Theoretical, numerical and experimental research of single stage, radial discharge centrifugal pump operating in turbine mode

Abstract

In this study, the best efficiency point of end suction, radial discharge, centrifugal pump operated in turbine mode was arrived applying numerical and experimental analysis. The pump was simulated both in direct and turbine modes using Star CCM+ CFD software. Characteristic curves were developed for the pump in direct and turbine modes. A monoblock centrifugal pump of specific speed 35.89 (m, m3/s) was used for this study. The pump was tested experimentally in turbine and pump mode.The theoretical and numerical results were verified by those obtained through experimentation. Some of the correlations proposed by earlier researchers for performance prediction of pump in reverse mode were also tested.