Analysis of interaction between geometry and efficiency of impeller pump using rapid prototyping

Design aids available today might have helped the pump designers to bring about theoretically the most efficient pumps, but the production technology and quality control during manufacture has not kept pace with such achievements in realizing the goals of developing energy efficient pumps. Pump designers often face the problem of selecting and optimizing a number of independent geometrical parameters whilst aiming at the desired efficiency from the pump. The only option is to approximate the theoretical design with experimental findings iteratively until the end result is achieved. Tremendous development of advanced manufacturing technology and computer technology has made rapid prototyping and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques the right alternative method of reaching the target. Centrifugal pump impeller geometry, which contributes maximum complexity in flow during pump design, has been analysed in this work based on the parameters derived through computer-aided design (CAD) and CFD analysis. Using selective laser sintering, technique the impeller designed by CAD and two standard impellers commercially available for the same duty requirement is manufactured and their performance is tested to know their hydraulic efficiency. Results obtained from this work are useful for standardising pump impeller design and for developing energy-efficient pumps.