On Leakage Flows in a Liquid Hydrogen Multistage Pump for Aircraft Engine Applications

A comprehensive operational characterization of a representative, liquid hydrogen (LH₂) aircraft engine pump, a key enabler for future hydrogen aviation, is presented in this work. The implications of leakage flows are investigated in a two-stage, high-pressure pump for a wide range of flow rates and rotational speeds, through three-dimensional (3D) (unsteady) Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations. The study compares two configurations: a baseline model comprising the primary flow path components—inducers, impellers, and volutes, and a realizable pump hardware that includes hub, shroud, and power unit cavities. Performance metrics, including head changes and efficiencies, are extracted both at a component and system level. Leakage flow rates of 27.6% and up to 92.9% of the overall pump flow rate are recorded at design and lowest flow points, respectively. The head loss in the mid to low flow rates does not exceed 4.5%, but the efficiency diminishes by up to 13.5% at off-design operation. The component analysis indicates significant penalties in impeller efficiency. At high flow rates, the presence of leakage flows improves the overall pump performance by 43% and 27% in head rise and efficiency, due to reduced losses in volutes and connecting ducts. The detailed characterization of pump behavior described in this work is of importance in development of safe, reliable, and predictable design of aircraft LH₂ pumps. These aircraft pumps are different from LH₂ pumps utilized in rocketry and for cooling in nuclear industry due to the requirement to operate with wider turn-down ratios and often, at low specific speeds. Therefore, this study addresses design considerations in this enabling technology that ensures the delivery of preconditioned fuel according to the aircraft operating conditions.