Sound generation by a centrifugal pump at blade passing frequency

Book · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:403414

Morgenroth, M ^[1]; Weaver, D S ^[2]

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1. Acres International Ltd., Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canada)
2. McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

This paper reports the results of an experimental study of the pressure pulsations produced by a centrifugal volute pump at its blade passing frequency and their amplification by acoustic resonance in a connected piping system. Detailed measurements were made of the pressure fluctuations in the piping as a function of pump speed and flow rate. A semi-empirical model was used to separate acoustic standing waves from hydraulic pressure fluctuations. The effects of modifying the cut-water geometry were also studied, including the use of flow visualization to observe the flow behavior at the cut-water. The results suggest that the pump may act as an acoustic pressure or velocity source, depending on the flow rate. At conditions of acoustic resonance, the pump acted as an open termination of the piping, i.e., as a node in the acoustic pressure standing waves. Rounding the cut-water had the effect of reducing the amplitude of acoustic resonance, apparently because of the ability of the stagnation point to move and thereby reduce the vorticity generated. A notable example of this acoustic resonance in the Primary Heat Transport (PHT) system at Ontario Hydro`s Darlington nuclear power station.

• OSTI ID: 403414
• Report Number(s): CONF-960706--; ISBN 0-7918-1775-X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
DARLINGTON-1 REACTOR
DARLINGTON-2 REACTOR
DARLINGTON-3 REACTOR
DARLINGTON-4 REACTOR
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
SOUND WAVES
STANDING WAVES
WAVE PROPAGATION