Numerical Model for Simulation of Pump-Intake Flow and Vortices
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 124, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper describes the development of a computational fluid dynamics model to simulate the three-dimensional flow field in a pump intake and to study the formation of free-surface and wall-attached vortices. The model solves the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and two turbulence-model equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates using a fully implicit, fractional-step algorithm based on alternate direction implicit approximate factorization. A two-layer k-ε turbulence model is employed to resolve the near-wall flow that is critical to the description of wall-attached vortices. Solutions at a Reynolds number of 60,000 for flow in a simple rectangular sump are presented to demonstrate the use of the numerical model to predict the location and strength of free-surface and wall-attached vortices. As the case study was selected according to commonly used design criteria, relatively weak vortices are predicted. The predicted complex vortex structure is analyzed. The test case suggests that the numerical model may be employed with other geometrical arrangements and flow parameters to study their effect on the intake flow structure and vortices in pump sumps.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Anwar, H. O.(1966). “Formation of a weak vortex.”J. Hydr. Res., 4(1), 1–16.
2.
Anwar, H. O., and Amphlett, M. B.(1980). “Vortices at vertically inverted intake.”J. Hydr. Res., 18(2), 123–134.
3.
Chen, H. C., and Patel, V. C.(1988). “Near-wall turbulence models for complex flows including separation.”AIAA J., 26(6), 641–648.
4.
Chen, H. C., Patel, V. C., and Ju, S.(1990). “Solutions of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations for three-dimensional incompressible flows.”J. Computational Phys., 88(2), 305–336.
5.
Chorin, A. J.(1968). “Numerical solution of the Navier-Stokes equations.”J. Math. Computation, 22(3), 745–762.
6.
Constantinescu, G., and Patel, V. C. (1998). “Numerical simulation of pump-intake flow.”IIHR Rep. (in preparation), Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
7.
Daggett, L. L., and Keulegan, G. H.(1972). “Similitude conditions in free surface vortex formulation.”J. Hydr. Div., ASCE, 100(11), 1565–1580.
8.
Ettema, R., and Nakato, T. (1990). “Hydraulic model studies of the circulating-water and essential-service-water pump-intake structures: Korea Electric Power Corporation Yonggwang Station, Units 3 and 4.”IIHR Limited Distribution Rep. No. 173, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
9.
Harlow, H. F., and Welch, J. E.(1965). “Numerical calculation of time-dependent viscous incompressible fluid flow with free surfaces.”Phys. of Fluids, 8(12), 2182–2189.
10.
Issa, R. I.(1985). “Solution of the implicitly discretised fluid flow equations by operator-splitting.”J. Computational Phys., 62(1), 40–65.
11.
Jain, A. K., Raju, K. G. R., and Garde, R. J.(1978). “Vortex formation at vertical pipe intakes.”J. Hydr. Div., ASCE, 104(10), 1429–1445.
12.
Majumdar, S., Rodi, W., and Zhu, J.(1992). “Three dimensional finite-volume method for incompressible flows with complex boundaries.”J. Fluids Engrg., 114(4), 496–503.
13.
Melville, B. W., Ettema, R., and Nakato, T. (1994). “Review of flow problems at water intake pump sumps.”EPRI Res. Proj. RP3456-01 Final Rep., Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
14.
Nakato, T. (1988). “Hydraulic-laboratory model studies of the circulating-water pump-intake structure, Florida Power Corporation, Crystal River Units 4 and 5.”IIHR Rep. No. 320, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
15.
Nakato, T. (1989). “A hydraulic model study of the circulating-water pump-intake structure: Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Station Unit No. 1, Comision Federal De Electricidad.”IIHR Rep. No. 330, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
16.
Nakato, T. (1990). “A hydraulic model study of the proposed pump-intake and discharge flume, Florida Power Corporation's Crystal River Cooling-Tower Project.”IIHR Rep. No. 339, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
17.
Nakato, T. (1991). “Improvement of pump-approach flows: A hydraulic model study of Union Electric's Meramec plane circulating-water pump intakes.”IIHR Rep. No. 348, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
18.
Odgaard, J. A.(1986). “Free-surface air core vortex.”J. Hydr. Engrg., ASCE, 112(7), 610–620.
19.
Padmanabhan, M., and Hecker, G. E.(1984). “Scale effects in pump sump models.”J. Hydr. Div., ASCE, 110(11), 1540–1556.
20.
Patankar, S. V., and Spalding, D. B.(1972). “A calculation procedure for heat, mass and momentum transfer in three-dimensional parabolic flows.”Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 15(6), 1787–1806.
21.
Patel, V. C., Rodi, W., and Scheuerer, G.(1985). “Turbulence models for near-wall and low Reynolds number flows: A review.”AIAA J., 23(9), 1308–1319.
22.
Piquet, J., and Visonneau, M.(1991). “Computation of the flow past ship like hulls.”Comp. and Fluids, 19(2), 183–196.
23.
Rosenfeld, M., Kwak, D., and Vinokur, M.(1991). “A fractional step method for the unsteady incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in generalized coordinate systems.”J. Computational Phys., 94(1), 102–137.
24.
Sotiropoulos, F., and Abdallah, S.(1992). “A primitive variable method for the solution of three-dimensional incompressible viscous flows.”J. Computational Phys., 103(2), 336–349.
25.
Sotiropoulos, F., and Patel, V. C. (1992). “Flow in curved ducts of varying cross section.”IIHR Rep. No. 358, Iowa Inst. of Hydr. Res., The Univ. of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa.
26.
Sotiropoulos, F., and Patel, V. C.(1995a). “Application of Reynolds-stress transport models to stern and wake flows.”J. Ship Res., 39(4), 263–283.
27.
Sotiropoulos, F., and Patel, V. C.(1995b). “Turbulence anisotropy and near-wall modeling in predicting three-dimensional shear-flows.”AIAA J., 33(3), 504–514.
28.
Tagomori, M., and Gotoh, M. (1989). “Flow patterns and vortices in pump sumps.”Proc., Int. Symp. on Large Hydr. Machinery, China Press, Beijing. China, 13–22.
29.
Takata, I., Kawata, Y., Kobayashi, T., and Morinishi, Y. (1992). “Large-eddy simulation of unsteady turbulent swirl flow in a pump intake.”Proc., 1st Computational Fluid Dyn. Eur. Conf., Elsevier Applied Science, New York, N.Y., 255–261.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 124 • Issue 2 • February 1998
Pages: 123 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1998
Published in print: Feb 1998
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.