Controlling the Tonal Characteristics of the Aerodynamic Noise Generated by Fan Rotors

1970 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. Mellin ◽  
G. Sovran

A technique has been developed for selecting circumferentially-unequal blade spacings that will reduce the tonal annoyance of the aerodynamic noise generated by the rotors of fans. The procedure has been successfully applied to a number of axial-flow fans. The predictions of harmonic spectra are based on an experimentally-determined sound-pressure wave shape for the individual blades of such fans. However, the technique can be extended to other types of tonal-annoyance problems provided that the particular relevant sound-pressure wave shape is determined. Unequal blade spacings that will produce a particular degree of “whiteness” in the noise with a minimum departure from equal spacing are tabulated for a range of blade numbers. Both unbalanced and naturally balanced blading arrangements are considered. A survey technique is also outlined for those applications in which it is important to reduce a particular frequency, or where blending with a given background noise must be achieved.

Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Yingzi Jin ◽  
Yi Zhao ◽  
Pin Liu

To explore the effect of blade numbers on aerodynamic performance and noise of small axial flow fan, the steady flow field and the unsteady flow field of fan models with 6 different blade numbers (such as 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15) are numerically calculated. Then the internal flow distribution, static characteristic and aerodynamic noise are analyzed among six different fan models. The analysis results show: (1)Total pressure and efficiency generally maintain the trend of first increasing and then decreasing with increasing blade numbers, and it is the maximum when fan blade number is 11. The flow rate coupled with the maximum efficiency has never changed with increasing the blade numbers. (2)With increasing blade numbers, overall sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise is gradually decreasing near the outlet of fan tip, while it is first decreasing and then increasing before decreasing again at 1 meter away from the central axis of the impeller along the outlet. When fan blade number is 11, overall sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise is the greatest. Furthermore, the aerodynamic performance tests of fan models with 6 different blade numbers are carried out, the results of between the tests and the numerical calculations are roughly consistent. The research results will provide the proof of the parameter optimization and the structure design for high performance and low noise small axial fans.


2011 ◽  
Vol 199-200 ◽  
pp. 796-800
Author(s):  
Li Zhang ◽  
Ying Zi Jin

To more fully explore the effect of blade numbers on aerodynamic performance and noise of small axial flow fan, some solutions are adopted to obtain the parameters’ distribution of the flow field.Firstly, the standard k-ε turbulence model is used to calculate the steady flow field of six different fan blades(such as 5,7,9,11,13,15) , and the SIMPLE algorithm is applied to couple vecolity and pressure. Secondly, the large eddy simulation in conjunction with the FH-W noise model are used to compute the unsteady flow field and noise. Finally, the experimental results verify that the calculation methods of steady flow field and unsteady flow field are correct. The conclusions show: (1)Total pressure and efficiency generally maintain the trend of firstly increasing and then decreasing with increasing the blade numbers, and it is the greatest when fan blade number is 11. The flow rate coupled with the maximum efficiency has never changed with increasing the blade numbers. (2)With the increasing blades, overall sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise is gradually decreasing near the outlet of fan tip, while it is firstly decreasing and then increasing before decreasing again 1 meter away from the central axis of the impeller along the outlet. When fan blade number is 11, overall sound pressure level of the aerodynamic noise is the greatest.


Author(s):  
S. S. Borges ◽  
R. Barbieri ◽  
P. S. B. Zdanski

The objective of this work is to present, by means of experimental, analytical and numerical techniques that sound pressure level generated by radial-bladed centrifugal fans of electric motor cooling systems may be expressed by a logarithmical ratio of the peripheral velocity of rotor, volumetric flow and efficiency of the fan. The proposed methodology proved to be efficient and simple in the prediction of generated noise by radial-bladed centrifugal fans of TEFC motors with accuracy of ± 3 dB. In addition, the acoustic resonance mode of the fan cavity were determined by means of numerical simulations, which its results were validated through experiments using waterfall spectrum.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1475472X2097838
Author(s):  
CK Sumesh ◽  
TJS Jothi

