Abstract
Displacement type pumps are often applied for micro-chemical plants, while the inherent pulsation natures of these pumps are undesirable to obtain efficient and continuous chemical reaction. We have proposed a multiple-disc pump as an alternative pump, since it is expected to have much less pressure pulsations. This could be confirmed in our previous experiments, while weak pressure fluctuations were still observed in the low flow rate range. In the present study, to investigate the possibility of occurrence of flow instabilities, unsteady numerical simulation with only two rotating circular disks considered is carried out. As a result, rotating cells with the cell number varying from four to nine are observed near the inlet of flow passage between the disks, which may be responsible for the observed pressure fluctuations. The cause of the rotating cells is discussed from the meridional pressure distribution.
