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A study on the effectiveness of an anti vortex device in the sump model by experiment and
CFD

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2012 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 15 072004
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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

A study on the effectiveness of an anti vortex device in the

sump model by experiment and CFD
C G Kim1, Y D Choi2, J W Choi1 and Y H Lee3
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School, Korea Maritime
University, Busan, 606-791, Korea
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mokpo National University, Mokpo, 534729, Korea
3
Division of Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering, Korea Maritime
University, Busan, 606-791
E-mail: cgtec@daum.net
Abstract. The head-capacity curves of pumps developed by the pump manufacturer are based
on tests of a single pump operation in a semi-infinite basin with no closed walls of floors and
with no stray currents. Therefore, the flow into the pump intake has no vortices of swirling.
However, pump station designers relying on these curves to define the operating conditions for
the selected pump sometimes experience reductions in capacity and efficiency, as well as an
increase of vibration and additional noise. Therefore, sump model testing is necessary in order
to examine the flow structure around intake. In this study, flow uniformity according to the
flow distribution in the pump intake channel is examined to find out the cause of vortex
occurrence in detail by experiment and CFD. Furthermore, the effectiveness of an anti vortex
device for the suppression of the vortex occurrence in a single intake pump sump model has
been examined by AVD type. The AVDs used for experimental testing, one of which has the
shape of a rectangular bar and the other was a trident shape, are attached at the bottom of pump
intake channel just below the bell-mouth. The AVD type for CFD test is in the shape of a
trident. The experimental sump model was scaled down by a ratio of 1:8 whereas the CFD
sump model was scaled to the actual size.

1. Introduction
Vortex formation around the pump intake in the pump sump makes the deterioration of pump
performance as well as, requires a lot of maintenance. If there exists strong vortex in the water, the
vortex causes swirl flow around the pump intake and results in the decrease of pump efficiency. In
general, pump efficiency has been evaluated by pump manufacturers under the condition of no
inclusion of pump sump. In order to evaluate the pump performance accurately, flow characteristics in
the pump sump should be considered.
Rajendran et al.[1] have tried numerical approach to the flow characteristics around the pump sump,
and also compared the 3-D flow characteristics resulted from the numerical analysis on the pump
sump including the pump intake with rectangular channel, with those by experiments. Takhide et
al.[2]have compared the flow structure around the pump intake by the unbalanced velocity in the
direction of flow passage in the pump sump. Lee et al.[3] have conducted numerical analysis for the
flow characteristics around the pump intake in the multi-intake pump sump model by the unbalanced

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

velocity in the direction of flow passage. Moreover, many researchers have conducted related studies
for the flow characteristics around the pump intake in the pump sump[4] [10].
This study is aimed to examine the flow characteristics around the pump intake in the pump sump,
as well as, to investigate the performance of AVD(Anti vortex device) to suppress the submerged
vortex, which occurs around the pump intake, by experimental and numerical methods.
2. Experimental and numerical methods
2.1. Experimental setup
Figure 1 shows experimental apparatus including PIV system for the pump sump model. PIV system
includes High-speed Camera(1024x1024pixel, max.fps 10000) for image acquisition, Diode-pumped
solid-state laser(max.4W, continuous type) and PVC particles(average diameter 100 m).
CACTUS3.3 is used as a post-processing program for the raw images. The size of model basin
corresponds to the contraction ration of 1/8 times the actual pump sump. The pump sump model is
made of acrylic resin and it has the height 800mm, width 500mm and length 4000mm of the size.
Flow rate for model is determined as follows.
V r = V m / V p = L0r.5

(1)

Qr = Qm / Q p = L2r Vr = L2r.5

(2)

where Lr =contraction ratio, V r =flow rate ratio, Vm =flow velocity for model, V p =flow velocity for
prototype, Q r =flow rate ratio, Q m =flow rate for model, Q p =flow rate for prototype
Flow rate for the model test is kept to maximum flow rate of 153.5m3/h, which is larger than that
of the designed flow rate of test pump, and water level of 637.5mm.
Figure 2(a) shows flow distributor which is attached to the flow passage in order to generate nonuniform fluid flow and submerged vortex. Figure 2(b) shows AVD which is attached to remove the
submerged vortex and free surface vortex. Figure 2(c) shows square bar attached on the rear wall of
pump sump.

