Prediction of Air-Water Two-Phase Flow Performance of a Centrifugal Pump Based on One-Dimensional Two-Fluid Model

To predict the performance of centrifugal pumps under air-water two-phase flow conditions, a consistent one-dimensional two-fluid model with fluid viscosity and air-phase compressibility in a rotating impeller is proposed by considering energy changes in the transitional flow from the rotating impeller to the stationary volute casing. The two-fluid model is numerically solved for the case of a radial-flow pump after various constitutive equations are applied. The head and shaft power predicted are found to agree well with the measured values within ±20 percent of the rated flow capacity.