The Influence of Swirl Brakes and a Tip Discharge Orifice on the Rotordynamic Forces Generated by Discharge-to-Suction Leakage Flows in Shrouded Centrifugal Pumps
Abstract
This paper reports on experiments conducted in the Rotor Force Test Facility at the California Institute of Technology to examine the effects of a tip leakage restriction and swirl brakes on the rotordynamic forces due to leakage flows on an impeller undergoing a prescribed circular whirl. The experiments simulate the leakage flow conditions and geometry of the Alternate Turbopump Design (ATD) of the Space Shuttle High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump and are critical to evaluating the pump's instability problems. Results indicate the detrimental effects of a discharge orifice and the beneficial effects of adding swirl brakes. Plots of the tangential and normal forces versus whirl frequency ratio show a substantial increase in these forces along with destabilizing resonances when a discharge orifice is added. When swirl brakes are added, some of the detrimental effects of the orifice are reduced. For the tangential force, a significant reduction occurs and a destabilizing resonance appears to be eliminated. For the normal force, although the overall force is not reduced, once again a destabilizing resonance appears to be eliminated.
Additional Information
The assistance provided by Abhijit Bhattacharyya, Asif Khalak and Daniel Kim with the experimental program is greatly appreciated. We would also like to thank the NASA George Marshall Space Flight Center for support under Grant NAG8-937 and technical monitor Henry Stinson.Files
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 149
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:SIVtpdrm94
- Created
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2005-01-06Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2019-10-02Created from EPrint's last_modified field