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The purpose of the paper is to disclose the effect of the relative position (d) between the impeller and non-vane cavity on the hydraulic performance and unsteady characteristics of vortex pump.

Three groups of vortex pump models with different impeller installation positions were analyzed and studied by combining experimental and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) numerical calculations.

The steady numerical results show that as the width (d) of the impeller moves into the non-vane cavity increases, the proportion of circulation flow in the non-vane cavity is reduced and both the pump head and efficiency are on the rise. The unsteady numerical results and the Enstrophy analysis show that the dynamic and static interference between the circulation flow and the volute tongue is the main reason for the pressure pulsation with a frequency of 2fn in the vortex pump. With the increase of the d value, the dynamic and static interference between the circulation flow and the volute tongue is enhanced. The pulsation amplitude at the volute tongue of the d = 16.5 mm model increases about six times compared with the d = 0 mm model; the distribution of the vortex core in the non-vane cavity is closely related to the position of the impeller, and the peak of the Enstrophy of the circulation flow vortex belt always appears at the top of the impeller.

The research results provide a theoretical foundation for the optimization and improvement of the vortex pump.