide vane outlet, while the latter is formed by the forces imbalance on the upper and lower sides of the bubble groups.

Keywords: Multiphase rotodynamic pump; Gas-liquid flow pattern; Bubble dynamic evolution; Bubble diameter; High-speed photography technology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124112

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