Exit Flow Behavior of Axial Fan Flows With/Without Impingement

2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Sui ◽  
S. S. Wang ◽  
J. R. Mao ◽  
T. Kim ◽  
T. J. Lu

The exit flow patterns of an axial flow fan widely used in electronics cooling are experimentally characterized both in free exit and in the presence of a flat impingement plate. The axial fan is rotated with 12.0 V input from a dc power supply, leading to a nominal Reynolds number of Re=9.0×103 based on fan diameter. One shear layer each is found to form between the exit flow from the axial fan and the surrounding fluid at rest, and between the exit flow and the flow along the fan axis. In addition to creating a highest wall pressure region (the primary stagnation region), the presence of the flat plate induces a flow recirculation zone (the secondary stagnation region) at the plate center. When the fan exit-to-plate spacing normalized by fan diameter (H/D) equals to about 0.6, the wall pressure is minimized in the secondary stagnation region due to the maximized “recirculation” as a result of intensified flow interaction. Within the range considered (0.2≤H/D≤2.0) and with the case of H/D∼0.6 serving as a reference, the flow interaction tends to be suppressed by the proximity of the plate at H/D=0.2 and weakened due to the momentum dissipation at H/D∼2.0.

Author(s):  
Ronan Grimes ◽  
David Quin ◽  
Edmond Walsh ◽  
Jeff Punch

The emergence of highly functional portable electronic systems in recent times means that passive dissipation of heat in these devices may not be an option in the near future. Micro fan technology is currently being developed to address this emerging need. Past investigations by the current authors indicate that the reduction of scale of conventional electronics cooling fan design to the mini scale does not excessively impair the bulk pressure flow performance of the fan. However, the detailed velocity distribution at the outlet of mini scale axial flow fans is unknown, and so effective thermal design in systems which use mini scale fans may be difficult, as the designer does not know the path taken by the flow emerging from the fan. To address this issue, this paper presents PIV measurements performed at the outlet of a series of geometrically similar axial flow fans, whose diameters range from 120 to 6mm, and whose design is based on that of a commercially available macro scale electronics cooling fan. The measurements show that as fan scale is reduced, there is a significant change in the fan outlet velocity distribution, and a large increase in the outlet radial flow angle. As a result, a designer using a small scale axial flow fan must be aware that the region downstream of the fan, where one would normally expect high velocity flow, will in fact be uncooled. Therefore, components should be mounted radially downstream of the fan, where highest air velocities are shown to exist.


Author(s):  
KS Mu ◽  
ABH Kueh ◽  
PN Shek ◽  
MR Mohd Haniffah ◽  
BC Tan

Plates with leading-edge tubercles experience beneficially more gradual aerodynamics stalling when entering the post-stall regime. Little is known, however, about the corresponding aquatic flow responses when these tubercles-furnished plates are subjected to the maximal angle of attack, with the flow direction perpendicular to their planar area. Hence, this study presents numerically, by means of the flow behavior solver ANSYS, the flow responses alteration in terms of the geometrical effects of tubercles on plates through changes in amplitudes (5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm) and wavelengths (50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm) under the maximal angle of attack in comparison to a control case, i.e., without tubercles. Additional to the commonly examined flow velocity and pressure, characteristics such as wake (area, reattachment length, flow recirculation intensity) and newly defined downstream vortical parameters (area, perimeter, and Feret diameters) for the vortex region have been proposed and assessed. It is found that the drag increases with the tubercle wavelength but corresponds inversely with the tubercle amplitude. By correlating with the best beneficial velocity and pressure profiles, it has been characterized that the optimally performing plate is the one that generates the greatest flow recirculation intensity, wake area, and reattachment length, corresponding to the capability to produce also the highest vortical area, perimeter, and major Feret diameter. Compared to the control case, all plates with tubercles alter beneficially these flow behaviors. In conclusion, plates with tubercles contribute favorably to the flow behaviors under the maximal angle of attack compared to the control case while the newly proposed downstream parameters could serve capably as alternatives in corroborating the flow physics description in future studies.


