Performance Assessment of a Centrifugal Pump With Varying Blade Counts and Fluid Viscosities Through Euler Head and Entropy Production Analysis

Abstract

The efficiency and internal flow loss characteristics of centrifugal pumps have remained a subject of active research, particularly under varying operational conditions. Therefore, this study systematically evaluated the performance of a centrifugal pump with different blade counts and fluid viscosities using Euler head and entropy production analysis. To achieve this, a numerical investigation was conducted via Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using ANSYS 2024R1. Specifically, the analysis considered an impeller with 5, 6, and 7 blades, operating at 1340 rpm, while assessing the pump's behavior when handling water and oil as working fluids. The results of this case study revealed that higher fluid viscosity not only reduced the total pressure coefficient and hydraulic efficiency but also significantly increased entropy generation. Furthermore, entropy production exhibited a rising trend with increasing flow rates, whereas it consistently declined as the blade count was reduced. More importantly, the optimal configuration for low-viscosity fluids was found to be a five-blade impeller, as it ensured minimal energy loss and maximum efficiency. Conversely, in the case of high-viscosity fluids, a lower blade count was more favorable, as it effectively mitigated entropy losses and improved overall performance. These findings provide crucial insights for optimizing centrifugal pump designs, thereby enhancing efficiency and minimizing energy dissipation across various industrial applications.