Pump Division p

Flowserve Pumps
IDP Pumps
Cavitation in Centrifugal Pumps
and Prediction Thereof
F k C Vi Frank C. Visser
Flowserve Pump Division
Etten-Leur, The Netherlands
Tutorial
Presented at 2005 ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Conference,
J une 19-23, 2005, Houston, Texas, USA , , , ,
Outline
Part 1: What is cavitation and what does it mean for Part 1: What is cavitation and what does it mean for
pumping machinery?
Part 2: Prediction of cavitation in centrifugal pumps
Scaling laws
Thermodynamic effect (temperature depression)
Eff t f di l d t i d Effect of dissolved or entrained gases
Calculating incipient cavitation (NPSH) from CFD
Cavity length prediction
2
P t 1 Wh t i it ti Part 1 What is cavitation
Cavitation is defined as the process of formation and disappearance Cavitation is defined as the process of formation and disappearance
of the vapour phase of a liquid when it is subjected to reduced and
subsequently increased pressures.
The formation of cavities is a process analogous to boiling in a liquid,
although it is the result of pressure reduction rather than heat
addition.
Cavitation is a thermodynamic change of state with mass transfer
from liquid to vapor phase and visa versa (bubble formation & q p p (
collapse).
3
P t 1 Wh t i it ti ( t ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Sheet cavity on pump Sheet cavity on pump
impeller vane leading
edge (suction side)
Speed = 2990 RPM
NPSHA = 70 m(230 ft)
Flowrate =1820 m3/h Flow rate =1820 m3/h
(8015 gpm)
Vane marker stripes at Vane marker stripes at
intervals of 10 mm (0.4 in)
Cavity length =25-40 mm Cavity length = 25-40 mm
(1.0 1.5 in)
(from Visser et al, 1998)
4
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Cavitation causes or may cause:
P f l (h d d ) Performance loss (head drop)
Material damage (cavitation erosion)
Vibrations
Noise
Vapor lock (if suction pressure drops
b l b k ff l ) below break-off value)
(Visser et al, 1998)
General Advice: TRY TO AVOIDCAVITATION (under normal operation) General Advice: TRY TO AVOID CAVITATION (under normal operation)
Unfortunately, economic or operational considerations often necessitate
operation with some cavitation and then it is particularly important to operation with some cavitation, and then it is particularly important to
understand the (negative) effects of cavitation.
Design optimization to minimize cavitation
5
P t 1 Wh t i it ti ( t ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Typical cavitation damages
Centrifugal pump impeller
Francis turbine runner
cavitation pitting erosion @ inlet
(from Dijkers et al, 2000)
cavitation damage @ discharge
(from Brennen, 1994)
6
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Cavitation behavior is typically expressed in terms of cavitation
t parameters.
Cavitation number:
R U U
U
p p
T
eye
V
O = =