Author(s):  
Chuang Gao ◽  
Weiguang Huang ◽  
Haiqing Liu ◽  
Hongwu Zhang ◽  
Jundang Shi

This paper concerns with the numerical and experimental aspects of both steady and unsteady flow behavior in a centrifugal compressor with vaneless diffuser and downstream collector. Specifically, the appearance of flow instabilities i.e., rotating stall and surge is investigated in great detail. As the first step, the static performance of both stage and component was analyzed and possible root cause of system surge was put forward based on the classic stability theory. Then the unsteady pressure data was utilized to find rotating stall and surge in frequency domain which could be classified as mild surge and deep surge. With the circumferentially installed transducers at impeller inlet, backward travelling waves during stall ramp could be observed. The modes of stall waves could be clearly identified which is caused by impeller leading edge flow recirculation at Mu = 0.96. However, for the unstable flow at Mu = 1.08, the system instability seems to be caused by reversal flow in vaneless diffuser where the pressure oscillation was strongest. Thus steady numerical simulation were performed and validated with the experimental performance data. With the help of numerical analysis, the conjectures are proved.


2008 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Gosselin ◽  
M. P. Païdoussis

By coupling the Donnell–Mushtari shell equations to an analytical inviscid fluid solution, the linear dynamics of a rotating cylindrical shell with a corotating axial fluid flow is studied. Previously discovered mathematical singularities in the flow solution are explained here by the physical phenomenon of blocking. From a reference frame moving with the traveling waves in the shell wall, the flow is identical to the flow in a rigid varicose tube. When the ratio of rotation rate to flow velocity approaches a critical value, the phenomenon of blocking creates a stagnation region between the humps of the wall. Since the linear model cannot account for this phenomenon, the solution blows up.


2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chetan Mistry ◽  
A. M. Pradeep

The influence of circumferential inflow distorted on the performance and flow behavior of a high aspect ratio, low speed contra rotating fan is reported in this paper. The total pressure at the inlet is artificially distorted by means of 90 deg mesh sector with a porosity of 0.70. The performance of the contra rotating fan was studied under different speed combinations of the two rotors under clean and distorted inflow conditions. Detailed flow analyses were conducted under design and off-design conditions. In order to understand the effect of distortion and its extent, the distortion sector was rotated circumferentially at intervals of 15 deg to cover the entire annulus. Detailed measurements of the total pressure, velocity components, and flow angles were carried out at the inlet of the first rotor, between the two rotors, and at the exit of the second rotor. The study reveals a few interesting aspects on the effect of inflow distortion on the performance of a contra-rotating stage. For the design speed combination and lower rotational speed of rotor-2, a reduction in the overall operating range with a shift of the peak pressure point towards higher mass flow rate, was observed. It is observed that the effect of inflow distortion at the inlet of rotor-1 gets transferred in the direction of rotor-1 rotation and spreads across the entire annulus. The opposite sense of rotation of rotor-2 causes the distortion effect to get transferred in the direction of rotation of rotor-2 with an associated reduction in the total pressure near the hub. It is observed that a higher rotational speed of the second rotor has a beneficial effect on the overall performance due to the strong suction by generated higher rotational speed of rotor-2.


2009 ◽  
Vol 131 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Corsini ◽  
Franco Rispoli ◽  
A. G. Sheard

This study assesses the effectiveness of modified blade-tip configurations in achieving passive noise control in industrial fans. The concepts developed here, which are based on the addition of end-plates at the fan-blade tip, are shown to have a beneficial effect on the fan aeroacoustic signature as a result of the changes they induce in tip-leakage-flow behavior. The aerodynamic merits of the proposed blade-tip concepts are investigated by experimental and computational studies in a fully ducted configuration. The flow mechanisms in the blade-tip region are correlated with the specific end-plate design features, and their role in the creation of overall acoustic emissions is clarified. The tip-leakage flows of the fans are analyzed in terms of vortex structure, chordwise leakage flow, and loading distribution. Rotor losses are also investigated. The modifications to blade-tip geometry are found to have marked effects on the multiple vortex behaviors of leakage flow as a result of changes in the near-wall fluid flow paths on both blade surfaces. The improvements in rotor efficiency are assessed and correlated with the control of tip-leakage flows produced by the modified tip end-plates.


