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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

Cavitation performance prediction of mixed-flow pump based

on CFD

F Yang1, C Liu1 and F P Tang2

1
College of Hydraulic Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou
225009 ,China
2
College of Energy and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou
225009 ,China

E-mail: liuchao@yzu.edu.cn

Abstract. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used to investigate the three-
dimensional cavitation flow fields in a mixed-flow pump with high specific speed. In the
numerical modeling, the homogeneous mixture model and Navier-Stokes equation with RNG
k-ε turbulence model are employed. At the best efficiency condition, the cavitation location on
the impeller blades and the distribution situation of vapor volume fraction were analyzed, as
well as the performance curve between the pump’s NPSHA and efficiency were predicted. The
results show that, the cavitation directly affects the pressure distribution on impeller blade
surfaces, and also results in change of the pump external characteristic. Under the primary
cavitation condition, Water vapors first accumulate on the suction surface of blade’s leading
edge, which is close to the tip. With the decrease of inlet total pressure, the cavitation region
extended towards the trailing edge and water vapor fraction volume become larger gradually.
When cavitation is serious, water vapors mainly accumulate on the suction surface of blade’s
trailing edge. The prediction curve has the same trend as the practical curve, which can reveal
the mixed-flow pump cavitation within the static characteristics.

1. Introduction
Cavitation has great influence on the operation performance of pumping station unit, so that many
problems have occurred, such as performance degradation, material corrosion, unit vibration,
hydraulic noise and so on. Cavitation performance is one of the important parameters of pump
performance. Cavitation flow in essence is gas-liquid two-phase flow, of which the exchange relation
of momentum and energy is very complicated. Update time, there are two main ways to study on the
cavitation flow, which are experimental study and numeric simulation, among them, test study
includes a performance test of model pump, monitor and diagnoses of cavitation in prototype pump
and cavitation flow field measurement and numeric simulation. It needs more manpower and material
resources as well as a longer experimental period to realize the cavitation performance absolutely by
model test, so the studying method of numerical simulation has important meaning. Domestic and
foreign scholars have made achievement in studying on cavitation flow, such as literature [1-8].
Design and development of a new pump are a great work load, long period and high cost by
cavitation experiment. Based on the results of energy calculation, the incipient cavitation remainder is
calculated, which can increase engineering cost. It is very necessary to analyze and estimate the
cavitation performance of a pump by CFD in the design period. In order to investigate the cavitation

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

flow characteristics and cavitation and performance effect of a pump with cavitation, numerical
simulation and cavitation performance test were used.

2. Mathematical model and Boundary conditions

2.1. Calculation model and parameters

Mixed-flow pump system operating at 1450 r/min rotational speed is chosen as the sample for
experimental. The diameter of the 4-bladed impeller is 300mm. The tip clearance of impeller is 0.2mm
at the blade angle 0°, which are the same as those of the experimental model. The computational
domain includes inlet passage, impeller and outlet passage (shown in Fig.1). Simplification of the
cavitation problem is used. The pump system actuating medium is 298.15K water, water cavitation
pressure Pv=3175.39Pa, we can obtain the related parameters of water, such as density ρ=997.1kg/m3,
surface tension of water σ =0.07197N·m-1, kinematic viscosity ν=0.89×10-6, according to water
conservancy industry standard of PRC《Code for model pump and its installation acceptance tests》
(SL140-2006). The commercial code ANSYS-CFX was used for present flow analysis in a mixed-
flow pump. A structure grid system was constructed in the impeller, which has O-type grids around
the blade surfaces and H/J-type grids in other regions. All of them are composed of the hexahedral
grid system was shown in Fig.2.

Figure 1. Computational domain. Figure 2. Computational grids.

2.2. Governing equations

Based on whether the separation of gas-liquid two-phase, cavitation models are classified into two
types: split phase flow model and homogeneous mixture flow model[9], which are used to simulate
cavitation flow field at now. The mean velocity of liquid phase and cavity phase are equal in each area
of flow field, which are considered as a whole to solve the equations, so that homogeneous mixture
flow model is simple. Fewer numbers of equations in total are one of the important characteristics of
homogeneous mixture flow model, and every physical quantity shares the same pressure and velocity
field in these equations.
Continuity equation of mixed phases:
∂ρ m ∂ ( ρ mu j )
+ =0 (1)
∂t ∂x j
Continuity equation of water vapour:

∂ ∂ ( ρ m fu j )
( ρ mt ) + = RE − RC (2)
∂t ∂x j
Momentum equation of mixed phases:

