Noise Reduction and Flow Enhancement in Vortex Pumps Through Staggered Impeller Blade Configuration
摘要
The vortex pump is a type of pump that achieves fluid transmission by generating a vortex effect through the rotation of the fluid, often accompanied by problems such as low transmission efficiency and relatively high noise. Based on the significant impact of impeller modification on the pump, this study proposes a unique staggered arrangement of the impeller blades, combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Lighthill’s acoustic analogy theory, aiming to enhance its internal flow and reduce flow-induced noise. The research results show that when the impeller blades are staggered, the mutual interference of the fluid between the blades is reduced, and the average pressure at the pump outlet monitoring point increases by 1.4%. The staggered blades cause a timing mismatch in their interaction with the fluid, so the pressure fluctuations generated by different blades when working will not completely overlap at the same time. Under the design flow rate, the amplitude of the pressure fluctuation coefficient is reduced by up to 90% at the blade frequency. The staggered blades avoid the noise amplification effect at a single frequency (such as at the blade frequency), reducing the generation of high-intensity noise. Before and after the modification, the maximum sound pressure level under the characteristic frequency of the inlet duct is reduced by about 23 dB, and that of the outlet duct is reduced by about 6 dB. It can be seen from this that the staggered blades are of great significance for enhancing flow and reducing noise.