Abstract
The performance of multiphase pumps has a remarkable influence on the related industrial application. In order to understand the flow field and gas-liquid phase interaction characteristics of a multiphase rotodynamic pump, detailed numerical analysis of the pump with a medium of air-water combination was carried out for the whole flow passage by means of a structured mesh using ICEM_CFD and TurboGrid. The results for 21% inlet gas void fraction (IGVF = 21%) condition showed that the magnitude ratio of non-drag forces to drag in impeller and guide vane passages was generally less than 1, whereas it was always less than 0.2 for the magnitude ratio of turbulent dispersion force to drag. When the IGVF was increased, the variation range of interphase forces in the impeller was greater than that in the guide vane. In addition, the gas in the impeller mainly accumulated near the suction surface in the outlet region. Further, with increased IGVF, the degree of aggregation increased as well as the gas inhomogeneity, and consequently the interphase forces in the impeller increased. Due to the divergent structure of the guide vane, obvious vortexes emerged at the hub and gradually moved toward the blade pressure surface along the streamwise direction.