2
26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

∂ ∂ ( ρ m ui u j ) ∂p ∂  ∂ui ∂u j 
( ρ m ui ) + =− + ρm gi + ( μ m + μt )( + ) (3)
∂t ∂x j ∂xi ∂x j  ∂x j ∂xi 

where: the subscript m is mixed phase; ρ m is the density of mixture; α is a volume fraction of water
αρ v
vapor; f is mass fraction of water vapor, f = ; μ m is the viscosity of mixture ,
ρm
μ m = αμ v + βμ l ; RE is the source term of produced water vapor; RC is the source term of the
condensation process of water vapor.
If absolute pressure decreases to vaporization pressure in Local area of flow passage components,
water will begin to vaporize, of which the occurrence process is a complex phase change process.
1/ 2
k  2 p − pv 
If p ≤ pv , then RE = C E ρl ρ v (1 − f )   (4)
τ  3 pl 
1/ 2
k  2 p − pv 
If p > pv , then RC = CC ρl ρ v f   (5)
τ  3 pl 
where: Pv is saturated vapor pressure; k is kinetic energy; τ is coefficient of surface tension of liquid;
CE =0.02; CC =0.01; the subscript v is water vapor; the subscript l is water.
The turbulence effects were modeled by the RNG k-ε two-equation turbulence model, which
provides an option to account for the effects of swirl or rotation by modifying the turbulent viscosity
appropriately. A more comprehensive description of RNG theory and its application to turbulence
computation can be found in Ref. [1-2]. The conclusion that RNG k-ε is suitable to simulate cavitation
flow and gives higher calculation accuracy was obtained in Ref.[2]. The cavitation flow field of the
mixed flow pump was simulated by using the RNG k-ε turbulence model and homogeneous mixture
flow mode1.

2.3. Boundary conditions

Total pressure is set at the inlet boundary, and mass-averaged flow rate is assumed on the outlet
boundary. At the inlet boundary, the turbulence intensity is 0.5%; the volume fraction of liquid phase
is 1; the volume fraction of water vapor is 0.The Frozen rotor interfaces were employed for
calculations. The adiabatic and absolute no-slip boundary conditions are applied for the solid walls of
the runner chamber, while relative no-slip boundary conditions for the other solid walls.

3. Results and discussion

Numerical simulation of cavitation flow for Three-dimensional hydraulic machinery has an iteration
convergence problem with the process of time consuming. Compared with cavitation calculation, the
calculation method of energy performance is reliable. In the same condition of mesh number and mesh
quality, it is shown that the energy calculation has fast convergence and smaller computational
complexity. Based on the grid independence of energy performance calculation, the suitable grid
number was selected for cavitation calculation. At first, non cavitation model is used for numerical
simulation of energy performance and calculation convergence meet the requirement, and then,
cavitation model is used for cavitation calculation by decreasing total pressure of inlet boundary
gradually. In order to improve the convergence rate and the stability of convergence residual, the next
step was simulated iteratively based on the computational results obtained from the former step. All
maximum residuals are 10-5. Computational flow diagram is shown in Fig.3.

3
26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

Figure 3. Computational flow diagram.

3.1. The results of non cavitation flow

In order to ensure accuracy of calculation, different mesh number was used to simulate the energy
performance of the pump in the same of boundary and mesh quality. Fig.4 Shows the calculate pump
characteristics for mixed flow pumps. The performance curve of the pump is almost coincided with
that of performance prediction between grid numbers 500,000 and 600,000. There is great difference
between the two curves of pump performance between the grid number 250,000 and 400,000. Grid a
few more, calculate the required memory the greater the longer. Grid number 500,000 was selected to
simulate cavitation flow field. Another parameter affecting the calculation results to the leaf surface
turbulence the dimensionless Yplus, the size of its value reflects the density of the grid layout can
meet the requirements of the turbulence model adaptability, and generally should ensure that Yplus
less than 200. The Yplus value is between 5~50, which can meet the requirement of the turbulent
model.

(a) Q – H (b) Q – Tp

(c) Q – η (d) pump performance (grid number:500,000)

Figure 4. Performance prediction of mixed-flow pump.

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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

3.2. The results of cavitation flow

Based on the results of energy performance prediction, design condition (Q=280 L/s) was selected to
simulate the cavitation flow of the mixed flow pump, which is close to optimum operating condition.
Cavitation generation results in the low efficiency of a pump. In order to verify the effectiveness of the
cavitation model, the pump efficiency of energy calculation is used as reference. Under the condition
of △η=1%, NPSHA (available net positive suction head) is defined as NPSHR (necessary net positive
suction head). The attenuation curves of prediction and model test about pump efficiency are shown in
Fig.5. The decrease value of efficiency △η, and NPSHA were defined as follows:
Δη = ηi − η B (6)

NPSHA = ( Plocal − Pv ) / ρg (7)

where: η B is the efficiency at the beginning; ηi is the efficiency of different total pressure; i is serial
number of different working conditions; Plocal is average total pressure of impeller inlet cross section;
Pv is vaporization pressure of corresponding temperature; ρ is the density of corresponding
temperature; g is acceleration of gravity; density of corresponding temperature.

