Numerical simulation of miniature high-speed aviation fuel pump using immersed solid method

Abstract Aviation fuel pumps are developing toward lightweight design and high rotational speeds at the same time that vehicles, such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), gradually get smaller. To investigate the internal flow field characteristics of a miniature aviation gear pump under conditions of high rotational speed, three-dimensional numerical simulations are conducted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software ANSYS CFX. The simulations use the immersed-solid method and employ the SST k-ω turbulence model. The findings reveal that under identical conditions, augmenting the tooth width by 1mm leads to a notable 27.32% increase in the average outlet flow rate and a corresponding enhancement of 7.22% in maximum efficiency. Furthermore, a 2mm increment in tooth width results in a substantial surge of 62.74% in the average outlet flow rate and a significant enhancement of 14.61% in maximum efficiency. Nevertheless, concurrently, the augmentation of tooth width corresponds with a gradual rise in trapped oil pressure and significant deterioration of the internal flow field. The study findings offer valuable insights into the integrated design of the oil supply system and engine components of aerospace engines.