Study on the Improvement of Coastal Pumping Station Inlet Flow Regime and Evaluation of Transverse Flow Velocity Elimination

Pump station engineering is extensively utilized in water supply and drainage, as well as agricultural irrigation. Due to its geographical advantages and significant comprehensive benefits, the construction of pumping stations in coastal areas has gained substantial attention in recent years. Adverse flow conditions caused by various factors negatively affect the inlet flow regime of pumps, becoming a key factor that restricts the operating life and further development of pump station systems. Optimizing the flow regime in the forebay is crucial for enhancing overall engineering quality, minimizing pump performance degradation, and reducing the risks of cavitation and vibration. This study investigates the flow characteristics of the forebay by combining the Navier–Stokes equations and the k−ε RNG turbulence model. The analysis focuses on the internal flow field, transverse flow before the inlet channel, and the uniformity of flow velocity distribution after the inlet channel. Numerical simulations are validated through physical model tests. We examine the flow characteristics in the forebay, analyze the causes of internal flow disorder, and propose a reasonable and practical rectification scheme for the forebay. Additionally, we elucidate the mechanism of flow state optimization through partition walls. The findings indicate that with the optimal partition wall length, the average elimination rate of transverse flow velocity before the pump station inlet channel reached 48.3%, and the uniformity of flow velocity distribution after the inlet increased by 3.24%. These research findings contribute to mitigating cavitation and vibration in water pump units, providing theoretical support for the safe operation of coastal pumping stations.