Scm. Yu et al., The angle-resolved velocity measurements in the impeller passages of a model biocentrifugal pump, P I MEC E C, 215(5), 2001, pp. 547-568
Citations number
5
Categorie Soggetti
Mechanical Engineering
Journal title
PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART C-JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
Velocity measurements have been obtained in a model of biocentrifugal pump
in terms of angle-resolved values in the impeller passages, the volute and
the inlet and exit ducts running at the design condition using a laser Dopp
ler anemometer. Water was used as the working fluid. Three impeller geometr
ies have been considered including the 16 forward swept-blade design, 16 st
raight radial-blade design and 8 backward swept-blade design. The results i
ndicate that all designs showed pockets of recirculating flows and high-she
ar-stress regions in some passages of the impeller. The splitter plate loca
ted along the centre-line of the volute passage was found to be responsible
for restricting part of the flows from exiting the impeller to the volute
passage. The original intention of the splitter plate was to minimize the i
mbalance of the radial thrust when the impeller was magnetically suspended.
The splitter plate also creates a velocity difference on either side of th
e splitter plate at the exit duct and may have provided conditions for the
formation of spanwise vortices downstream from the exit of the pump. Furthe
r development on the biopump should focus on the design integration of the
impellers, splitter plate and volute so as to achieve a better pump perform
ance.