Author(s): Silva; Jose Matos; Duarte; Alexandre Caimoto; Fernandes; Edgar Caetano
Linked Author(s): Irene Fernandes , Filipe Duarte
Keywords: Water-pump intakes; Experimental modeling; Hydraulic structures; PIV; Vortices
Abstract: Vortices in water-pump intakes are common and play a significant role in inducing undesirable flow features, which may lead to poor pump performance and frequent maintenance. Experiments were carried out in a laboratory model, to reproduce real water- pump-intake flow features, such as vortices. The flow characterization was performed with visualization techniques and with the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, in order to measure two-dimensional flow velocity fields at relevant intake sections. A laser system was used to illuminate the plan views, a high-speed CCD camera to capture the images of particles in the flow, a workstation to store and analyze the digitalized images, and Dantec software for image and data analysis; 60-um pollen particles were used as seeding. Particular emphasis was placed in determining the location of near-intake pipe vortices. The experimental results obtained in this study are in good agreement with previous experimental investigations. The time analysis shows that the flow is unsteady, with a characteristic oscillation frequency.
Year: 2005