Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-023-00641-5

RESEARCH PAPER

Effect of Different Guide Vane Configurations on Flow Field

Investigation and Performances of an Axial Pump Based on CFD
Analysis and Vibration Investigation
A. R. Al‑Obaidi1

Received: 23 December 2022 / Accepted: 13 March 2023 / Published online: 8 April 2023
© The Society for Experimental Mechanics, Inc 2023

Abstract
In this research, to investigate the impact of the guide vanes on the flow analysis in the axial pump, unsteady numerical
turbulence field simulations with and without guide vanes are simulated using the model of standard κ–ε turbulence with
the technique of sliding mesh (SM). The numerical results are firstly validated and compared with experimental outcomes.
Different detailed information data regarding flow analysis, for instance, static, dynamic, total pressures, turbulent kinetic
energy, shear stress, and velocity magnitude are qualitatively analysed. Then pressure at varying regions in the pump is quali-
tatively investigated under different operating conditions. The results have shown that the flow field and performance of the
pump are highly affected by adding the guide vane to the axial impeller. The impeller with guide vane can lead to enhance
the pump performance. Moreover, results show that the pressure, kinetic energy, shear stress, and velocity are increased by
adding a guide vane to the axial impeller. This study will provide good information and guidance to enhance and improve
the axial flow pump design operation.

Keywords Axial flow pump · Guide vanes · Static pressure · Dynamic pressure · Total pressure · Shear stress · Velocity
magnitude

Introduction pump performance was not sensitive to change as the axial

gap width change at design flow operating conditions and at
The Axial flow pumps have been largely employed in varying the high conditions flow rate. However, an increase in the
types of domestic and industrial applications such as in power width gap leads to improve the performance under a small
plants, irrigation, water supply and drainage, jet propulsion, condition of flow rate. The distribution of impeller exit axial
water system treatments, and so on [1–3]. These kinds of velocity was nonlinear the result also found that when the
pumps including different components comprise inlet, out- axial gap increases that lead to improving the pattern of flow
let pipes, impellers, and vanes. The influence of the latter field closed to the hub efficiently. Qian et al. [5] numerical
components highly affects the pump hydraulic performance. simulated flow inside the axial pump using guide vanes. They
Different researchers were analyses of the flow in the pump used an axial pump model counting an impeller and vanes
done by Kochevsky et al. [4] investigated flow field in the the impeller consists of from 4 blades, the guide vane blades
pump. Wang et al. [1] Analysed the performance of the axial number of 5, the impeller diameter was 0.3 m, the hub ratio
pump by changing the gap space between an impeller and of 0.5133, the pump speed of 1450 rpm. Results found that
guide vanes. They study steady field turbulence under vari- the computational calculation data have been agreed with
ous gaps using turbulence model standard κ–ε with double the available experimental data. Also, they noticed that using
time-stepping approaches. As a result, they found that the guide vanes could decline the hydraulic pump losses then
improve the pump performance through varying the vane
angle. The hydraulic losses were created in the pump because
* A. R. Al‑Obaidi of the flow separation due to the vane attack angle. Yang
ahmedram@uomustansiriyah.edu.iq et al. [6] simulated the interaction hydraulic of flow conduits
1
Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty in the axial pump. They compared numerical and experi-
of Engineering, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq mental pump performance results and found good agreement

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70 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

between them. The results revealed that the impeller rotation flow conduits and pump hydraulic interaction under various
speed at the inlet conduit was highly affecting the compo- conditions were highly prominent. Furthermore, the results
nents of tangential and axial velocities distributions. Also, at also show that the external and internal outlet conduit per-
outlet conduit region, the guide vane of the circulation veloc- formance have a relation with the pump system operating
ity outlet was a high impact on pattern of flow. Furthermore, condition. Yang et al. [7] improved the axial pump efficiency
at the low condition of flow rate the distribution of flow at under partial loads using a mechanism of outlet guide blades.
the dividing pier sides was not symmetric. Moreover, the They simulated axial pumps under various adjustable of

