Study on solid-liquid two-phase unsteady flow in multistage pump

To further understand the flow structure of the liquid-particle two-phase flow both in impeller and radial guide vane of multistage pump, Three-dimensional liquid-particle two-phase turbulent flow at design point with particle volume fraction of 0% and 20%, density ratio between solid and liquid of 1.468 is simulated by using Euler-Euler two-fluid model based on ANSYS CFX software. The simulation results can predict the main flow characteristics of the liquid-particle two-phase flows in multistage pump very well. The addition of particles decrease the pressure at outlet of pump, and it also has an influence on liquid phase flow to some extent. There are some relations between the distribution of particles in flow field and the location in pump. Higher solid volume fraction exist in the inlet of impeller than that of outlet; there are also some differences of the distribution of particles exist in pressure surface and suction surface near the outlet of impeller. In radial guide vane, there is relative higher solid volume fraction exist at the inlet of front guide vanes and the pressure surface of return vanes. Erosion of flow components caused by particles occurs both in leading edge and trailing edge of blade evidently, while it also occurs both at the inlet and outlet of frontage guide vanes. The characteristics of particles' movement regulation can contribute to the design of solid-liquid pump to a degree.