Vortex Cavitation from Baffle Plate and Pump Vibration in a Double-Suction Volute Pump

This study highlights especially the mechanism of vortex cavitation occurrence from the end of the suction duct in a double-suction volute pump and pump oscillation which causes cavitation noise from the pump. In this study, full 3D numerical simulations have been performed using a commercial code inside the pump from the inlet of suction duct to the outlet of delivery duct. The numerical model is based on a combination of multiphase flow equations with the truncated version of the Rayleigh-Plesset model predicting the complicated growth and collapse process of cavity bubbles. The experimental investigations have also been performed on the cavitating flow with flow visualization to evaluate the numerical results.