Experimental and numerical study of the performance and cavitation flow of centrifugal pump with jetting device

Cavitation is a problem that must be considered when designing and operating a pump. This study proposes an active method using a jetting device to improve its cavitation performance. The influence of jetting flow rate on the external characteristics and cavitation performance of a centrifugal pump is analyzed through numerical simulation and experiment. Results show that the jetting fluid can improve the cavitation performance of a pump and the effect is most evident in the 6 % jetting flow rate. The distribution of entropy generation at the inlet pipe before the impeller shows that jetting flow can increase hydraulic loss in the pipe, thereby diminishing the performance of the centrifugal pump. An analysis of the transient cavitation flow in the centrifugal impeller under 6 % jetting flow rate reveals that the generation, development, and rupture of bubbles deteriorate the flow structure in the passage, thereby resulting in unstable flows and forces.