Author(s):  
Qiang Pan ◽  
Weidong Shi ◽  
Desheng Zhang ◽  
BPM van Esch ◽  
Ruijie Zhao

With environmental awareness growing in many countries, governments are taking measures to reduce mortality of migrating fish in pumping stations. Manufacturers seek to develop pumps that are less damaging to fish and still provide good hydraulic performance, but little is known about the implications design modifications may have on internal flow characteristics and overall hydraulic performance. In this paper, an integrated design method is proposed that combines a validated blade strike model for fish damage and a computational fluid dynamics method to assess the pump performance. A redesign of an existing, conventional, axial flow pump is presented as an example in this paper. It shows how the design of the impeller blades was modified stepwise in order to reduce fish mortality while its hydraulic performance was monitored. Computational fluid dynamics analysis of the flow near the hub of the highly skewed blades indicated that unconventional design modifications were required to ensure optimum flow behavior. In the final fish-friendly design, the risk of fish mortality has reduced considerably while the hydraulic performance of the pump is still acceptable for practical application.


1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun L. W. Bokde ◽  
Richard M. Lueptow ◽  
Bruce Abraham
Keyword(s):  

Author(s):  
Gokul Shankaran ◽  
M. Baris Dogruoz

Forced convection air-cooled electronic systems utilize fans to sustain air flow through the enclosure. These fans are typically axial flow fans, radial impellers, and centrifugal blowers. When computing flow fields in electronic enclosures, axial fans have traditionally been abstracted as lumped fan models which may or may not be able to capture the necessary details. Under certain conditions, such lumped models may also capture some flow characteristics in the case of impellers and centrifugal blowers. These lumped models comprise a significantly simplified fan geometry, i.e. usually a planar (2-D) rectangular or circular surface with/without an inner (hub) concentric no-flow region for an axial fan or a rectangular prism/cylinder with a planar inlet for blowers/impellers, and a “pressure head-flow rate” (P-Q) curve, which may be supplied by the fan vendor or experimentally derived by the thermal designer. Irrespective of the source, the P-Q curve is obtained from laboratory experiments that conform to the test codes published by societies such as ASME and AMCA. Convenience and accuracy of lumped fan models are dependent on the specific application, cooling method and also the acceptable error margin. The acceptable error margin of the thermal design has shrunk significantly in the last decade. This has caused an interest in more accurate and robust fan modeling techniques such as Multiple Reference Frame (MRF) model which has already been commonly and successfully used in many different industries for a while. In this paper, an attempt was made to provide a validation of the MRF fan modeling applied to different types of fans. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of an AMCA standard wind tunnel was used for each of the fans investigated. The P-Q curve obtained from the MRF model is benchmarked against the corresponding experimentally derived P-Q curve. Benefits and limitations of the MRF model are also discussed.


Author(s):  
Tao Bian ◽  
Qianpeng Han ◽  
Martin Böhle

For the axial flow fans NACA profiles have been well explored. However, the development and production of NACA profiles are also very expensive. Due to their lower cost of production circular arc blades are also applied to axial flow fans. But there is few information in the open literature focusing on flow loss and behavior of circular arc blades. Therefore, one question remains: how much is the difference of flow loss and behavior between NACA profiles and circular arc blades. In this paper NACA 65 profile and circular arc blade are examined by numerical method. The paper shows the flow loss of both blades in dependence of incidence, Reynolds number and spacing ratio. The occurrence of flow behavior, such as separation bubbles on the leading edge and flow structure on the sidewall is examined and discussed. The flow structure is given on basis of numerical flow picture. Additionally, the flow loss in the sidewall region of both investigated blades are worked out and compared.


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