Flow analysis in centrifugal pump

The paper describes numerical and experimental study of centrifugal pump developed to assist left ventricle of the human heart. Usage of the modern computer software provides wide possibilities of studying complicated flow processes and visualization of the obtained results. The numerical pump model, based on theoretical study, was developed in Solid Edge. The mesh of the pump flow tract for numerical calculation was made in CFX-Mesh and ICEM CFD. The numerical calculations of the steady fluid flow in the centrifugal pump were performed to define the characteristics of the pump operating parameters at various flow rates. The construction of centrifugal pump flow tract was analyzed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods. Modifications of the geometry of flow tract were made by pump's constructors. Changes concerned the pump flow analyses obtained from the numerical calculations. Dangerous areas in the flow, where the level of the shear stress achieved the maximal values, were defined. The character of the fluid flow in different parts of the pump was investigated. To perform the experimental validation of pump characteristics a laboratory stand was made. A series of measurements was performed to obtain pump performance characteristics. A comparison of the numerical calculation results and experimental measurements has shown differences between achieved results.