Flow Features of a Prefabricated Pumping Station Operating under High Flow Rate Conditions

Abstract

A prefabricated pumping station catering to the delivery of medium with high flow rate is investigated. Two configurations of storage tanks are devised. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is utilized to acquire flow patterns in the pumping station as the pumps operate concurrently. Flow rate allocation and the disturbance of pump operation to ambient medium are depicted. It is demonstrated that both the serial and parallel configurations can fulfill the requirements of high flow rate. Flow rate differs over storage tanks and pumps as well, as is intensified with the serial configuration. The operation of the pumps arouses non-symmetric flow structures in the tank. In comparison, the parallel configuration is desirable in consideration of the uniformity of cross-sectional total pressure and velocity distributions in the outlet pipe of the prefabricated pumping station.