Figure 1. Sump test arrangement of PIV system

2.2. Numerical analysis setup
Figure 3 shows pump sump model including its boundary condition and numerical mesh for CFD
analysis. Figure 3(a) shows the boundary condition of mixed flow pump that is set without pump sump
by the conditions of pressure at the inlet and flow rate at the outlet of the pump. On the top region of
the pump sump, which is the free surface region, 0Pa is allocated. Frozen rotor condition is set to the
boundary surfaces both between the pump sump and impeller, and between the impeller and diffuser.
No-slip wall condition is applied to the pump sump wall region and steady state calculation is
conducted.

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

(a) Flow distributor

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

(b) AVD

(c) Square bar

Figure 2. Attachment of Sump Test

(a) Sump model without the AVD

(b) Mesh distribution without the

AVD

(c) Sump model with the AVD

Figure 3. Sump model and mesh for the CFD
Figure 3(b) shows the numerical mesh for the pump sump including mixed flow pump and pump
intake. Grid generation is made by using ANSYS AMP Meshing Tool and Turbo-Grid. Numerical
meshes for the rotating impeller region, diffuser region and pump sump region are generated
separately. Hexa-hedral mesh type is applied to the mixed flow pump region and sweepted prism mesh
type is applied to the region of pump sump inlet. For the numerical meshes of the adjacent surface
region, 1:1 node correspondence is applied. Dense numerical mesh system is applied to the end region
of bell-mouth, at which considerable change of flow pattern is expected.

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

Figure 3(c) shows sump model including the mixed flow pump in the pump intake, and the
submerged AVD which is installed under the pump intake. Detailed dimensions are shown in the
figure. The shape of AVD is designed for the suppression of submerged vortex which occurs on the
bottom and side walls.
Numerical analysis is conducted in the flow rate ranges between 80% and 120% of the designed
flow rate. Same boundary condition is applied to each case of boundary condition regardless of AVD
installation. Cavitation calculation is not included in this study. As a turbulence model, k- model is
adopted.
Table 1 reveals numerical mesh information for the pump sump. 800,000 nodes are applied to the
impeller region with 5 blades, and 2,370,000 nodes are applied to the diffuser region with 9 blades.
Diffuser region includes extended outlet region. 1,930,000 nodes of numerical mesh are applied to the
pump sump region. Therefore, total numerical mesh number for the performance analysis of mixed
flow pump including the pump sump becomes 5,100,000 nodes.
Table 1. Numerical mesh information for the pump sump
Number of nodes

Mesh type

Inpeller domain

800,000

Hexa-hedral

Diffuser domain

2,370,000

Hexa-hedral

Sump domain

1,930,000

Tetra-prism and sweepted prism

Total

5,100,000

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Flow characteristics of the pump sump model
The actual pumping station consists of several sets of pump sump, and operates in various
combinations. As the pumping station model used in this study has uniform flow pattern, which is
manufactured by single channel with long length, flow distributor, which is shown in Fig. 2(a), is
installed in order to generate asymmetry flow pattern.
Figure 4 shows velocity vectors on the horizontal and vertical planes downstream of the flow
distributor. Average velocity distribution on the horizontal plane shows max. 0.2m/s on one side and
min. close to 0m/s on the other side.
Figure 5 shows averaged velocity vectors on each cross-sectional plane and submerged vortex
occurs on the center of the bottom and side wall of the pump sump. Fluid suction velocity around the
pump intake shows that suction velocity at the rear wall is lower about 0.25m/s than that from the
front passage. Fluid velocity becomes faster by passing around the pump intake and then, the fluid
velocity becomes slow and unstable at the rear part of the pump. Accordingly, it is considered that the
unstable flow develops the free surface vortex.
Figure 6 shows averaged velocity vectors in the flow field after the AVD installation. The center
splitter, which has the shape of triangle and is installed on the pump sump bottom wall of the center
passage under the pump intake, removes submerged vortex generating on the pump sump bottom wall
under the pump intake. Side wall fillet which is installed on the side wall removes submerged vortex
on the wall. Because of the AVD installation, vortex disappears in the flow field around the pump
intake and the flow field becomes stable.

