Characterization of a centrifugal pump in He IIAs part of an effort to determine the feasibility of helium transfer in space, a centrifugal pump was tested in He II at a variety of flow rates, pump speeds, and fluid temperatures. The pump, which has a straight bladed impeller 6.86 cm in diameter, generated a maximum pressure rise of 15 kPa and a maximum flow rate of 22 g/s for the conditions of the test. Pump performance seems to be independent of fluid temperature and is in good agreement with the values predicted by the manufacturer. Over the range of flow coefficients, the measured maximum efficiency is around 50 percent. Cavitation is observed in the pump and is thought to be highly dependent on the local heating of the helium in the pump. Preliminary measurements of the noise spectra of the pump suggest a possible mechanism to predict the onset of cavitation.
Document ID
19880065968
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Weisend, J. G., II (Wisconsin Univ. Madison, WI, United States)
Van Sciver, S. W. (Wisconsin, University Madison, United States)