Response surface method‐based hydraulic performance optimization of a single‐stage centrifugal pump

In this article, the response surface approach was employed to enhance the hydraulic performance of the pump at the rated point. Specifically, an approximate link between the design head and efficiency of the single‐stage centrifugal pump and the parameters of the impeller's design was established. The first step in creating a one‐factor experimental design involved selecting significant geometric variables as factors. Decision variables such as the number of blades, flow rate, and rotation were chosen due to their significant impact on hydraulic performance, while head and efficiency were considered as responses. Subsequently, the best‐optimized values for each level of the parameters were identified using response surface analysis and a central composite design. The impeller schemes of the Design‐Expert software were evaluated for head and efficiency using Computational fluid dynamics, and a total of 20 experiments were conducted. The simulated results were then validated with experimental data. Through the analysis of the individual parameters and the approximation model, the ideal parameter combination that increased head and efficiency by 7.90% and 2.06%, respectively, at the rated value was discovered. It is worth noting that in cases of a high rate of flow, the inner flow was also enhanced.