Numerical Simulation of Cover Plate Deflection in the Gerotor Pump

Understanding how pump leakage can be predicted and minimized is an important aspect of pump design for subsequent improvements in pump performance. The Gerotor pump can have leakage rates that significantly affect performance and overall efficiency. Simulations were conducted on a Gerotor pump incorporating 1) a CFD code, CFD-ACE+ with a proven cavitation model and 2) a coupled structural solver to determine deflection of the cover plate in the pump assembly due to variation in internal pressure profiles during operation. The computed results (pressure, cavitation and deflection) show trends similar to that seen in experiments and a quantitative comparison is presented.