o
1
2
2
1
1
) ( ; : Pumps l Centrifuga
Net Positive Suction Head:
p p
NPSH
V

=
01
Thoma cavitation number:
g
NPSH

H
NPSH
TH
= o
7
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
In general, cavitation performance is related to some critical value: g
NPSHA (=available) > NPSHc or NPSHR (=critical or required)
Typical criticalcharacteristics identified for centrifugal pumps: Typical critical characteristics identified for centrifugal pumps:
Incipient cavitation (NPSHi)
Developed cavitation causing 3% head drop (NPSH3%) p g p ( )
Developed cavitation causing complete head breakdown
(vapor lock).
Choice of NPSHR is rather arbitrary, but usually NPSHR=NPSH3%
Alternative choices:
NPSHR=NPSH1%or NPSHR=NPSH5%
NPSHR=NPSHi (cavitation free operation)
8
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Cavitation Phenomena
9
Cavitation Visualization Test Pump Cavitation Visualization Test Pump
Pump Division
Begin Visual Cavitation Begin Visual Cavitation
0%h d d
1% head drop
3% head drop
4.05
Head (m)
Begin visual cavitation
0% head drop
3.95
4.00
3.85
3.90
3 75
3.80
3.85
3.70
3.75
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Pump Division
NPSH (m)
0% Head Drop 0% Head Drop
0%head drop
1% head drop
3% head drop
4.05
Head (m)
Begin visual cavitation
0% head drop
3.95
4.00
3.85
3.90
3.75
3.80
3.70
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
NPSH ( )
Pump Division
NPSH (m)
1% Head drop 1% Head drop
0%head drop
1% head drop
3% head drop
4.05
Head (m)
Begin visual cavitation
0% head drop
3.95
4.00
3.85
3.90
3.75
3.80
3.70
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
NPSH ( )
Pump Division
NPSH (m)
3% Head drop 3% Head drop
0%head drop
1% head drop
3% Head drop
4.05
Head (m)
Begin visual cavitation
0% head drop
3.95
4.00
3.85
3.90
3.75
3.80
3.70
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
NPSH ( )
Pump Division
NPSH (m)
Recirculation Recirculation
0%head drop
1% head drop
3% head drop
Recirculation
4.05
Head (m)
Begin visual cavitation
0% head drop
3.95
4.00
3.85
3.90
3.75
3.80
3.70
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
NPSH ( )
Pump Division
NPSH (m)
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
10
Part 1 What is cavitation (cont ) Part 1 What is cavitation (cont.)
Typically(in practice): Typically (in practice):
NPSHA > NPSH3%
NPSHi > NPSHA (especially for low capacity)
Pumps run okay, BUT with some developed cavitation. u ps u o ay, U t so e de eoped ca tato
General misconception: General misconception:
NPSHA > NPSHR No Cavitation
(This will only hold if NPSHR = NPSHi.)
11
Part 2 Cavitation prediction Part 2 Cavitation prediction
Scalinglaws Scaling laws
Thermodynamic effect
Effect of dissolved or entrained gases
Calculating incipient cavitation (NPSHi) from CFD Cacuat g c pe t ca tato (N S i) o C
Cavity length prediction
12
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Predicting NPSH at speeds other than reference or test speed
(scaling laws)
NPSHi:
2
,
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
N
N
NPSH NPSH N NPSH
REF i i i
(
,
= =
|
.

\
H
NPSH
N
TH
REF
constant) o
NPSH3%:
(
2
% 3 % 3
|
|
|

|
=
N
NPSH f NPSH
H
REF
TH
1 , ; 1 ,
%, 3 % 3
s > > <
|
.

\
f N N f N N
N
f
REF REF
REF
REF
Postulate: Amount of developed cavitation depends on residence
time f depends on size of the pump and ratio N/N
REF
13
REF
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Alternative approach to account for deviation fromaffinity law: Alternative approach to account for deviation from affinity law:
% 3 % 3
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
o
REF
N
N
NPSH NPSH
2 1
%, 3 % 3
s s
|
.

\
o
REF
REF
N
Choice of o is rather arbitrary and relies heavily on empiricism
Conservative choice:
N < N
REF
, o =1
N > N
REF
, o = 2
14
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Thermodynamic effect y
(temperature depression)
Cavitation performance Cavitation performance
depends on:
Temperature of liquid Temperature of liquid
Type of liquid
NPSHR reduction
(E.g. Stepanoff method, or
Hydraulic Institute correction Hydraulic Institute correction
chart)
(from Brennen, 1994)
15
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Predicting thermodynamic effect
Equilibrium theory:
V
fg
L
REF
V
B
h
B NPSH
NPSH NPSH NPSH
= = A
A =
;
2
%, 3 % 3

Stepanoff (1965 1978):

L p fg V
V
B
T C g v
B NPSH = = A ;
2

A = NPSH B B
Stepanoff (1965, 1978):
] [ ] [ ;
1 1
2
2
1
1

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
A =
ft or m
h
T C g
B
NPSH B B
p
L

] [ ;
64
] [ ;
29
1
1
1
1
3
4
3
4

= A = A
|
.

