Rotor-Stator Interaction Induced Pressure Fluctuations: CFD and Hydroacoustic Simulations in the Stationary Components of a Multistage Centrifugal Pump

In a centrifugal pump the interaction between the rotating impeller pressure field and the stationary diffuser pressure field yields pressure fluctuations as the result of a modulation process. These fluctuations may induce hydroacoustic pressure fluctuations in the exit chamber of the pump and could cause %under resonance conditions% unacceptable vibrations. This paper presents a methodology for the prediction of hydroacoustic pressure fluctuations resulting from rotor-stator interaction in a multistage centrifugal pump. The method consists in the one-way coupling of incompressible CFD and hydroacoustic simulations. In a first step the rotor-stator pressure fluctuations are calculated using a commercial 3D-RANS CFD-code (CFX 10) for different flow rates. The acoustic simulations are performed in two consecutive steps. Initially a free oscillation analysis using white noise pressure fluctuations is performed, which provides hydroacoustic eigen frequencies and mode shapes of the outlet casing. In a second step the spatially distributed pressure fluctuations from the CFD simulation are used to perform a forced oscillation analysis. This approach allows the prediction of possible standing waves in the hydraulic collection elements in the last stage of multistage pumps.