Design parameter to improve the suction performance of mixed-flow pump impeller

Abstract The effect of positive- and negative-curved blade stackings on the cavitation performance of a mixed-flow pump impeller has been investigated in the present study. To this end, two types of pump impellers with different blade stackings with no significant difference in the non-cavitating hydrodynamics were compared. A numerical simulation based on the validated computational fluid dynamics code has been carried out to analyse the detailed flow dynamic phenomena in the mixed-flow pump impeller. From the predicted characteristic curves pertaining to both the stacking conditions, superior suction performance of the mixed-flow pump impeller with the negative-curved blading has been demonstrated over the normal operating flow range. The computational analysis method and a design parameter presented herein can be effectively applied to the hydraulic design optimization process of general-purpose centrifugal and mixed-flow pump impellers.