\
ft B
H
NPSH or m B
H
NPSH
h
fg V

Non-equilibrium theory bubble dynamic (CFD) calculations, involving

time-dependent two-phase flowcalculations
H H
V V
16
time dependent two phase flow calculations
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Influence of dissolved and/or entrained gases:
conceptual effective or artificial vapor pressure:
P
E
= P
V
+ A
P P (Ch 1993) P
E
=yP
0
(Chen, 1993)
Key characteristic:
Performance (breakdown) comes fromgas evolution and gas Performance (breakdown) comes from gas evolution and gas
expansion, rather than classical vapor formation.
Dissolved and/or entrained gases result in reduction of (effective)
field NPSHA:
NPSHA
*
=(P
01
P ) / g NPSHA (P
01
P
E
) / g
Hidden danger: NPSHA > NPSHR but NPSHA
*
< NPSHR
17
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
( ) f C Predicting incipient cavitation (NPSHi) from CFD
T i l h Typical approach:
Create 3D geometry model/grid of impeller passage
++
Solve flow field with CFD code (non-cavitating)
++
Calculate incipient NPSH from CFD pressure field (next slide)
18
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Streamline through point of minimum pressure
p p
g
p p
NPSH
V i
i

2
1
, 01

=
p p p p
U p p
V i
i i

min 1 , 1
2
2
1
, 1 , 01
) ( =
+ =
p p
NPSH
min 01

g
p p
NPSH
i

min 01
=
So:NPSHi follows from p
min
and p
01
of calculated pressure field, and
does not require p
V
to be known!
19
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Running simulations for several flow rates produces NPSHi curve:
(fromVisser 2001)
20
(from Visser, 2001)
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Note: CFD calculated characteristic is for impeller flow!
To project it on pump throughput one needs to account
for volumetric efficiency (eye wear ring leakage flow): y ( y g g )
Q
impeller
= Q
pump
+ Q
leakage
Q
pump
= Q
impeller
- Q
leakage
Computed curve shifts left by amount AQ =Q
leakage
Computed curve shifts left by amount AQ Q
leakage

o
o t v o ; ~ ) , , , , , f(
2
1
leakage
L
p
u u D L D p Q
A
= A =
v
o


2
Re ; Re / 2373 . 0 ; Re / 24
25 . 0
turbulent laminar
u
L
= = =
It becomes particularly important to take Q
leakage
into account for low
N
S
(specific speed) impellers. For high N
S
the relative influence is less.
21
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
What if NPSHA < NPSHi ?
Find region on impeller blade surface where p < p
V
physicallyunrealistic but it gives physically unrealistic, but it gives
first indication of cavitation area, and
first approximation of cavity bubble length first approximation of cavity bubble length
Note: The actual cavity will be bigger Note: The actual cavity will be bigger
bubble length will be underestimated
22
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
To visualize p < p
V
region from non-cavitating flow simulation:
Plot isotimic surface for threshold value p
V
*
p p p p
A V V
+ =
, 1 1
*
) (
p U p
U p
V A
+
+ =
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
) (

NPSPA p
NPSHA g p
p p
V A
=
=
01
2 , 1
) (

NPSPA p =
01
23
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Example:
Plot of p < p
V
region
NPSHA = 15.5 m (51 ft)
NPSHi = 28 m (92 ft) ( )
N = 2980 RPM
Q = 400 m3/h
(1760 USGPM)
Cavitation on blade Cavitation on blade
suction side
24
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Putting L
CAV
= m L(p<p
V
), m=O(3), one can get some impression of g
CAV
(p p
V
), ( ), g p
expected cavitation erosion rate
Gli h (1986 1988 1989)
( ) ( )
n
CAV
L
2 3 6
3
2

|
|

|
Glich (1986, 1988, 1989):
(*)
( ) ( )
( )
n
n
S e A
CAV
CAV
L L E E L E
T A U
L
L
C E
2 3 6
3
2
10 ,
8

