The reported work presents the simulation model of a conventional external gear pump developed with LMS Imagine.Lab AMESim. External gear pumps are positive displacement machines characterized by a fixed displacement design. This type of machine is employed on aircrafts for the fuel supply of the gas turbine engine. The aviation application represents a challenging demand for the pump since the typical operating conditions belong to the following ranges: flow rate from 10 to 350 L/min generated at angular speeds within 300 and 8000 rpm even though they can overcome 13000 rpm, delivery pressure from 5 to 150 bar and temperature from -50 to +180 °C.
In this framework, it’s important to develop a simulation tool for investigating the complete pumping dynamics. The Imagine.Lab AMESim model has been developed following the Eulerian approach; consequently several (fixed and variable) control volumes have been considered exchanging flow rates through (fixed and variable) orifices representing leakage paths or flow connections to inlet and delivery capacities. The model allows investigating the pump performances and the pressure-histories in each chamber, with particular attention at the meshing region (with trapped volumes).
The prediction of the volumetric efficiency, pressure peaks and aeration/cavitation phenomenon is of great interest for understanding the critical geometrical parameters to be properly defined during the design phase of the pump. Many targets are usually pursued during the pump’s design, mainly: reduction of cavitation, optimization of suction performance, improvement of the pump volumetric efficiency, reduction of pressure peaks, reduction of instantaneous flow ripple
