Fluid-solid interaction (FSI) simulation of centrifugal pump impellers is crucial for a variety of industrial applications where pump longevity and efficiency are vital. A one-way FSI analysis is performed in this simulation to assess the effect of fluid forces on the impeller’s structural integrity. This one-way coupling strategy is perfect for situations when structural deformations are small and do not significantly impact the fluid flow.

Figure 1: Centrifugal Pump impeller connected to the shaft

Simulation Process

This study focuses on the net force applied to the centrifugal pump impeller by the water. It is called one-way FSI analysis. Thus, it requires both Fluent and Structural modules. Initially, the flow pattern is predicted by the solution of computational zone, considering 1000 rpm impeller. The results are then transmitted to the Structural module to explore interaction and its effect on the propeller. Multi Reference Frame (MRF) applies the rotational motion to the propeller in Fluent solver. Notably, steel properties including poisson ratio and Young`s modulus are defined in ANSYS Structural.

Post-processing

The centrifugal pump impeller’s one-way FSI simulation’s outcomes provided important new information about the distribution of pressure, force applied, and ensuing deformation. According to the simulation, places that were under more pressure also had higher forces. This ultimately caused the impeller to distort significantly in some areas. Remarkably, the highest deformation measured was up to 1.5 mm at the impeller blade edges. In addition to highlighting the locations of stress concentration, this deformation offers crucial data for improving impeller design to improve performance and structural integrity under operating conditions.