Experimental and numerical investigation of radial forces acting on centrifugal pump impeller

Abstract

The paper presents the results of measurements and predictions of radial thrust in centrifugal pump with specific speed ns = 26. In the pump tested, a volute with rectangular cross-section was used. The tests were carried out for several rotational speeds, including speeds above and below the nominal one. Commercial code ANSYS Fluent was used for the calculations. Apart from the predictions of the radial force, the calculations of axial thrust were also conducted, and correlation between thrust and the radial force was found. In the range of the measured rotational speeds, similarity of radial forces was checked.