(a) (b) (c)

NPSHA=16.25m NPSHA=9.00m NPSHA=7.97m
Figure 5. Efficiency attenuation caused
Figure 6. Development of vapor on blade surface.
by cavitation.
The cavitation performance curve of numeric simulation is the same tendency with that of
experiment. The prediction NPSHR is smaller than test value, because of smoother wall surface and
better flow pattern of numerical simulation. It is easily to impel cavitaion to occur in rough wall
surface. Experimental water containing unknown impurity, so that homogeneous mixture flow model
cannot completely simulates real cavitaiton flow of a pump.
When NPSHA is between 7.00m ~ 9.00m, the efficiency of the mixed flow pump begins to
decrease. With the decrease of NPSHA, the efficiency decreases more quickly, and the curve shows
the sudden efficiency drop. Three stages in the development of cavitation are shown in Fig.6. With the
decrease of NPSHA, cavitation region of impeller passages increased progressively, which decrease
the effective flow area of passage and the efficiency of the pump gradually.
The gas content distribution of blade suction surface in different stages of cavitation calculation is
shown in Fig.7. Gas content represents the distribution situation of water vapor. Red represents
maximal gas content. Blue represents minimum gas content. Water vapor begins to occur in the nearby
region of blade’s leading edge for mixed flow pump, so that water flow regime of blade’s leading edge
has an important influence on cavitation performance of impeller. Under the primary cavitation
condition, water vapors first accumulate on the suction surface of blade’s leading edge, which is close
to the tip. With the decrease of NPSHA, cavitation region increase gradually. NPSHA is less than
7.44m, water vapors appear in the middle of the blade surface. With further decreasing of NPSHA, the

5
26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

concentration region of water vapors extends to the nearby middle region of the blade surface. When
cavitation is serious, water vapors mainly accumulate on the suction surface of blade’s trailing edge.
The intensity of erosion in the blade tail is higher than that in the blade’s leading edge.

NPSHA=16.25m NPSHA=11.07m NPSHA=9.00m NPSHA=7.97m

NPSHA=7.44m NPSHA=6.93m NPSHA=5.89m NPSHA=4.86m

Figure 7. The distribution of water vapor volume fraction on blade suction surface.

(a) NPSHA=16.25m (b) NPSHA=9.00m

(c) NPSHA=7.97m (d) NPSHA=5.89m

Figure 8. The distribution of static pressure on blade surface.

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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 032057 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/3/032057

Distribution of static pressure in the different span wise position of the blade is shown in Fig.8. (x/l:
control point is located in the chord wise position; where: x, l indicate the length of calculating point
and wing tip, total chord length of airfoil) Under different condition of NPSHA, static pressure is a
relatively higher nearby blade flange, while static pressure is a lower nearby blade hub in pressure
surface of the blade. With the decrease of NPSHA, the continuous development of water vapor
changes the distribution of velocity and pressure in the impeller passage. Static pressure of the blade’s
suction surface decreases little by little. The range of the lower static pressure increase gradually. The
overall trend of blade’s static pressure is the same as that. Cavitation has great influence on the area of
the blade flange. From the Fig.8(b)-(d), we can know the outer side of suction surface still is zoned of
negative pressure, and static pressure doesn’t change with the decrease of NPSHA, of which the zone
increases gradually. The results show that the suction surface is covered with a lot of water vapors.

4. Conclusions
Based on the numerical simulation of energy characteristics, it is necessary to ensure the proper grid
number for cavitation flow field of a pump under the same condition of mesh quality. While under the
cavitation condition, the cavitation occurring and developing processes are captured successfully by
homogeneous mixture flow model and RNG k-ε. Water vapors first accumulate on the suction surface
of blade’s leading edge, which is close to the tip. With the decrease of inlet total pressure, the
cavitation region extended towards the trailing edge and water vapor fraction volume become larger
gradually. When cavitation is serious, water vapors mainly accumulate on the suction surface of
blade’s trailing edge. The prediction curve has the same trend as the practical curve, which can reveal
the mixed-flow pump cavitation within the static characteristics.

Acknowledgments
This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50779060), Jiangsu
Province colleges of Natural Science Major Project (No.11KJA570001), Jiangsu Province Key
Laboratory Open Project (K11018), Graduate Student Innovation Foundation of Jiangsu Province
(No.CXZZ11-0977).

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