The Optimum Position of Impeller Splitter Blades of a Centrifugal Pump Equipped with Vaned Diffuser

The present investigation has been concentrated on the optimum, circumferential position of the impeller splitter blades of a centrifugal pump equipped with vaned diffuser, numerically and experimentally. In fact, five different circumferential positions of the impeller splitter blades of central and shifted by +Pi/10, +2Pi/10, -2Pi/10, -Pi/10 (+ is the rotating direction and Pi is the distance between the two main blades) have been analyzed. Experimental and numerical results reveal good agreement and maximum head deviation of 4.8 percent. Data analyses indicated that overall efficiency of the pump increased by 1.7 percent at BEP, Best Efficient Point, by using the impeller with shifted splitter blades by +2Pi/10 in comparison with the impeller with central splitter blades. Moreover, it is found that the impeller with central splitter blades has the highest head values at all flow rates as it is 7.5 percent higher than shifted splitter blades by -2Pi/10.