Numerical simulation and LIF-PIV experimental investigation on inner-flow of a mini pump under low flow rate condition

In the presented study a Planar PIV combined with LIF tracer technique was applied for the experimental investigation on inner-flow of a mini centrifugal pump, by means of the laser induced fluorescent tracer, reflected and/or refracted laser light from near-wall was eliminated, the transient flow fields near the tongue and between the impeller blades were successfully measured under the low flow rate condition. Numerical simulation based standard ??-?? turbulence model was compared with the experiment results. It was found that the detailed flow fields under low flow rate condition from numerical simulation was obviously different from the experimental results, despite that its performance prediction is very well. Additional the experimental results reveal that under low flow rate condition of the mini pump, there is a big inverse flow field near the tongue and the flow pattern in the impeller channels became different.EI0111852-18562