Prediction Of Head Degradation Of A Centrifugal Pump Handling Power-Law Fluid

Abstract

Operation of centrifugal pumps with non-Newtonian fluids is usually estimated with the help of correction factors. The calculation of these factors is based on methods defined fundamentally for high viscosity Newtonian fluids. A prediction model for head degradation based on the dimensional groups of a centrifugal pump is known for viscous liquids. This model uses experimentally obtained parameters. In this paper, the model’s parameters with glycerol solution were validated by comparing the performance curves estimated with the predicted and measured ones. In addition, a possible way of using the estimation model with power-law fluid was investigated. Based on our experimental results at nominal rotational speed, a form for calculating a virtual shear rate was determined, with the help of which the predicted correction factors and head degradation curves at other rotational speeds showed a good agreement with the measurements. The reported results can be considered as a first step in developing an estimation procedure for head degradation of centrifugal pump’s operation with power-law fluids.