Temporal Flow Characteristics of Three-Dimensional Centrifugal Impeller Suction System at Vacuum Conditions

Temporal flow characteristics of a 3D centrifugal impeller suction system were numerically studied in vacuum conditions. The blockage of the high-speed rotating impeller appeared, which greatly dropped the suction of the layer suction device. The temporal flow characteristics of the 3D centrifugal impeller suction system were worthy of attention in vacuum conditions. Separation vortices were generated near the blade suction surface. The blocking mechanism of the passage was further analyzed at different extremely low flow rates through the time-space evolution of the streamline. The Q-criteria was introduced to analyze the vortex evolution within the fluid domain of the impeller. Vortex evolution law was captured—the vortices always generated near the suction surface of the blade and moved to the pressure surface of the adjacent blade in the same passage and disappeared. The uniform distribution of three stall cells was captured through the diagram of turbulent kinetic energy. The flow rate increased, and the vortex evolution period gradually decreased. The comparison of pressure fluctuations in different conditions further demonstrated the flow mechanism at the vacuum flow rate was different from that at low flow rates. The sharp increase of pressure fluctuations near the blade pressure surface was consistent with the phenomenon near the suction surface. The pressure fluctuation at extremely low flow was mainly composed of scattered fluctuations caused by fluid separation. The steady and unsteady characteristics described the internal flow characteristics of this suction system at vacuum-flow rates. Theresults provide a profound design for vacuum cleaners.