Fig. 1  3D numerical domain of

an impeller with and without
vane

Impeller wtithout vanes Impeller wtith vanes

Impeller with vane dimensions

Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 71

Table 1  The specifications of axial pump parts showed that the emerges of leakage flow including vortex
Part Value Unit filaments train to extend starting at a blade tip. Wei et al. [9]
Studied a force acting characteristics using the adjustable
Blade angles 60 (degree) blade in an axial flow pump. In their work, the 3D internal
Blades number Four (-) turbulent flow in the axial pump has been simulating as well
Tip to hub ratio 0.495 (-) as the blade surface force acting was also calculated at vari-
Tip diameter 102 (mm) ous flow conditions. They adopted using the finite element
Motor power 2.2 (kW) method to investigate the adjustment blade distributions of
Hub diameter 50 (mm) strain and stress. The result revealed that the concentration
Design speed 3000 (rpm) of stress happened near the root of the blade and maximum
Design flow rate 12.5 (l/min) displacement occurred at the flange of the blade. Presently,
investigate the effect of different guide vanes with the impel-
ler of an axial flow pump is needed more analyses. The flow
field analysis such as pressure, velocity, kinetic turbulent
exit guide vane angles using CFD technique with Reynolds flow, wall shear stress, and velocity vectors are not being
time-averaged equations and employed turbulent model type investigated well, particularly movement coupling with a
RNG k-ε. The numerical calculation results found that when guide vane region and an axial impeller. Therefore, in this
increasing the guide vane angle with the clockwise direction, work analysis, whole passages unsteady turbulent flow com-
a large efficiency was at high flow rate. Also, using a guide putational simulation in axial pump and compared between
vane can improve the flow field as well as can decrease the
flow separation at the ledge inlet of a guide vane. Moreover, a
pumping system's hydraulic efficiency also can be enhanced.
Table 2  Independence test mesh
Wu et al. [8] studied and measurements effect of structures of
tip region leakage vortex in the central plane of a pump. They Grids Pressure difference Difference in
pressure
used measurements of particle image velocimetry method
under different of resolutions concentration on the structures (bar) (%)
of flow at the tip area in the rotor of the pump. Unobstructed 0.56 million
facilitated these areas were through matching the transparent 1.23 million 0.524 8.91
pump with optical refractive index with liquid. The results 2.12 million 0.233 8.71
reveal that the high magnification outcomes for the flow were 2.42 million 0.24 7.53
nonuniformities and connected with the turbulence flow near 3.12 million 0.252 5.32
the tip gap. Also, in passages of the rotor the distributions of 3.46 million 0.262 3.81
statistics spatial instantaneous results and vortices strength

Fig. 2  Flow domain mesh of

axial pump

Whole geometry computational flow mesh domain

Impeller without guide vanes Impeller with guide vanes

72 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Table 3  Test of time steps independence pump computational domain, Fig. 1(b) shows the shapes
Time step Pressure differences (bar) Percentage
of an axial Impeller with and without a guide vane. Table 1
(s) differences summarises the pump specifications.
(%)

5.5566 × ­10–5 0.258

Boundary conditions and Mesh Flow Domain
1.66777 × ­10–4 0.275 6.18
Processing
2.77888 × ­10–4 0.283 2.82
To ensure a flow inside pipe in this work is fully devel-
oped in inlet and outlet region in pipe are extended [10–12]
as shown in Fig. 2. The computational structured mesh is
the available experimental data have validated with numeri- clear and high mesh quality and flow components domain
cal results for the external unsteady characteristics. Further- cells depicts in Fig. 2. Enhancement of cell quality mesh
more, the flow field analysis with and without guide vanes, independent test under different grid mesh is carried out to
as well as the fluctuations pressure in the pump, was also predict the performance than the grid mesh with two mil-
investigated. lion elements was selected as the computational grids num-
ber. The velocity inlet and outflow are chosen as computa-
tional domain conditions at outlet and inlet regions [13]. At
Numerical Workbench Procedure near-wall area, the standard wall function is selected. The
numerical results accuracy has been set as ­10–6 [14]. Addi-
Axial Flow Pump Computational Domains tionally, the stationary and rotating part flow domains have
been tested through cells independence as listed in Table 2.
In this study. the experimental flow loop for an axial flow
pump test achieved was manufacturing. In this test rig, a Numerical Unsteady Simulation Calculations
design parameter was flow 12.5 (l/min), pump speed of
3000 (rpm) with 4 impeller vanes, and four guide vanes. Equations of the Turbulent Flow
The whole solid pump modeling and meshing of the axial
pump with and without guide vane were done using the Patterns of liquid flow including three important conserva-
CFD technique. Figure 1(a) depicts a whole axial flow tion equations laws firstly mass conservation second the

