Resumen
High flexibility of prefabricated pumping stations in collecting and transporting storm water has been recognized. Nevertheless, flows inside such a complex system have rarely been reported. The present study aims to reveal water-sand flow characteristics in a prefabricated pumping station and to optimize geometric parameters of the tank to mitigate sand particle deposition. Five tank schemes, varying in the ratio of the diameter to the height of the tank bottom (D/L), were investigated. Flows in the pumping station were simulated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Test data were used to validate the numerical scheme. Three-dimensional water-sand flows in the pumping station were described. Underlying mechanisms of sand particle deposition were explained. The results indicate that the risk of deposition is high at the tank bottom side, close to the tank inlet. Both the tank bottom geometry and the inlet suction of the pump contribute to sand particle deposition. The averaged sand volume fraction at the pump inlet reaches its minimum at D/L = 3. Sand particle velocity at the pump inlet varies inversely with D/L. The highest intensity of the vortex at the pump inlet arises at D/L = 3. The best anti-deposition performance of the pumping station is attained at D/L = 3.