Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), pressure, and noise measurements are used to study the effect of modifications to tongue and impeller geometries on the flow structure and resulting noise in a centrifugal pump. It is demonstrated that the primary sources of noise are associated with interactions of the nonuniform outflux from the impeller (jet/wake phenomenon) with the tongue. Consequently, significant reduction of noise is achieved by increasing the gap between the tongue and the impeller up to about 20 percent of the impeller radius. Further increase in the gap affects the performance adversely with minimal impact on the noise level. When the gap is narrow, the primary sources of noise are impingement of the wake on the tip of the tongue, and tongue oscillations when the pressure difference across it is high. At about 20 percent gap, the entire wake and its associated vorticity trains miss the tongue, and the only (quite weak) effect of nonuniform outflux is the impingement of the jet on the tongue. An attempt is also made to reduce the nonuniformity in outflux from the impeller by inserting short vanes between the blades. They cause reduction in the size of the original wakes, but generate an additional jet/wake phenomenon of their own. Both wakes are weak to a level that their impacts on local pressure fluctuations and noise are insignificant. The only remaining major contributor to noise is tongue oscillations. This effect is shown to be dependent on the stiffness of the tongue.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
July 1997
Research Papers
Effect of Modification to Tongue and Impeller Geometry on Unsteady Flow, Pressure Fluctuations, and Noise in a Centrifugal Pump
R. Dong,
R. Dong
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
Search for other works by this author on:
S. Chu,
S. Chu
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
Search for other works by this author on:
J. Katz
J. Katz
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
Search for other works by this author on:
R. Dong
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
S. Chu
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
J. Katz
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218
J. Turbomach. Jul 1997, 119(3): 506-515 (10 pages)
Published Online: July 1, 1997
Article history
Received:
February 11, 1995
Online:
January 29, 2008
Citation
Dong, R., Chu, S., and Katz, J. (July 1, 1997). "Effect of Modification to Tongue and Impeller Geometry on Unsteady Flow, Pressure Fluctuations, and Noise in a Centrifugal Pump." ASME. J. Turbomach. July 1997; 119(3): 506–515. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2841152
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Aerodynamic Performance and Leakage Flow in Turbine Cascades With Sweeping Jet Actuators
J. Turbomach (June 2023)
Related Articles
Relationship Between Unsteady Flow, Pressure Fluctuations, and Noise in a Centrifugal Pump—Part A: Use of PDV Data to Compute the Pressure Field
J. Fluids Eng (March,1995)
Relationship Between Unsteady Flow, Pressure Fluctuations, and Noise in a Centrifugal Pump—Part B: Effects of Blade-Tongue Interactions
J. Fluids Eng (March,1995)
Investigation of Unsteady Flow Field in a Vaned Diffuser of a Transonic Centrifugal Compressor
J. Turbomach (October,2007)
Flow Analysis in a Pump Diffuser—Part 1: LDA and PTV Measurements of the Unsteady Flow
J. Fluids Eng (December,1997)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Dynamic Behavior of Pumping Systems
Pipeline Pumping and Compression Systems: A Practical Approach
Introduction
Design of Mechanical Bearings in Cardiac Assist Devices
Turbocompressors
Pumps and Compressors