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

(a) horizontal plane (max.:0.2m/s, min.:0m/s)

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

(b) vertical plane (max.:0.5m/s, min.:0m/s)

Figure 4. Downstream velocity profile of the Flow Distributor (PIV)

Figure 5. Velocity vector without the AVD (PIV)

Figure 7(a) shows averaged velocity vectors when the free surface vertex generates. The vortex
generated on the free surface rotates slowly at the upper region but the rotation speed becomes faster
about 2 times the rotational speed of the flow on the upper region around the pump intake. And then
the flow is developed and inhaled into the pump intake. Figure 7(b) shows the velocity vectors when
the free surface is removed by installing the square bar under the free surface.
3.2. Flow characteristics in the pump sump
Figure 8 shows flow characteristics using velocity vectors and streamlines around the pump intake of
the pump sump, near the free surface, near the side wall, near the rear wall and near the bottom wall, at

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

the design flow rate without the AVD by CFD analysis. Moreover, internal flow in the impeller and
diffuser is shown using velocity vectors.

Figure 6. Velocity vectors with the AVD (PIV)

(a) Without the square bar

(b) with the square bar

Figure 7. Velocity vectors by the installation of the square bar (PIV)

Figure 8(a) shows velocity vectors around the pump intake. The flow becomes slow in front of the
pump intake in the center passage but the flow velocity around pump intake near the sump side walls
shows relatively very high flow velocity. However, the flow velocity becomes slow considerably near
the rear wall of the sump and changes to vortex flow. The vortex flow from the free surface generates
swirl flow and goes into the pump intake. The vortex flow forms symmetric distribution near the rear
wall, which is caused by steady state calculation. The vortex occurs at the location a little near the rear
wall from the pump intake center.

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

Figure 8(b) shows velocity vectors on the plane of the span directional 50% location between the
hub and the shroud in the mixed flow pump model. Flow direction of the relative velocity vectors at
the leading edge of the impeller and the absolute velocity vectors at the leading edge of the diffuser
seems almost parallel with the blade direction. The flow in the blade passage shows uniform but it
becomes separated flow at the region downstream of the diffuser trailing edge.

(a) Flow characteristics around the pump intake

(b) Flow characteristics in the mixed flow

pump of the sump

Figure 8. Flow characteristics at the design flow rate without the AVD (CFD)
3.3. Influence of the AVD on the flow field
Figure 9 shows vorticity distribution in the X-axis and Y-axis at the heights both of 0.01mm and
0.1mm under the pump intake inlet with and without the AVD at the design flow rate. Patterns of
vorticity distribution in the cases with and without the AVD seem similar except for the end of the
pump intake. The vorticity shows relatively high value near the center of the pump intake when the
AVD is not installed. Vorticity values in the cases of without and with the AVD at the center of the
pump intake becomes about 4.3 as max. value and about 2.5 as min. value, respectively. Max. value of
the vorticity is higher than that of the min. value. It means that relatively high value of the vorticity in
the case without the AVD installation results in high possibility of the occurrence of vortex or swirl
flow around the pump intake.
Figure 10 shows turbulence kinetic energy distribution from the X-axis and Y-axis directions with
and without the AVD at the design flow rate by CFD analysis. It is obvious that the flow into the
pump intake has relatively low turbulence kinetic energy when the AVD is installed. Turbulence
kinetic energy in the direction vertical to the flow passage has symmetric distribution. The turbulence
kinetic energy in the flow passage direction shows relatively higher value distribution at the region
downstream rather than upstream of the pump intake, especially at the inlet of the pump intake.
Table 2 shows the quantitative comparison of the output torque and efficiency of the model pump
in the case of flow rate variation with and without the AVD installation on the location under the
pump intake in the pump sump. When the AVD is not installed, efficiency shows higher than that of
the case by the AVD installation and the range of efficiency difference becomes about 0.1% to 0.5%.
It is conjectured that those phenomenon is caused by the uniform fluid flow in the pump sump model,
and thus the AVD does not work effectively for the uniform flow.