Fig. 3  Flow loop of experimen-

tal work
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 73

momentum equation and third is energy equation. The solving

of numerical unsteady flow simulation was used method of 2­ nd
order implicit time step connected with turbulence model and
standard κ-ε [1], under different operating conditions using
incompressible flow in the three-dimensional of axial pump.
The movement equations of time-averaged were as follow:
𝜕ui
=0 (1)
𝜕xi

( ) 𝜕u
[(𝜇 + 𝜇t )( 𝜕xi +
𝜕uj
)]
𝜕 ui uj 𝜕P (2)
j 𝜕xi
= +𝜕 + Si
𝜕xi 𝜕xj 𝜕xj

where: ui, uj have represented the components of average

velocities.xi, xj, and P denoted the component of coordinate
and pressure.μ, μt then Si represented the viscosity of fluid,
turbulent viscosity, and term of the generalized field source.
The model of standard k − 𝜀 turbulent was the utmost
generally employed in rotating machines. Equations of
the rate of turbulent dissipation (𝜀) and TKE are as fol-
lows [1]:
( ) ⌊ ⌋
𝜕 𝜌kui 𝜕 𝜇t 𝜕k
= (𝜇 + ) + Pk − 𝜌𝜀 (3)
𝜕xi 𝜕xi 𝜎k 𝜕xj

( ) ⌊ ⌋
𝜕 𝜌𝜀ui 𝜕 𝜇 𝜕 𝜀( )
= (𝜇 + t ) 𝜀 + c1 Pk − c2 𝜌𝜀 (4)
𝜕xi 𝜕xi 𝜎𝜀 𝜕xj k

where, the ui , ui , 𝜇 and ρ are the velocity in X and Y direc-

tions, the viscosity of flow and density respectively.
The TKE equation and rate of turbulent dissipation (RTD)
equation can be calculated using below equation:
( )
1 𝜇 𝜕ui 𝜕ui
k = u̇ i u̇ i , 𝜀 = (5)
2 𝜌 𝜕xj 𝜕xj

Turbulent viscosity equation can be calculated using

below equation

k2
𝜇t = ρc𝜇 (6)
ε
where the Pk represented the item of pressure produced
caused by a gradient of velocity [1].

𝜕ui 𝜕uj 𝜕ui

Pk = 𝜇t ( + ) (7)
𝜕xj 𝜕xi 𝜕xj
Fig. 4  Experimental and numerical calculations validation results for
pressure, head and efficiency
74 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Fig. 5  Instantaneous discharge

and suction pressures in pump
with several flow conditions

A) Instantaneous discharge pressures for Q= 5 (l/min)

B) Instantaneous discharge pressures for several flow conditions

C) Instantaneous suction pressures for several flow conditions

Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 75

Fig. 6  Pressure signal at verity

of flow conditions and fre-
quency ranges

A) Discharge pressure signal for frequency range from 0 to 1000 Hz several flow
conditions

B) Discharge pressure signal for frequency range from 2000 to 10000 Hz several flow
conditions

Independence Test of the Time Steps Experimental Setup

In this simulation study has been employed different Figure 3 describe the various experimental setup parts
time steps because of use the independence of time- and the axial pump flow loop system, In this work, an
step can lead to more accurate in results through axial pump supply at maximum pressure more than
using the computational calculations by CFD 10 bar. The system of flow loop was selected as re-
method. In this work the time step of 2.778x10-4 sec circulatory and it was included a tank type plastic tank
has been selected as shown in Table 3. with dimensions of 95 × 90 × 110 cm, with PVC pipe and
76 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Fig. 6  (continued)

