Browsing by Author "Gouveia, Pedro Miguel da Silva"
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Numerical Analysis of a Centrifugal Pump in OpenFOAMPublication . Gouveia, Pedro Miguel da Silva; Silva, André Resende Rodrigues da; Magalhães, Leandro Barbosa; Moreira, HorácioThis dissertation investigates the development and validation of a numerical model for the analysis of centrifugal pumps using the OpenFOAM v11 software. The primary focus was on simulating pumps operating with constant fluid density and minimal temperature variation. The model was validated against experimental data from the literature, using the Navier-Stokes equations with RANS approximation and the k - e turbulence model. Numerical results for global parameters, such as total head and power, showed an agreement with errors of 4.30% and 4.37% compared to experimental data, respectively, and the best efficiency point was predicted with a 3.73% deviation. Additionally, the performance of a pump developed by Omnidea, Lda. was initially intended to be analyzed. However, these simulations were discarded due to lack of computational resources and insufficient time to implement the necessary cavitation and multiphase flow models. The absence of these models made it impossible to accurately represent regions where the pressure drops below the fluid’s vapor pressure, a critical factor in cryogenic applications. Therefore, it was concluded that the numerical model used is suitable for simple flow conditions but requires improvements to be applied in more complex simulations. The results suggest that, while the method is efficient for pump analysis in non-cavitating conditions, future studies should incorporate more advanced cavitation and two-phase flow models to enable more accurate analysis in high-performance systems.