3-D flow and performance of a tandem-bladed rocket pump inducer

This thesis presents the results of a three-dimensional flow calculation with a model of turbulent viscosity for a tandem-bladed inducer in air. The purpose is to understand the 3D flow development through the two blade rows and to compare the results of the calculation 'with experimental data. A literature review tells the story of the inducer from the flat-plate design to the tandem-bladed configuration and explains its role in cavitation management. The results of a previous 3D-calculation on the first blade row alone are summarized and the MEFP code is briefly described. The generation of a grid for the second blade row is presented in detail. Then, it is shown how this new grid is linked to the previous grid for the first blade row to get an overall calculation grid for the whole inducer. Two 2D blade-to-blade calculations are shown. They give an insight into the flow behavior through the inducer and allow a test of the grid. The results of the 3D-calculation are discussed and presented extensively with the velocity vectors, the static pressure contours and the rotary stagnation pressure contours on blade-to-blade, meridional and iso-8 vie"rs. The three passages of the second blade row appear to behave differently with respect to their position relative to the wake of the first blade row. The experimental data are used for comparison at three measurement planes in terms of pressure and velocity. They show a fairly good agreement. The three-dimensional calculation predicts also very well the work done and the efficiency of the overall inducer.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Department dc:contributor.department

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1992

Author dc:creator

• Excoffon, Tony

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Moore, John

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Moses, Hal L.
• Ng, Fai

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05042010-020152

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/42468