Experimental study of centrifugal pumps under gas entrainment conditions

The effects of gas entrainment in centrifugal pumps have been experimentally investigated. Depending on different gas entrainment conditions, the impact on the hydraulic power of the pump has been analyzed and the influence of the pump installation position has been disclosed. Additionally, high-resolution gamma-ray computed tomography (HireCT), operated in time-averaged rotation-synchronized scanning mode, has been used to resolve and quantify the local gas/liquid phase fraction distribution inside the operating pump impeller. Based on these quantitative tomographic measurements, gas holdup profiles along selected streamlines have been calculated and gas accumulation inside the impeller chambers has been visualized.