Impacts of Cavitation on Flow Field Distributions and Pump Stability in Cryogenic Pumps

This study aims to investigate the impact of cavitation states on the stability of cryogenic pumps. Steady and unsteady simulations of the internal flow were conducted based on an SST k-omega turbulence model and a modified Zwart cavitation model considering thermodynamic effects. The modified cavitation model was verified using the hydrofoil model and compared with the Hord test results. The results indicate that the variation in pressure at the pump inlet has a significant influence on the cavitation in the pump. The cavitation states and fluid flow directions vary across the different spans in the impeller channel. The smaller the distance from the front cover of the impeller, the more severe is the cavitation, in addition to the appearance of a vortex. The influence of the formation of a longitudinal vortex at the impeller outlet on the pressure fluctuation in the cavitation state was revealed. The rotation of the impeller has negligible influence on the pressure load distribution at the blade inlet. However, it has a higher influence on that of the second half of the blade, particularly when the blade passes through the volute tongue. Cavitation can exacerbate the instability of pump operation. The research results are significant for accurately predicting cavitation performance and improving the anti-cavitation capability of cryogenic pumps.