This paper investigates the noise emissions from NACA 6412 asymmetric airfoil with different perforated extension plates at the trailing edge. The length of the extension plate is 10 mm, and the pore diameters ( D) considered for the study are in the range of 0.689 to 1.665 mm. The experiments are carried out in the flow velocity ( U∞) range of 20 to 45 m/s, and geometric angles of attack ( αg) values of −10° to +10°. Perforated extensions have an overwhelming response in reducing the low frequency noise (<1.5 kHz), and a reduction of up to 6 dB is observed with an increase in the pore diameter. Contrastingly, the higher frequency noise (>4 kHz) is observed to increase with an increase in the pore diameter. The dominant reduction in the low frequency noise for perforated model airfoils is within the Strouhal number (based on the displacement thickness) of 0.11. The overall sound pressure levels of perforated model airfoils are observed to reduce by a maximum of 2 dB compared to the base airfoil. Finally, by varying the geometric angle of attack from −10° to +10°, the lower frequency noise is seen to increase, while the high frequency noise is observed to decrease.


Author(s):  
Xiaowei Hao ◽  
Zhigang Yang ◽  
Qiliang Li

With the development of new energy and intelligent vehicles, aerodynamic noise problem of pure electric vehicles at high speed has become increasingly prominent. The characteristics of the flow field and aerodynamic noise of the rearview mirror region were investigated by large eddy simulation, acoustic perturbation equations and reduction order analysis. By comparing the pressure coefficients of the coarse, medium and dense grids with wind tunnel test results, the pressure distribution, and numerical accuracy of the medium grid on the body are clarified. It is shown from the flow field proper orthogonal decomposition of the mid-section that the sum of the energy of the first three modes accounts for more than 16%. Based on spectral proper orthogonal decomposition, the peak frequencies of the first-order mode are 19 and 97 Hz. As for the turbulent pressure of side window, the first mode accounts for approximately 11.3% of the total energy, and its peak appears at 39 and 117 Hz. While the first mode of sound pressure accounts for about 41.7%, and the energy peaks occur at 410 and 546 Hz. Compared with traditional vehicle, less total turbulent pressure level and total sound pressure level are found at current electric vehicle because of the limited interaction between the rearview mirror and A-pillar.


2012 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 206-213
Author(s):  
DANG-GUO YANG ◽  
JIAN-QIANG LI ◽  
ZHAO-LIN FAN ◽  
XIN-FU LUO

An experimental study was conducted in a 0.6m by 0.6m wind-tunnel to analyze effects of boundary-layer thickness on unsteady flow characteristics inside a rectangular open cavity at subsonic and transonic speeds. The sound pressure level (SPL) distributions at the centerline of the cavity floor and Sound pressure frequency spectrum (SPFS) characteristics on some measurement positions presented herein was obtained with cavity length-to-depth ratio (L/D) of 8 over Mach numbers (Ma) of 0.6 and 1.2 at a Reynolds numbers (Re) of 1.23 × 107 and 2.02 × 107 per meter under different boundary-layer thickness to cavity-depth ratios (δ/D). The experimental angle of attack, yawing and rolling angles were 0°. The results indicate that decrease in δ/D leads to severe flow separation and unsteady pressure fluctuation, which induces increase in SPL at same measurement points inside the cavity at Ma of 0.6. At Ma of 1.2, decrease in δ/D results in enhancing compressible waves. Generally, decrease in δ/D induces more flow self-sustained oscillation frequencies. It also makes severer aerodynamic noise inside the open cavity.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zonghan Sun ◽  
Jie Tian ◽  
Grzegorz Liśkiewicz ◽  
Zhaohui Du ◽  
Hua Ouyang

