Hydraulic Design and CFD-Based Parametric Study for Optimizing Centrifugal Pump Impeller Performance

Abstract

Centrifugal pumps are extensively utilized across various industries, including water supply, agriculture, and energy, where they consume significant amounts of electricity. As demands for energy efficiency and reduced operating costs increase, enhancing pump efficiency has become crucial. This study focuses on optimizing the pump impeller geometry, which plays a vital role in minimizing energy losses. A hydraulic and hydrodynamic model was developed, alongside a parametric study based on numerical simulations (CFD), to analyze the influence of geometric parameters—specifically the angles and shapes of the blade’s inlet and outlet edges—on energy losses and hydraulic efficiency. The study utilized experimental data provided by the manufacturer for model verification. The results revealed that Ivanovsky’s method displayed deviations in the blade width at the leading edge and trailing edge of 25% and 43%, respectively, while Spiridonov’s method indicated deviations of 13% in the outer diameter D2 and 27.5% in the blade width at the trailing edge. In contrast, the combined method proposed by the authors achieved high accuracy, with deviations under 9%. Additionally, parametric analysis identified two key parameters affecting the pump efficiency: the angle of the trailing edge and its shape. These findings underscore the necessity of optimizing the blade geometry to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of centrifugal pumps.