C) Suction pressure signal for frequency range from 0 to 1000 Hz several flow

D) Suction pressure signal for frequency range from 1000 to 10000 Hz several flow
conditions

connections components were PVC types. Two pressure Numerical and Experimental Validation
transduces were used to collect the pressure signals at Results
both suction and discharge sections in this flow loop.
Flow meter also was used to record the amount of flow To validate dependability of computational CFD simula-
rate passing in pipes for different conditions. All pres- tion results, performance of axial pump at various condi-
sure signals were collected and recorded then transfer tions are compared with simulated with experimental test
to data acquisition system the transfer to PC in order to outcomes. Figure 4 represents pressure differences axial
calculate all pump performance pressure and head and pump characteristics for available experimental and com-
analysis all signal in time and frequency investigation by putational results. As seen that there is an approximately
using MATLAB code. small alteration in the pressure, head and efficiency with
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 77

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 7  Pressure differences with and without guide vanes under different flow rates
78 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Without guide vanes

With guide vanes

Fig. 8  Differences in dynamic pressure using and not using guide vanes under varying cases

them under different flow rates. That means the CFD time domain investigation, with variety of flow condi-
technique can accurately to predict the model pump per- tions from 5 to 20 (l/min) with N = 3000 rpm. As noted
formance, and the division error between both results that the signals of instantaneous pressure for both dis-
was around 6.54, 5.89 and 7.68% respectively. charge and suction were changed when flow conditions
changes. Moreover, the instantaneous raw of magnitude
Investigation of Instantaneous Discharge decreases with rise in flow conditions. Because of the
and Suction Pressures in Pump with Several Flow mechanical losses and hydraulic in addition to the impact
Conditions of cavitation occurrence at the inlet impeller leads to
cause further unstable flow in pump. Nevertheless, as
Figure 5 describes the instantaneous raw of both dis- detected that the instantaneous pressure changes can pro-
charge and suction pressures data in an axial pump in vide a clear image concerning the perfrofmance pump.
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 79

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 9  Variations in total pressure with and without guide vanes

Investigation of Pressure Signals Based ranges. The first figure was at range frequency from
on Frequency Domain with Several Flow Conditions 0 Hz to 1 kHz and the second figure was from 2 and
and Ranges of Frequencies 10 kHz for both discharge and suction pressure signals
with various flow conditions. As noted, that from these
To additional analysis, investigation in frequency domain figures, there are changed in pressure level amplitude in
was achieved in order to study impact of verity of flow con- axial pump when it was working at different conditions.
ditions on pressure amplitude 3D figures were applied. Though, as noticed that there was rise in pressure level
amplitude as an axial pump was worked with high flow
Prediction of Pressure Signal with Range conditions for both frequency ranges. The frequencies
of Frequency from 0 Hz to 10 kHz for Suction dominated in different ranges were accompanying with
and Discharge Pressures the BPF of shaft rotating frequency, and their frequen-
cies harmonics for both discharge and suction pressures
Figure 6 represent the 3D figures of pressure signals in signals.
frequency domain according to the various frequency
80 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

