Influence of Splitter Blades on the Cavitation Performance of a Double Suction Centrifugal Pump

In order to study the influence of splitter blades on double suction centrifugal pumps two impellers with and without splitter blades were investigated numerically and experimentally. Three-dimensional turbulence simulations with and without full cavitation model were applied to simulate the flow in the two pumps with different impellers. The simulation results agreed with the experiment results and the internal flows were analyzed. Both the numerical and experimental results show that by adding splitter blades the hydraulic performance and the cavitation performance of the pump are improved. The pump efficiency is increased especially at high flow rate condition. The pump high efficiency area is extended dramatically. At the same time since the splitter blades share some part of the blade loading, the pump critical NPSH value is decreased. Obvious pressure increase and velocity decrease at blade suction surface near leading edge were observed in the pump impeller with splitter blades. And the pump cavitation performance was improved consequently.