Performance influence in submersible pump with different diffuser inlet widths

Abstract

The diffuser inlet width is a key geometric parameter that affects submersible pump performance. On the basis of diffuser characteristic curve analyses, diffusers with different inlet widths and the same impeller were equipped to construct a submersible pump model through the use of AutoCAD software. The performance curves of the submersible pump, with six diffuser inlet widths, were obtained using computational fluid dynamics method. Simultaneously, the simulation results were tested with the experimental method presented in this article. The results show that the optimum value of the inlet width (b3 = 50 mm) is larger than the experience-based one. With an increase in the inlet width, the optimum operating point of a submersible pump offsets to a larger flow rate. When the guide blade inlet width is approximately 40-55 mm, the submersible pump efficiency is relatively high, approximately 75.9%-83.7% capacity, and the flow rate is approximately 105-135 m3/h. The numerical results of submersible pump performance are higher than those of the test results; however, their change trends have an acceptable agreement with each other. The practical significance is supplied by changing the inlet width of the diffuser to expand the scope of use.