Introduction

In heavy engineering industry, sumps are used to store & supply liquid to the pumps. It is very important that pump suction should receive uniform, vortex free & swirl free flow from the sump, so that pump can perform efficiently at its operating point. Sump containing the multiple number of components make it more complex system to study & judge. CFD helps in understanding the sump performance by simulating all complexities within the sump & also helps in improving the sump performance by carrying out various design modification iterations within the sump.

Challenges

• Proper consideration of resistance for various components like screens and strainers.
• Design modifications, if any required for acceptable performance of Pump Sump as per Hydraulic Institute Standards (HIS).

SOLUTION

Flow analysis of Pump-Sump is quite challenging due to consideration of various components like multiple number of pumps, sluice gates, raking-screens, traveling screens & strainers which makes the Sump system highly complex to study & judge. CFD helps in identifying the formation of vortex & swirl below bell- mouth, which reduces pump performance by increasing swirl angle at pump suction. After identifying all above issues sump design modified to improve flow pattern within sump & below the bell- mouth which further helps in reducing swirl angle at pump suction. Also, CFD helps in determining sump performance during cross flow within sump under various pump & sluice gate working combinations.

BENEFITS

• For various pump & sluice gate working combinations, sump performance at pump suction is predicted beforehand.
• Quick turnaround time to high swirl angle problem at pump suction.
• Cost effective solution for reduced number of trials with improved Sump performance.