Study on the transition process of a molten salt pump transporting media with crystalline particles by modeling test and numerical simulation
International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow
ISSN: 0961-5539
Article publication date: 25 June 2019
Issue publication date: 11 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the transition process from the crystalline particles appearing before the pump inlet to the stable operation of the pump.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, a modeling test method was put forward for the high-temperature molten salt pump. Then, according to a modeling test scheme, the experiment of the solid–liquid two-phase flow was carried out by using a model pump similar to the prototype pump. Meanwhile, the numerical method to simulate the transition process of a molten salt pump was studied, and the correctness of the numerical model was verified by the experimental results. Finally, the transition process of the molten salt pump was studied by the verified numerical model in detail.
Findings
In the simulation of the transition process, it is more accurate to judge the end of the transition process based on the unchanged particle volume fraction (PVF) at the pump outlet than on the periodic fluctuation of the outlet pressure. The outlet pressure is closely related to the PVF in the pump. The variation of the outlet pressure is slightly prior to that of the PVF at the pump outlet and mainly affected by the PVF in the impeller and volute. After 0.63 s, the PVF at each monitoring point changes periodically, and the time-averaged value does not change with time.
Practical implications
This study is of great significance to further improve the design method of molten salt pump and predict the abrasion characteristic of the pump due to interactions with solid particles.
Originality/value
A numerical method is established to simulate the transition process of a molten salt pump, and a method is proposed to verify the numerical model of two-phase flow by modeling test.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51306087), the Natural Science Foundation of Higher Education Institutions of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. 17KJA480003), the Talents Project of Jiangsu Province of China (Grant No. GDZB-032), the Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Green Process Equipment (Grant No. GPE201704) and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. KYCX18_1096).
Citation
Shao, C., He, A., Zhang, Z. and Zhou, J. (2019), "Study on the transition process of a molten salt pump transporting media with crystalline particles by modeling test and numerical simulation", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 29 No. 9, pp. 3263-3289. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-12-2018-0807
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited