Effect of Back Wear-Ring Clearance on the Internal Flow Noise in a Centrifugal Pump
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Research Model and Methods
2.1. Research Model
2.2. Grid Generation
2.3. Methods for Flow Field Simulation
2.3.1. Turbulence Model
2.3.2. Boundary Conditions
2.3.3. RMS of Pressure Pulsations
2.3.4. Pressure Pulsation Coefficient
2.4. Methods for Flow Noise Simulation
2.4.1. Acoustic Grid Division
2.4.2. Acoustic Simulation Theory
2.4.3. Sound Power Level
2.4.4. Sound Pressure Level
2.5. Experimental Verification
3. Flow Field Results and Discussion
3.1. CFD Method Validation
3.2. Energy Performance Analysis
3.3. Internal Flow Field Analysis
3.4. Pressure Pulsation Analysis
3.5. Dynamic Characteristic Analysis
4. Sound Field Results and Discussion
4.1. Sound Source Intensity Analysis
4.2. Sound Pressure Level Contour Analysis
4.3. Sound Pressure Level Frequency Spectrum Curve Analysis
5. Conclusions
- 1
- With increasing back wear-ring clearance, both the head and efficiency of the centrifugal pump gradually decrease, though the head exhibits a relatively smaller reduction magnitude. For the 1.05 mm clearance scheme compared to 0.15 mm, the head decreases by 4.35% and efficiency reduces by 14.86%.
- 2
- With increased clearance, the low-pressure region at the impeller inlet enlarges, high-pressure areas develop around the balance holes, and pressure in the rear pump chamber drops markedly. Flow velocity within the rear chamber increases with multiple vortices developing; the high-RMS zone near the suction surface widens, while pressure fluctuations at the volute outlet intensify. The dominant frequency of pressure pulsations at the wear-ring clearance is the blade passing frequency (295 Hz), with its pulsation coefficient amplitude increasing by 12.9% under larger clearances.
- 3
- With enlarged back wear-ring clearance, radial force decreases by 38.6% (0.15→1.05 mm clearance) and loses 92% of its periodic component amplitude due to pressure field asymmetry. Axial force reverses 180° with magnitude increasing by 224% (from +45.6 N to −88.1 N at 0.45 mm clearance), while further clearance enlargement to 1.05 mm causes an additional 31% rise (to −115.3 N).
- 4
- Increasing back wear-ring clearance from 0.15 mm to 1.05 mm causes minor suction chamber changes but critically amplifies rotor–stator interface SWL by 62%, volute tongue energy density by 38%, and back ring outlet pulsation by 41%. High-intensity zones expand 112% near balance holes, while suction surface SPL rises 18.3 dB. Overall OASPL increases by 1.8 dB with 38% spatial expansion of high-SPL regions at rotor–stator interfaces.
- 5
- Across all clearances, the blade passing frequency (295 Hz) remains the dominant SPL frequency within the pump. As clearance increases from 0.15 mm to 1.05 mm, the overall internal SPL rises, with SPL at the blade frequency progressively increasing. Specifically, total SPL at 1.05 mm clearance is 1.8% higher than at 0.15 mm. For frequencies exceeding 350 Hz, SPL fluctuates between 80 and 140 dB.
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Nomenclature
b | Back wear-ring clearance, mm |
BPF | Blade Passing Frequency, Hz |
c | Speed of sound in fluid, m/s |
co | Reference sound speed in undisturbed fluid, m/s |
Cp | Dimensionless pressure pulsation coefficient |
CFD | Computational Fluid Dynamics, Method |
f | Frequency, Hz |
fmax | Maximum calculation frequency, Hz |
FEM | Finite Element Method, Method |
H | Pump head, m |
k | Turbulent kinetic energy, m2/s2 |
L | Acoustic grid size, m |
Lp | Sound power level, dB |
n | Rotational speed, rpm |
OASPL | Overall Sound Pressure Level, dB |
P | Instantaneous pressure, Pa |
Po | Reference sound pressure, Pa |
Pa | Sound power, W |
Pref | Reference sound power, W |
Qo | Design flow rate (25 m3/h), m3/h |
RMS | Root Mean Square of pressure pulsation |
SAS | Scale-Adaptive Simulation turbulence model, Model |
SWL | Sound Power Level, dB |
SPL | Sound Pressure Level, dB |
SST | Shear Stress Transport turbulence model, Model |
Tij | Lighthill stress tensor, N/m2 |
u | Circumferential speed at impeller outer diameter, m/s |
ut | Turbulent velocity, m/s |
ω | Turbulent vortex frequency, rad/s |
ρ | Fluid density, kg/m3 |
ρ0 | Fluid density in undisturbed medium, kg/m3 |
ε | Turbulent energy dissipation rate, m2/s3 |
Δf | Frequency resolution (bin width), Hz |
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Instrument Name | Model | Range | Accuracy |
---|---|---|---|
Electromagnetic Flowmeter | DXLD-50 | 0.1~85 m3/h | ±0.2% |
Static pressure sensor | MEA3000 | 0~1 MPa | ±0.1% |
Hydrophone | RHSA-10 | 20 Hz~200 kHz | ±2 dB |
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Zhou, P.; Tan, M.; Wu, X.; Liu, H.; Wu, D. Effect of Back Wear-Ring Clearance on the Internal Flow Noise in a Centrifugal Pump. Processes 2025, 13, 2641. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13082641
Zhou P, Tan M, Wu X, Liu H, Wu D. Effect of Back Wear-Ring Clearance on the Internal Flow Noise in a Centrifugal Pump. Processes. 2025; 13(8):2641. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13082641
Chicago/Turabian StyleZhou, Pengxuan, Minggao Tan, Xianfang Wu, Houlin Liu, and Denghao Wu. 2025. "Effect of Back Wear-Ring Clearance on the Internal Flow Noise in a Centrifugal Pump" Processes 13, no. 8: 2641. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13082641
APA StyleZhou, P., Tan, M., Wu, X., Liu, H., & Wu, D. (2025). Effect of Back Wear-Ring Clearance on the Internal Flow Noise in a Centrifugal Pump. Processes, 13(8), 2641. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13082641