CFD Analysis on a High Pressure Pump for Descaling in the Hot Rolling Mill

Abstract

The exposure of iron to oxygen in the air results in the formation of oxide scales on the steel surface. Therefore, it is very important to descale the steel to ensure a high surface quality in hot rolling mills. The descaler consists of several spray headers with nozzles that direct jets of water diagonally at the surface and typically operate at very high pressures of up to 400 bar. The high pressure pump unit is therefore a fundamental part of a descaler. The search for more efficient systems has led to significant growth in the field of pump design and development. This study focuses on the analysis of a high pressure six stage centrifugal pump for descaling in a hot rolling mill. To reduce computation time only a 2 stage fluid domain was used to conduct numerical analysis by steady and unsteady state analysis. The improved design (D2) showed an increase in efficiency by 2.3 percent and an increase in head much closer to the design point.