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

(a) Vorticity distribution from Y-axis

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

(b) Vorticity distribution from X-axis

Figure 9. Vorticity distribution from the X-axis with and without the AVD (at the design flow rate, CFD)

(a) Turbulence kinetic energy distribution from Yaxis

(b) Turbulence kinetic energy distribution from X-axis

Figure 10. Turbulence kinetic energy distribution from the X-axis with and without the AVD (at the
design flow rate, CFD)
Table 2. Torque and efficiency of mixed flow pump with and without the AVD (CFD)
Without AVD in the sump
With AVD in the sump
Flow rate
Torque (N m)
Efficiency (%)
Torque (N m)
Efficiency (%)
80%
34,234
84.6
34,227
84.7
90%
34,731
87.1
34,662
86.8
100%
34,625
89.0
34,574
88.6
110%
33,722
89.0
33,810
88.5
120%
32,221
87.6
32,371
87.2
3.4. Influence of incoming non-uniform flow
In previous study, uniform flow environment is applied to the pump sump model in order to examine
the influence of the AVD, and thereby efficiency of the test pump in the case with the AVD
installation showed 0.4% lower than that of the case without the AVD installation in the range of
design flow rate. Therefore, non-uniform flow condition should be applied to the flow field as well in
order to compare and confirm the influence of the ADV by the incoming flow condition.
Figure 11 shows rectangular baffle installed at the region upstream of the pump intake in order to
realize the non-uniform flow condition. The baffle is installed at the location of 8.6m upstream from

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

the rear wall of the pump sump model, and the sizes of length, height and width are 1.5m, 3.5m and
0.5m, respectively.
Figure 12 reveals the velocity vectors and streamlines without and with the AVD over the bellmouth inlet by the variation of vertical location at the flow rate range of 150% by CFD analysis. Z=0
corresponds to the location of pump intake inlet. Incoming flow into the pump intake shows nonuniform flow pattern regardless of the AVD installation, and the occurrence of vortex region is seen at
the region downstream of the baffle which is installed at the region upstream of the pump intake.
When the ADV is not installed, occurrence of asymmetric vortex region is found at the region
downstream of the pump intake. Moreover, when the ADV is installed, relatively uniform flow
distribution is formed and the flow comes into the pump intake.

Figure 11. Sump Model for incoming non-uniform flow

(a) Z=1m

(b) Z=2m

(c) Z=1

(d) Z=2

Figure 12. Velocity vectors and streamlines without and with the AVD over bell-mouth inlet(at flow
rate 150%, CFD)
Figure 13 shows the streamlines without and with the AVD under the bell-mouth inlet (Z=-0.2m)at
flow rate range of 150% by CFD analysis. When the AVD is not installed, swirl flow forms under the
pump intake and the flow comes into the pump intake. In the case of the AVD installation, relatively
weak swirl flow forms and comes into the pump intake.
Figure 14 shows efficiency of the mixed flow pump model under the flow rate conditions of 100%,
125% and 150% of the design point, when incoming non-uniform flow is applied at the region up
stream of the pump intake, and by with and without the AVD installation. Because of the non-uniform

26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

inflow condition, efficiencies of the mixed flow pump model decreases a little in comparison with
those by uniform inflow condition as shown in Table 2. When the AVD is installed under the flow rate
conditions of 100%, 125% and 150% of the design point, efficiencies of the mixed flow pump model
increase 0.9%, 1.5% and 2.1% higher, respectively, in comparison with those by without the AVD
installation. As the flow rate increases, the vortex region after passing the baffle becomes larger, and
the flow approaching to the pump intake becomes more and more non-uniform. From the non-uniform
flow condition, difference of the pump efficiency by the shape of AVD becomes large. In other words,
the more the incoming flow condition is non-uniform, then the more the influence of the AVD gives
effect on the flow field.