pressure inside a pump decreases as flow rate increase for

both types with and without guide vanes.
Figure 8 represents variations in dynamic pressure in an
axial pump using and not using guide vanes. As observed
that the high dynamic pressure for impeller without guide
vanes concentrate at movement impeller blades especially at
the pressure blade area. Likewise, the value of dynamic pres-
sure increases near and closed this region. For the impeller
with guide vanes, the dynamic pressure is high particularly
at a pump outlet due to guide vanes cause more high interac-
tions between the water and tip guide vanes with wall pipe.
That leads to cause more secondary flow and swirling flow‬‫‏‬
due to the complex impeller and vanes geometries. Moreo-
ver, the dynamic pressure for the impeller with guide vanes
Fig. 10  Comparison between the pressure differences with and with-
is higher than without vanes and higher dynamic pressure
out guide vanes happened close to the tip guide vanes and pressure vanes
parts as depicted in this figure.
Figure 9 displays the total pressure within axial flow
pump with and without guide vanes under varying cases.
Again, As noted that the total pressures field within impel-
Numerical Simulation Results lers use of guide vanes technique are more than impellers
without vanes. The maximum total pressure happened at
The axial pump in this investigation is operated under vary- closed tip blades for both types and close to guide vanes.
ing conditions with and without guide vanes to analyse the Moreover, the total pressure declines when the mass flow
flow filed in the pump as shown in the next section. rate rises for both cases under investigation.
Figure 10 describes the pressure differences comparison
between numerical results for the impeller with and without
Analysis Static, Dynamic, and Total Pressure guide vanes. It can be clearly seen that using a guide vane
Variations in an axial flow pump can cause an increase in pump per-
formance due to the rise in the pressure at the outlet of the
Figure 7 describes a field of static pressure variations in a pump as shown that in the above analysis.
pump with and without vanes under changed flow rates with
pump speed 3000 rpm under various cases namely Cases of Analyses of Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) and Wall
A = 5, B = 10, C = 12.5, D = 17.5, E = 20 l/min, respectively.. Shear Stress
As noted, that pressure rises from inlet region to outlet area
of the pump for all cases under investigations with and with- For more investigation regarding the flow field, Fig. 11 illus-
out guide vanes. The higher-pressure region occurs at pump trates turbulent kinetic energy variations with and without
outlet closed to the impeller blade pressure side at the tip guide vanes. For the impeller, without vanes, the high turbu-
blade and guide blade. That happened due to different rea- lent kinetic energy (TKE) occurs just at the tip blade under
sons firstly because of the high interactions flow with an different flow rates. For the impeller with vanes, the high
impeller blades and water in the pump as well as between turbulent kinetic energy occurs happened at two important
the water and guide vanes. Secondly, the high interactions regions firstly at the tip blade same without vanes. The sec-
between the tip blade and tip guide vanes with wall pipe. ond region was closed to tip vanes. From the above analy-
Moreover, it can be noticed that the pressure region for an sis, the use of guide vanes in axial flow pumps can high
impeller with guide vanes was higher than without guide impacted a flow field and pump performance.
vanes [15–19]. That means can lead to a rise in the perfor- Figure 12 represents the wall Shear stress in an axial
mance of pump for impeller with guide vanes. Additionally, flow pump. As noted, that field of shear stress has a simi-
as observed that the low static pressure area occurs at suc- lar tendency of turbulent kinetic energy. It increases near
tion impeller side could lead to cause unstable flow region the tip blade and guides vanes. Maximum shear stress was
due to recirculation flow and generate more vibration and for impeller using guide vanes due to a same above reason.
noise. Furthermore, the numerical outcomes noted that the Under a similar operating condition, the shear stress of a
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 81

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 11  Turbulent kinetic energy variations with and without a guide

pump without guide vanes was visibly higher than not using outlet, the higher value of pressure occurs at outlet of the
guide vanes, Moreover, the phenomenon of flow separation pump, and minimum pressure happened at a inlet of pump.
will occur especially at low flow in a pump can lead to cause Again, pressure with guide vanes was higher than without
unstable flow field in this particular flow rate. vanes especially near vanes and could lead to rise in the
performance of the pump.
Analysis the Flow in the Middle Pump Cross Section Figure 14 shows the static pressure variations with and
without guide vanes at the middle impeller pump section. As
For more study in axial pump, Fig. 13 illustrates the varia- noted, that the pressure at the inlet for impeller with guide
tions in pressure at the center impeller section with changed vanes is approximately higher than impeller without vanes.
flow rates using and not using guide vanes. As noticed that However, the pressure was highly affected after the axial
the static pressure steadily rises from inlet region to pump impeller with guide vanes due to the vanes as shown in the
82 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 12  Variations in wall shear stress with and without guide vanes

