Numerical Assessment of a Two-Phase Model for Propulsive Pump Performance Prediction

Filippo Avanzi (), Alberto Baù, Francesco De Vanna and Ernesto Benini
Additional contact information
Filippo Avanzi: Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Alberto Baù: Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Francesco De Vanna: Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
Ernesto Benini: Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-26

Abstract: The present work provides a detailed numerical investigation of a turbopump for waterjet applications in cavitating conditions. In particular, the study focuses on the complexities of cavitation modelling, serving as a pivotal reference for future computational research, especially in off-design hydro-jet scenarios, and it aims to extend current model assessments of the existing methods, by disputing their standard formulations. Thus, a computational domain of a single rotor-stator blade passage is solved using steady-state Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations, coupled with one-, two-, and four-equation turbulence models, and compared with available measurements, encompassing both nominal and thrust breakdown conditions. Through grid dependency analysis, a medium refinement with the Shear Stress Transport turbulence model is chosen as the optimal configuration, reducing either computational time and relative error in breakdown efficiency to 1%. This arrangement is coupled with a systematic study of the Zwart cavitation model parameters through multipliers ranging from 10 − 2 to 10 2 . Results reveal that properly tuning these values allows for a more accurate reconstruction of the initial phases of cavitation up to breakdown. Notably, increasing the nucleation radius reduces the difference between the estimated head rise and experimental values near breakdown, reducing the maximum error by 4%. This variation constrains vapour concentration, promoting cavitation volume extension in the passage. A similar observation occurs when modifying the condensation coefficient, whereas altering the vaporization coefficient yields opposite effects.

Keywords: axial-flow pump; waterjet; cavitation; two-phase flows; turbomachinery; computational fluid dynamics; numerical modelling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/18/6592/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/18/6592/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:18:p:6592-:d:1239013

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().