Fluid Dynamics of Inducers—A Review

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to review the experimental and analytical investigations on the fluid dynamic aspects of noncavitating inducers. Various analyses available for the prediction of the flow field, starting from the simple radial equilibrium analysis to the numerical solution of exact three-dimensional inviscid and viscid flow equations, are reviewed. The experimental data on the overall inducer performance, rotor blade passage measurements, and boundary layer on rotor blades are critically examined. Some of the available data have been reinterpreted to provide suitable guidance to the designer. The review and the concluding remarks include a global view of the state-of-the-art and applicability of the research to design, and some viewpoints on the analysis and design of inducers.