Abstract
A method for determining the turbulent flow through the leakage passage in rotating machinery has been enhanced to allow for the modeling of complex multiplyconnected flow domains such as that of the combined primary and secondary flow passages. The current analysis is a significant enhancement over the existing approach for modeling practical engineering problems where only a portion of the domain is analyzed. The method required the creation of a complex multiply-connected finite element mesh for the flow domain and careful specification of boundary conditions consistent with rotating and non-rotating surfaces as well as flow-permeable boundaries. The incompressible turbulent axisymmetric flow field associated with the centered-impeller operation is then solved utilizing a non-segregated finite element approach. Results of this analysis are compared to those of a lower-order analysis utilizing a simplified flow domain consisting of only the secondary flow passage. The model upgrade facilitates a thorough examination of the natural interaction between the two flow streams as contrasted to externally imposing such interaction.
Wyman, Nicholas James (1994). Effects of the primary passage on the flow through the secondary passage of a shrouded-impeller pump. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1994 -THESIS -W984.