Investigating the Impact of Stagger Angle on Double Suction Pump Performance through Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract The double suction pump (DSP) is a centrifugal pump variant widely utilized in applications requiring higher head ( H ) and volumetric flow rates of fluid, owing to its ability to deliver robust performance under such conditions. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques were employed to evaluate the performance of a designed DSP using a steady-state approach. Specifically, the investigation focused on assessing the impact of impeller stagger angle ( θ ) on pump performance under designed conditions. A comparative analysis was conducted between pumps equipped with staggered and non-staggered impellers to gauge their suitability across a broad range of flow rates. The stagger angle ranged from θ=0° to θ=30° , with θ=0° denoting a non-staggered impeller configuration. Results from the CFD study revealed that utilizing a staggered impeller arrangement led to improved pump performance in terms of head and efficiency compared to non-staggered impellers. However, performance variations with stagger angle adjustments between θ=15° and θ=30° were marginal, suggesting that stagger angle alterations had minimal impact on hydraulic performance under designed conditions. This preliminary investigation laid the groundwork for future unsteady simulations aimed at comprehensively assessing and understanding the unsteady pressure pulsations inherent in the designed pump. Leveraging CFD has helped the efficient acquisition of results and provided insights into the fluid flow dynamics within the pump.