previous figure. It can be observed that there are four regions angel of inlet impeller blades. Furthermore, from the above
of the maximum pressure, similar to the number of impeller numerical results, it can be clearly seen that the guide vanes
blades. These regions are affected through impeller blades, highly affect the flow field in the pump.
the value of pressure increases or decreases near to the tip
blade. Analysis the Velocity Magnitude Vector
Figure 15 describes the turbulent kinetic energy for the
middle cross-section area within the pump. A notice that Due to seeing the movement components are significant to the
the TKE concentrates near the blade with vane. The higher velocity variations of the working an axial pump. The velocity
value was taking placed near a blade suction part for impel- magnitude vector with and without guide vanes under various
ler without vanes. Moreover, the maximum value occurred working operating conditions is depicted in Fig. 16. As seen
on both guide vanes sides for the impeller with vane. The that the velocity rises from inlet area to outer area in a pump.
reasons behind that are firstly due to the secondary flow on The loss of energy happens due to a vortex caused through
the surface of axial impeller and guide vanes surfaces with interaction flow between water and blades with a guide vanes
changed flow rates and secondly because of the attacking and pipe wall. Also, a gradient of velocity distributions is clear
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 83

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 13  Variations in pressure with and without guide vanes at middle pump cross-section

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 14  Variations in pressure with and without guide vanes at middle impeller cross-section
84 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 15  Variations in TKE with and without guide vanes

Not using guide vanes

Using guide vanes

Fig. 16  Velocity magnitude with and without guide vanes

Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 85

Fig. 17  (a) different cross-

sections area. (b) Static pressure
variations with guide vanes at
the different cross-sections of
the pump

(a)
Different sections using vanes

S1 S2 S3 S4

S5 S6 S7 S8
(b)

in a certain area of blade with guide vanes near the tip blade to outlet at the blade suction part. It is noticed that a pressure
and tip vane under varying flow operating conditions. Further- variation on the pressure impeller side are higher than the sec-
more, as flow increases a flow velocity round hub reached to tion side and it increases near and closed to the guide vanes.
minimum velocity. Maximum velocity region under different Generally, the static pressure increases from hub region to the
conditions was increased for the impeller with guide vanes. tip area and it is highly affected due to two important reasons
It can be seen that using guide vans affects affect the perfor- firstly the tip clearance and tip vanes as well as due to the hub
mance the of pump and characteristics of the flow field as well leakage, that because of sharp velocity decreasing.
as an increase and improve the flow in the pump.
To study the impact of vanes in a pump different cross- Quantitively analyses the Average Pressure
section is investigated as shown in Fig. 17(a). The static pres- at the Cross‑section of the Pump
sure slightly increases from the suction to the pressure part
of vanes at circumferential flow direction as represented in The monitoring different points have been distributed in
Fig. 17(b). However, gradually increases start near inlet blade impeller blade and flow channels before and after a guide
86 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

increases along direction of hub under varying flows. Maxi-

mum value of pressure has been at point 8 owing to position
this point closed to high-pressure area on the blade surface.
The minimum value of pressure happened at point 1 since
the location this point closed to low pressure part of blade.
Additionally, as also seen that the pressure declines as flow
rises.
Figure 20(b) illustrates the monitoring points 9 to 14 at
right impeller blade part. As noticed that the average pres-
sure in that area increases as the blade radius increase from
a hub area to blade tip region. Pressure that closed the tip
blade was higher than that near the hub region. Moreover,
it is noticeable that the pressure trend was changed and
decreased as the flow rate increase for all monitoring points.
Figure 20(c) describes the monitoring points 15 to 29 at
exit impeller blade region. As found that the hydrodynamic
flow field such as pressure in this region decreased from 15
to 29 and the higher pressure was at point 15 because of
position it near tip blade area with important changes happen
in the flow field in this zone due to high interactions causes
more unstable flow. That leads to indicate high energy losses
in this area due to also the leakage flow and hence it should
Fig. 18  Different monitoring points distributions in a pump be considered through the process of the axial pump design.
Figure 20(d) depicts the monitoring points 30 to 35 at left
25 impeller blade area. The pressure in this area was decreased
from point 30 to 35. The muumuu value of pressure was at
24.7 point 35 because of the position it near to suction impeller
Pressure fluctua ons (kPa)

