Control of leakage vortex cavitation in inducer of high-speed magnetic pump

The inducer of a high-speed magnetic pump has been observed to exhibit pronounced cavitation characteristics. In order to achieve effective control of cavitation, this study proposes a rim-modified inducer configuration and investigates the cavitation behavior of the tip leakage vortex (TLV) under high-speed rotation. A detailed analysis is performed through an integrated approach combining numerical simulations and visualization experiments. The experiment is conducted under the conditions of high-speed hydrodynamic machinery. The experiment demonstrated that the modified inducer yielded improvements in both head and efficiency, and the cavitation performance of the wavy rim inducer was notably enhanced. The subsequent discussion, therefore, explores the underlying reasons for this phenomenon. The results indicate that the wavy rim inducer disrupts the continuous development of tip leakage vortex cavitation (TLVC) via a shear flow mechanism, optimizes TLV evolution, suppresses perpendicular cavitation vortex, and mitigates cloud cavitation shedding. In comparison to the origin inducer, the modified design exhibits a more uniform pressure difference, reduced vortex shedding, and a more even pressure distribution. Collectively, these factors contribute to enhanced cavitation resistance. Furthermore, the augmented turbulent kinetic energy and adverse pressure gradients in the blade tip region, particularly through localized high turbulence intensity, effectively inhibit the progression of TLVC. The findings indicate that the wavy rim inducer significantly reduces the scale of TLV and flow field instabilities. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the optimization of cavitation performance in pump systems, offering insight into passive control strategies for hydraulic machinery operating.