Session: 20-04: Optimization Through Digital Tools

Paper Number: 153763

A Multistage Centrifugal Pump Design Process for Cryogenic Fluids 

Pumping cryogenic fluids is a key technology for a variety of industrial applications such as, for example, liquefied natural gas transfer from storage tanks, refrigeration systems and organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems. Many types of cryogenic pumps are employed in the aforementioned applications, including among others centrifugal pumps. The usage of an industrial water pump as the cryogenic pump could lead to the occurrence of cavitation phenomena due to the inadequate suction performance and might also negatively affect the system overall performance. In refrigeration and ORC systems, in fact, the efficiency of the pump is a key parameter and the selection of a suitable cryogenic pump plays a crucial role in achieving system efficiency and net power output. In the present paper, a thirty-stage centrifugal pump is specifically designed for a 3.4 kW ORC system using R290 as the working fluid. The hydraulic design of individual pump components (closed impeller, radial diffuser, return vanes and volute casing) is carried out at the planned main operating point of the system, defined in terms of the required mass flow rate and pressure rise, by means of one-dimensional calculation procedures based on the available literature. Particular attention is paid to the design of the impeller eye and the blade leading edge in order to reduce the risk of cavitation problems. After this preliminary design phase, single-channel steady CFD simulations of the entire pump are performed with a mixing plane approach to assess the performance of the multistage centrifugal pump previously designed.

Presenting Author: Nicola Zanini DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara

Presenting Author Biography: He obtained the Ph.D. in 2025 at the University of Ferrara. Actually he is assistant researcher for the turbomachinery research group of the University of Ferrara. His main research activity is focused on the design process and the performance prediction of centrifugal pump with unconventional fluids, e.g. high-viscous and non-Newtonian fluids.

Authors:

Nicola Aldi DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara
Michele Pinelli DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara
Mattia Piovan DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara
Alessio Suman DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara
Nicola Zanini DE – Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara