Numerical Investigation of Vortex Generator on Controlling Flow Field of Centrifugal Pump Based on Response Surface Method

The performance and life of centrifugal pumps can be severely impacted by cavitation. In this study, a vortex generator was placed on the blades of the first-stage impeller of a BB4 multistage centrifugal pump to investigate its effect on the local flow field. The response surface method was employed to design various solutions based on the vortex generator's arrangement position, height, and rotation angle and the optimum parameters were φ = 20°, θ = 10°, and h = 1.2114 mm. The results showed that a pressure rise occurred at the corresponding position of the vortex generator, and the pressure variation ranges from 1.99%-8.91%, which is closely related to the height parameter of the vortex generator. In the flow field near the vortex generator, the velocity increased and then decreased along the vertical direction of the blade wall, reaching a maximum height of 1.5 mm. Additionally, the low-velocity zone formed at the end of the vortex generator gradually became larger with the downward movement of the arrangement position, and its velocity varies in the range of about 1.5 m/s-15.7 m/s, and the pressure varies in the range of about 14,000 Pa-125,000 Pa. This research is crucial for understanding the cavitation control principle of vortex generators in centrifugal pumps.