|
|
.
|

\
|
= | t
or (*)
with n = 2.83 for blade suction side and
2 6 for blade pressure side
( )
n
n
CAV
L L E E L E
1 2 1 2
=
n = 2.6 for blade pressure side
Equation (*) is especially powerful when comparing designs and q ( ) p y p p g g
evaluate susceptibility to cavitation erosion (in a relative sense).
Design optimization studies
25
Design optimization studies
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Results and theory thus far do not require two-phase flow
l l ti calculations.
Still it provides important information of an impeller design p p p g
regarding cavitation performance.
Next level of improvement has to come fromCFD calculations Next level of improvement has to come from CFD calculations
with cavitation model.
Calculations with a cavitation model are time consuming and
tend to be CPU-expensive
Several cavitation models exist to date, and development of
cavitation models is still ongoing
26
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
CFD Cavitation models
Typically two approaches:
Equilibrium models
Barotropic or pseudo density models; =(p)
Somewhat simplistic, yet p , y
Attractive since they can be used in single phase codes
Bubble dynamic models y
Rayleigh-Plesset equation
Vapor-liquid interaction (time-dependent mass & heat transfer)
Closer to reality Closer to reality
More complicated and more CPU-expensive
E.g. Volume of Fluid (VOF) model
27
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Example:
Plot of cavity bubble
Equilibrium model q
CFX-TASCflow
(CEV-model)
NPSHA 15 5 (51 ft) NPSHA = 15.5 m (51 ft)
NPSHi = 28 m (92 ft)
N = 2980 RPM
Q =400 m3/h Q = 400 m3/h
(1760 USGPM)
m ~ 3
Cavitation on blade
suction side
28
Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont ) Part 2 Cavitation prediction (cont.)
Application:
With CFD it ti d l di t NPSH3%f CFD With CFD cavitation models one can predict NPSH3%from CFD
calculated head drop curves
(from Visser, 2001; CEV-model prediction)
29
( , ; p )
Concluding Remarks
Cavitation is a phenomenon which can seriously impact Cavitation is a phenomenon which can seriously impact
performance and operation of pumps.
Predicting cavitation performance is an important topic Predicting cavitation performance is an important topic,
not only for pumps, but for fluid machinery in general.
Traditional (scaling) methods are still important and Traditional (scaling) methods are still important and
useful.
CFDmethods provide further insight and are becoming CFD methods provide further insight and are becoming
more and more common.
Bubble dynamic (CFD) methods are emerging and hold a Bubble dynamic (CFD) methods are emerging and hold a
promise for the future.
30
References References
Brennen, C.E.
H d d i f P Hydrodynamics of Pumps.
Oxford University Press (1994)
Chen C C Chen, C.C.
Cope with dissolved gases in pump calculations.
Chemical Engineering, vol. 100 (1993), pp. 106-112.
Dijkers, R.J .H., Visser, F.C. & Op De Woerd, J .G.H.
Redesign of a high-energy centrifugal pump first-stage impeller.
Proceedings of the 20
th
IAHR Symposium August 6-9 2000 Charlotte Proceedings of the 20 IAHR Symposium, August 6 9, 2000, Charlotte,
North Carolina, USA.
Glich J F and Pace S Glich, J . F. and Pace, S.
Quantitative Prediction of Cavitation Erosion in Centrifugal Pumps.
Proceedings of the 13
th
IAHR Symposium(1986), Montreal, Canada.
31
References (cont ) References (cont.)
Glich, J . F. and Rsch, A.
Cavitation Erosion in Centrifugal Pumps.
World Pumps, J uly 1988, pp. 164-168.
Glich, J . F.
Guidelines for Prevention of Cavitation in Centrifugal Feedpumps.
EPRI Final Report GS-6398, (1989).
Glich, J . F.
Beitrag zur Bestimmung der Kavitationserosion in Kreiselpumpen auf Grund der
Blasenfeldlnge unddes Kavitationsschalls Blasenfeldlnge und des Kavitationsschalls.
Thesis, Technische Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany, 1989.
Stepanoff A J Stepanoff, A.J .
Pumps and Blowers Two-Phase Flow.
J ohn Wiley & Sons (1965), Krieger Publishing (1978)
32
References (cont ) References (cont.)
Visser, F.C., Backx, J .J .M., Geerts, J ., Cugal, M. & D. Miguel Medina Torres
Pump impeller lifetime improvement through visual study of leading-edge cavitation.
Proceedings of the 15
th
International Pump Users Symposium, Turbomachinery
Laboratory,Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA, pp. 109-117. y, y, g , , , pp
Also in: Pumping Technology, vol. 2 (1998), pp. 149-157.
Visser F C Visser, F.C.
Some user experience demonstrating the use of CFX-TASCflow computational fluid
dynamics for cavitation inception (NPSH) analysis and head performance prediction
of centrifugal pump impellers. FEDSM2001-18087
Proceedings of the 4
th
ASME International Symposium on Pumping Machinery,
May 29 J une 1 2001 NewOrleans Louisiana USA May 29 J une 1, 2001, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
33