Particle image velocimetry in the impeller of a centrifugal pump: Relationship between turbulent flow and energy loss

Turbulent flows play a dominant role in the operation of centrifugal pumps, which find widespread use in industrial settings and various aspects of human life. The dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy emerges as a key parameter within these devices, with its local values exerting a significant influence on centrifugal pump performance. Recent advances in particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques have expanded the ability to analyze complex turbulent flows across a broad spectrum of scales. In this context, this paper aims to deepen our understanding of the turbulent flow field and its correlation with energy loss in centrifugal pump impellers. To achieve this, experiments were conducted using PIV on a transparent pump operating under different conditions. Statistics of the turbulent flow were then obtained from phase-ensemble averages of velocities, vorticity, turbulence production, and local dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy. To overcome the limited spatial resolution constraint of PIV, the large-eddy PIV (LES-PIV) method was employed to estimate the local dissipation rate. In this method, it is assumed that the motion of larger scales is measured by the PIV technique, while the smaller scales (unresolved scales) are modeled by a sub-grid scale model, calculated from the strain rate tensors obtained from the measured fields. Energy losses in the impeller were studied using two methodologies: (i) a conventional method based on power measurements, and (ii) an alternative approach based on the budget of turbulent kinetic energy. Our results reveal that turbulent loss caused by turbulence production is the main source of energy loss in the pump impeller, and it is particularly pronounced in low-flow operating conditions characterized by large-scale structures. On the other hand, in situations where flow rates exceed the best efficiency point (BEP) condition, the predominant flow structures are marked by small-scale features, mainly attributed to local dissipation of turbulence. Our findings clarify the characteristics of energy losses in centrifugal pump impellers and their relationship with the turbulent flow field, and, in addition, providing a methodology for calculating the local turbulent dissipation rate and its limitations when derived from PIV measurements.