Abstract A noise reduction method for axial flow fans using a short inlet duct is proposed. The pattern of noise reduction imposed by the short inlet duct on the axial flow cooling fan under variable working conditions was experimentally and numerically examined. A 2-cm inlet duct was found to reduce tonal noise. As the tip Mach number of the fan increased from 0.049 to 0.156, the reduction in the total average sound pressure level at 1 m from the fan increased from 0.8 dB(A) to 4.3 dB(A), and further achieved 4.8 dB(A) when a 1-cm inlet duct was used. The steady computational fluid dynamics (CFD) showed that the inlet duct has little effect on the aerodynamic performance of the fan. The results of the full passage unsteady calculation at the maximum flow rate showed that the duct has a significant influence on the suction vortexes caused by the inlet flow non-uniformity. The suction vortexes move upstream to weaken the interaction with the rotor blades, which significantly reduces the pulsating pressure on the blades. The sound pressure level (SPL) at the blade passing frequency (BPF) contributed by the thrust force was calculated to reduce by 36 dB at a 135° observer angle, reflecting the rectification effect of the duct on the non-uniform inlet flow and the improvement in characteristics of the noise source. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of the static pressure field on the blades verified that the main spatial mode is more uniformly distributed due to the duct, and energy owing to the rotor-inlet interaction decreases. A speed regulation strategy for the cooling fan with short inlet duct is proposed, which provides guidance for the application of this noise reduction method.


Author(s):  
Menghao Wang ◽  
Xiaomin Liu

Airfoil is the basic element of fluid machinery and aircraft, and the noise generated from that is an important research aspect. Aiming to reduce the aerodynamic noise around the airfoil, this study proposes an airfoil inspired by the long-eared owl wing and another airfoil coupled with the bionic airfoil profile, leading edge waves, and trailing edge serrations. Numerical simulations dependent on the large eddy simulation method coupled with the wall-adapting local eddy-viscosity model and the Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings equation are conducted to compare the aerodynamic and acoustic characteristics of two types of bionic airfoils at low Reynolds number condition. The simulations reveal the dipole characteristic of acoustic source and sound pressure level distribution at various frequencies. Two types of bionic airfoils show lower noise compared with the conventional NACA 0012 airfoil with a similar relative thickness of 12%. Compared with the bionic airfoil, the average value of sound pressure level at the monitoring points around the bionic coupling airfoil is decreased by 9.94 dB, meanwhile the lift-to-drag ratio also keep higher. The bionic coupling airfoil exerts a suppression of sound pressure fluctuation on the airfoil surfaces, which result from that the range and size of separation vortices are reduced and the distance between vortices and airfoil surface are increased. The tube-shaped vortices in the wake of airfoil are effectively restrained and split into small scale vortices, which are important to cause less aerodynamic noise around the bionic coupling airfoil. Consequently, a novel bionic coupling airfoil is developed with the excellent aerodynamic and acoustic performance.


Author(s):  
Taku Iwase ◽  
Hideshi Obara ◽  
Hiroyasu Yoneyama ◽  
Yoshinobu Yamade ◽  
Chisachi Kato

Flow fields in a centrifugal fan for an indoor unit of an air-conditioner were calculated with finite element method-based large eddy simulation (LES) with the aim of predicting fan performance and aerodynamic noise in this study. The numerical simulation code employed throughout the LES was called FrontFlow/blue (FFB). We compared 10M grid [coarse grid] and 60M grid [fine grid] calculation results for investigation of influence of grid resolution. In the fine grid, the number of grid elements in blade-to-blade direction, and of region between the shroud and the bell mouth increased in particular. By calculating with the fine grid, calculated distributions of absolute velocities at blade exit reasonably agreed with experimental results. Because of this, maximum absolute velocity by fine grid near hub decreased as compared to those by coarse grid. Calculated sound pressure level by fine grid was therefore smaller than that by coarse grid, and the overestimation of sound pressure was suppressed by calculating with fine grid. This decrease of the absolute velocity was a first factor for the improvement of calculation accuracy. Moreover, number of captured streaks on the blade, hub, and shroud surfaces by fine grid increased as compared to those by coarse grid. As a result, size of streak by fine grid became smaller than that by coarse grid. Static pressure fluctuations by fine grid on the blade, hub, and shroud surfaces therefore reduced as compared to those by coarse grid. Aerodynamic noise was related to static pressure fluctuations according to Curle’s equation. This reduction of static pressure fluctuations was therefore a second factor for improvement of calculation accuracy.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012.65 (0) ◽  
pp. 67-68
Author(s):  
Masatomo Shiotuki ◽  
Taro Nakamura ◽  
Hiromitsu Hamakawa ◽  
Eru Kurihara

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