Analysis of The Impact of the Space Guide Vane Wrap Angle on the Performance of a Submersible Well Pump

In order to study the influence of the wrap angle relating to the space guide vane of a submersible well pump (250QJ125) on the flow field and pump performance, seven possible configurations have been considered (obtained by changing the blade wrap angle while keeping unchanged all the other parameters). Such configurations have been numerically simulated in the framework of a computational model based on the Reynolds time-averaged N-S equations, the RNG k-epsilon turbulence approach and the SIMPLE algorithm. The impact exerted by different wrap angles of the guide vane on the performance of the pump, the internal losses of the guide vane and the flow field distribution in the bladeless area at the guide vane outlet has been assessed via cross-comparison of all these cases. The results show that the wrap angle has a significant influence: the wrap angle with the highest head is different from that with the highest efficiency, and changes in this angle have a more significant effect on the head than efficiency. A moderate raise of the wrap angle can improve the properties of the flow, reduce turbulence losses and enhance the energy conversion rate inside the guide vane. Different wrap angles can also lead to different fluid circulation modes in the bladeless area from guide vane outlet to impeller inlet, while they have a weak influence on the absolute value of the velocity of the fluid entering the impeller.