blade side. In this part, there is negative pressure that will

24.4
cause more unstable flow due to decrease the pressure was
24.1 below water vapor pressure and hence will cause cavitation
phenomenon especially in this zone and that leads to raise a
23.8 noise level and cavitation.
Figure 20(e) describes the monitoring points 36 to 41 in
23.5
impeller blade and vane area. This particular region, the pres-
0 60 120 180 240 300 360
Angular posi on (o) sure starts to increase at point 36 because this point was near
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 the tip impeller blade and the pressure decreases at points 37
to 39 due to location these points are far away the region of
high-pressure. After that, the pressure starts to decline at point
Fig. 19  Pressure fluctuating for the points 1 to 7
40 to 41 and the high-pressure value was at point 41 due to
location it closed to the tip vanes region. Furthermore, it can
vanes in order to monitor and capture pressure and its trend be seen that the numerical calculation provides good informa-
developing in the pump, there are three collections of points tion concerning flow pattern analysis within a pump.
that can be displayed in Fig. 18(a) and (b). Figure 20(f) shows points 42 to 45 after the impeller
Figure 19 represents pressure fluctuating in a blade near blade area. Pressure in this area was start rises at the hub
the hub region. As noted, that all these pressures are changed to outlet impeller blade and higher pressure occurred at
with the angular position and location of these points in the the high-pressure zone near the tip blade for all monitoring
outer hub region. Also, as clearly noticed that there are four points under varying flows.
valleys and peaks due to axial blade is equal to four blades. Figure 20(g) describes the monitoring points 46 to 49
Figure 20(a) depicts the pressure fluctuation bars in time after the guide vane region. In general, the trend of pressure
domain analysis for the monitoring points in different points in this area was the start to increase and decrease when the
from 1 to 8 at hub area. As noticed that pressure gradually flow was far away area of high-pressure at tip vane blade.
Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88 87

Fig. 20  Different monitoring points to study pressure a pump

88 Experimental Techniques (2024) 48:69–88

Conclusions 6. Yang F, Liu C, Tang FP (2015) Hydraulic interaction of flow con-

duits and pump in an axial-flow pump system. Rev Téc Ing Univ
Zulia 38(1):25–33
The influences of guide vanes in the axial impeller flow 7. Yang, F., Zhao, H. R., & Liu, C. (2016). Improvement of the
pump on performance and flow field are investigated and efficiency of the axial-flow pump at part loads due to install-
the following conclusions can be found: ing outlet guide vanes mechanism Mathematical Problems in
Engineering
8. Wu H, Miorini RL, Katz J (2011) Measurements of the tip leak-
1- A small alteration in pressure between the computational age vortex structures and turbulence in the meridional plane of
and experimental outcomes under varying flows. That an axial water-jet pump. Exp Fluids 50(4):989–1003
means a CFD technique can accurately predict the pump 9. Wei P, Chen H, Lu W (2008) Characteristics of force acting on
adjustable axial flow pump blade. Front Energy Power Eng Chin
performance, and the division error between both results 2(4):508–513
was around 6.54%. 10. Moazami, N., Fukamachi, K., Kobayashi, M., Smedira, N. G.,
2- The higher pressure region occurs near pump outlet Hoercher, K. J., Massiello, A., ... & Starling, R. C. (2013). Axial
close to impeller blade pressure side at the tip blade and and centrifugal continuous-flow rotary pumps: a translation
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thank Mustansiriyah Universit (www.u​ omust​ ansir​ iyah.e​ du.i​ q) Baghdad 16. Kan K, Zhang Q, Xu Z, Zheng Y, Gao Q, Shen L (2022) Energy
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Conflict of Interest There is no conflict of interest in this work. of bearing defects and development of a sparsogram to select
sensitive filtering band of an axial piston pump. Measurement
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