Mainstream Achieves High Performance with Compact Pump for Thermal Cooling Solutions

To optimize a centrifugal pump design within the constraints of an existing housing, shroud, and volute, Mainstream employed ADT TURBOdesign1 software. This advanced, generative design tool enabled them to explore a wide range of impeller geometries, ultimately identifying configurations that enhanced efficiency and performance. By leveraging TURBOdesign1’s optimization algorithms, Mainstream were able to achieve substantial performance improvements while adhering to the prescribed design parameters.

TD1 Blade Pressure Distribution

TD1 Blade Meridional Geometry

To optimize the design of a centrifugal impeller within the constraints of an existing water pump housing, ADT’s generative design tools, TDPre and TURBOdesign1, were leveraged in a systematic approach to achieve optimal performance and efficiency.

CFX Blade Pressure Distribution

Ansys Stress Contour

Initial impeller sizing and target design points were established in TDPre, considering key performance metrics such as pump head, volume flow rate, and rotational speed. The software generated an initial blade geometry, providing valuable insights into efficiency, power requirements, and potential design enhancements.

TURBOdesign1 was instrumental in refining the impeller design. The meridional geometry was constrained to ensure compatibility with the existing housing, while blade loading was strategically controlled to minimize regions of low static pressure. 3D contour plots were employed to visually assess and validate the effectiveness of these design modifications. CFD simulations in TD1 were rapidly solved thanks to the unique inverse design method before more thorough simulations in CFX.

Optimization simulations within TURBOdesign1 yielded a diverse set of blade designs that not only adhered to the specified constraints but also excelled in achieving our optimization objectives, including NPSHr Margin Ratio, total profile losses, and secondary flow factors. The flexibility of user-defined Python parameters enabled the incorporation of application-specific targets, such as a completely axial impeller for streamlined manufacturing. Additionally, critical parameters like throat clearance, LE incidence, and surface Mach numbers were carefully considered to mitigate the risk of cavitation, flow separation, and wake formation.

The most promising designs from TURBOdesign1 were exported to Ansys CFX and Mechanical for in-depth CFD and FEA simulations. Both unstructured and structured meshing techniques were employed to capture the intricate flow dynamics and structural behaviour of the impellers. CFD analysis facilitated a comparative evaluation of the hydrodynamic performance of the various designs, while FEA ensured structural integrity to avoid excessive blade deflection. The most promising design was then 3D printed and tested experimentally to compare with the state-of-the-art.