Effect of Tip Clearance on the Performance of a Turbopump Inducer

끝틈새가 터보펌프 인듀서의 성능에 미치는 영향

Experiments were performed to see the effect of radial tip clearance on a turbopump inducer, which has two blades with inlet tip blade angle of 7.8 degree and tip solidity of 2.7. Hydraulic and cavitation tests were done for three cases of tip clearance ratio, that is, 0.026, 0.053, and 0.079. With increase in the tip clearance, inducer head and pressure on the inducer tip decreased. Attached cavitation and cavitation surge were found in the cavitation tests. In the attached cavitation one cell rotated at the same rotational speed as that of the inducer. Cavitation performance deteriorated with increase in the tip clearance. The level of casing vibration increased in the cavitation condition and the level was very high when the attached cavitation appeared.