Effects of blade rotation angle deviations on mixed-flow pump hydraulic performance

By model test and numerical simulation, this paper analyzed the effects of different blades with varying rotation angle deviations on the hydraulic performance of a mixed-flow pump. It was found that when some blades had rotation angle deviations, the hydraulic performance curves of the mixed-flow pump would move. With a positive deviation, the curves moved towards the large flow rate; with a negative deviation, the curves moved towards the small flow rate. When some blades had rotation angle deviations, the symmetry and uniformity of the pressure distribution inside the mixed-flow pump flow passage both decreased; the larger the deviation, the greater the decrease. When a single blade had a large rotation angle deviation, a rather clear low pressure area was formed, lowering the cavitation performance. When two adjacent blades changed simultaneously, under the small flow rate condition, adverse pressure gradient and flow separation occurred in the flow field, and a hump appeared in the head curve and the operation stability of the mixed-flow pump dropped significantly. Near the best efficiency point (BEP), the simultaneous change of two alternate blades produced a more significant change of pressure in the flow passage, with an even larger area. Compared to the effect of two adjacent blades, two alternate blades, when changed simultaneously, made the mixed-flow pump slightly less efficient, but with a flatter efficiency curve and relatively wider high efficiency area. By fitting the test results, a functional relation among the BEP of the mixed-flow pump Q _BEP, the number of deviated blades N, and blade rotation angle deviation α was established, thus realizing an effective prediction of the BEP of the mixed-flow pump when blade rotation angles have deviations.