Global design optimization for an axial-flow tandem pump based on surrogate method

Tandem pump, compared with multistage pump, goes without guide vanes between impellers. Better cavitation performance and significant reduction of the axial geometry scale is important for high-speed propulsion. This study presents a global design optimization method based on surrogated method for an axial-flow tandem pump to enhance trade-off performances: energy and cavitation performances. At the same time, interactions between impellers and impacts on the performances are analyzed. Fixed angle of blades in impellers and phase angle are performed as design variables. Efficiency and minimum average pressure coefficient (MAPC) on axial sectional surface in front impeller are the objective function, which can represent energy and cavitation performances well. Different surrogate models are constructed, and Global Sensitivity Analysis and Pareto Front method are used. The results show that, 1) Influence from phase angle on performances can be neglected compared with other two design variables, 2) Impact ratio of fixed angle of blades in two impellers on efficiency are the same as their designed loading distributions, which is 4:6, 3) The optimization results can enhance the trade-off performances well: efficiency is improved by 0.6%, and the MAPC is improved by 4.5%.