Effect of inlet sweepback angle on the cavitation performance of an inducer

In order to study the effects of inlet sweepback angle on the cavitation performance of inducers based on the Reynolds N-S equation, RNG k-ε turbulent model, and Schnerr and Sauer cavitation model, a three-dimensional numerical calculation is employed to study the flow characteristics of a certain LNG pump. Laws of the variation of cavitation performance, head, and efficiency with the change of sweepback were studied. Numerical analysis of the eight inducer projects with a sweepback angle from 120° to 290° was carried out. The results show that the cavitation bubbles first appear at the suction surface near the inlet side. With the decrease of net positive suction head (NPSHa), the bubbles spread to the outlet side of the inducer and the pressure surface. Finally, they fill the entire channel. When the inducer sweepback angle increases from 120° to 270°, the NPSHr of the pump reduces gradually, that is to say that the anti-cavitation performance of the pump has been improved. However, the NPSHr of the pump increases gradually when the inducer sweepback angle increases from 270° to 290°. In other words, there is an optimal sweepback from 120° to 290°, and efficiency and head of pump tend to be stable near the optimal sweepback.