(a) without AVD at z = -0.2 m

(b) without AVD at z = -0.2 m

Figure 13. Streamlines without and with the AVD under bell-mouth inlet(at flow rate 150%, CFD)

Figure 14. Efficiency of mixed flow pump with and without the AVD (CFD)
4. Conclusion
From the study on the pump sump model by the influence of AVD installation, experimental and
numerical analysis have been performed and the following conclusions are achieved.
1. According to the results from the PIV experiment, flow velocity to the flow direction shows 25%
higher at the region upstream than that at the region downstream of the pump intake. Occurrence of
the submerged vortex on the wall results from the different flow direction at the regions upstream and
downstream of the pump intake, and the different flow velocity at the regions up to about 2times each
other.

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26th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems

IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 15 (2012) 072004

IOP Publishing
doi:10.1088/1755-1315/15/7/072004

2. Submerged vortex around the pump intake occurs on the bottom, side and rear walls. By the
installation of the AVD to the location of vortex occurrence, the vortex disappears and the flow
becomes uniform.
3. According to the results from the CFD analysis, the efficiency of mixed flow pump model shows
90.9% and 89%, respectively, when the pump sump is not included and included in the CFD analysis.
By the application of the AVD in the pump sump, flow with relatively low vorticity and turbulence
kinetic energy comes into the pump intake.
4. By the installation of the AVD at the range of design flow rate, 0.9% of the pump efficiency
increases when the incoming flow to the pump intake is uniform, but 0.4% of the pump efficiency
decreases when the incoming flow is uniform. Moreover, the more the incoming flow condition is
non-uniform, then the more the difference of the pump efficiency increase becomes larger.
References
[1] Rajendran V P, Constantinescu G S and Patel V C 1998 Experiments on flow in a model waterpump intake sump to validate a numerical model ASME Fluids Engineering Division Summer Meeting
(Warshington, USA, 21-25 June 1998) FEDSM98-5098
[2] Takahide N, Toshiyuki S and Tomoyoshi O 2003 Measurement of the flow around the
submerged vortex cavitation in a pump Intake by means of PIV 5th International Symp. on Cavitation
(Osaka, Japan, 1-4 November 2003) Cav03-OS-6-011
[3] Takahide Choi J W, Choi Y D, Kim C G and Lee Y H 2010 Journal of Mechanical Science and
Technology 24(7) 1389~1400
[4] Constantinescu G and Patel V C 1998 J. Hydr. Engrg., ASCE 124(2) 123-134
[5] Shibata T, Iwano R, Nagahara T and Okamura T 2000 A numerical method for predicting the
cavitation inception of a submerged vortex in pump sumps The Hydraulic Machinery and Systems
20th IAHR Symp.(Charlotte, US.A, 6-9 August 2000) CFD-G03
[6] Isbasoiu E C, Safta C A, Muntenan T and Stanescu P 2005 Swirling flows in the suction sumps
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[7] Chen Y L , Wu C , Ye M and Ju X M 2007 Journal of Hydrodynamics Ser.B 19(2) 143~149
[8] Inagaki K, Funaki J and Hirata K 2009 Experimental Study on Occurrence-Time Ration
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Measurement Techniques for Multiphase Flows ( J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 147 012045)
[9] Kirst K, Hellmann D H , Kothe B and Springer P 2010 International Journal of Fluid
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[10] Chuang W L and Hsiao S C 2011 Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser. B 23(3) 314~324

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