Numerical Model for the Unsteady Flow Features of a Squirrel Cage Fan

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Ballesteros-Tajadura ◽  
Francisco Israel Guerras Colo´n ◽  
Sandra Velarde-Sua´rez ◽  
Jesu´s Manuel Ferna´ndez Oro ◽  
Katia Mari´a Argu¨elles Di´az ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Centrifugal Fan ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Squirrel Cage ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Separation Zones

This paper shows a numerical research on the unsteady flow field inside a squirrel cage fan. The studied features are both the instantaneous flow fields and the average fluid flow associated to the blade passage frequency. The squirrel cage fan studied is a small centrifugal fan with a twin impeller configuration, each with 23 forward curved blades. The blades chord is 0.013 m and each impeller has a diameter of 0.08 m and a width of 0.094 m. The impellers operate inside an external spiral casing with a rectangular exit, followed by the outlet duct. A first series of experimental tests were performed in order to characterize the unit. The performance curves (head, power and efficiency versus flow rate) were measured. These tests show a nominal flow rate at around 0.098 m3/s and a specific speed ωs = 1.9. From there on, three different flow rates were considered to study different flow behaviours in the impeller. In parallel with the mentioned experimental study, the unsteady 3D flow field inside the fan equipped with the same impeller was modelled for the referred flow rates, by means of the commercial CFD code FLUENT. To facilitate the modification of any geometrical feature, the mesh of the modelled fan was divided in several regions: inlet duct, impeller, volute and diffuser with outlet duct. The main goal of the paper is to show the numerical results obtained on the absolute and relative frames. Three main flow features will be analysed: the inlet flow distribution, the blade to blade field and the impeller exit flow. At the fan inlet, special care will be taken to detect possible recirculation or separation zones. On the other hand, and for each studied flow rate, the distribution of outlet flow field is also analysed. Conclusions on flow uniformity are drawn.

Flow Analysis and Deterministic Decoupling in a Squirrel Cage Fan

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesu´s Manuel Ferna´ndez Oro ◽  
Sandra Velarde-Sua´rez ◽  
Israel Guerras Colo´n ◽  
Katia M. Argu¨elles Di´az ◽  
Jose´ Gonza´lez
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Internal Flow ◽  
Centrifugal Fan ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Operating Modes ◽  
Operation Conditions ◽  
Squirrel Cage ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Working Parameters

Squirrel cage fans are often used as blowers for automobile applications or for small industrial equipment. The flow in this kind of fans happens to be quite complex and with unsteady features, that makes it quite difficult to be studied. In particular, unsteady flow separation at the machine inlet or at the impeller blades and a variety of flow induced vibrations is found for most of the operation conditions. The deterministic stress analysis becomes an interesting tool in analyzing the main flow features from an existing numerical model. In this paper, the analysis of the internal flow and the periodic phenomena resulting from a deterministic study is intended. To accomplish this goal, a series of numerical routines were performed for different flow rates, including also failing operating modes of the fans (blocked inlets as a typical problem for this type of arrangements). The squirrel cage fan studied is a small centrifugal fan with a twin impeller configuration, each with 23 forward curved blades. The blades chord is 0.013 m and each impeller has a diameter of 0.08 m and a width of 0.09 m. The performance curves (head, power and efficiency versus flow rate) was obtained numerically in previous works and confirmed experimentally in normalized test campaigns. These tests have shown a nominal flow rate at around 352 m3/h and a specific speed ns = 1.9. The main goal of the paper consists on the evaluation of the non-uniformities induced by the volute tongue over the blade to blade distributions within the impeller. As a consequence, fluctuation levels in the blade loadings, derived from deterministic non-uniformities can be provided in the relative frame of reference. The practical applications of the conclusions do imply a progress in the knowledge of the working parameters for machines that affect in a direct way to the passengers comfort.

Experimental Investigation of Air Flow Through a Perforated Tile in a Raised Floor Data Center

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vaibhav K. Arghode ◽  
Yogendra Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Cold Air ◽  
Air Jet ◽  
Image Velocimetry ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Staggered Arrangement

Raised floor data centers supply cold air from a pressurized plenum to the server racks through perforated floor tiles. Hence, the design of an efficient air delivery scheme requires better understanding of the flow features, through and above the perforated tiles. Different tiles with circular pores in a staggered arrangement and with the same thickness are considered. Tile sheet porosities of 23% and 40%, air flow rates of 0.56 m3/s (1177 CFM) and 0.83 m3/s (1766 CFM), and pore sizes of 3.18 mm (1/8 in.) and 6.35 mm (1/4 in.) are investigated. Tiles with 38.1 mm (1.5 in.) region blocked along the edges is compared to the base case with 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) blocked edges. Width reduced to 0.46 m (1.5 ft) from standard width of 0.61 m (2 ft) is also examined. Reduced tile width is used to simulate 0.91 m (3 ft) cold aisle instead of standard 1.22 m (4 ft) cold aisle, with potential to save floor space. A case where the rack is recessed by 76.2 mm (3 in.) from the tile edge is also included in the investigation, as there is a possibility of having racks nonadjacent to the tile edges. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique is used to characterize the flow field emerging from a perforated tile and entering the adjacent rack. Experiments suggest that lower tile porosity significantly increases cold air bypass from the top, possibly due to higher air jet momentum above the tile, as compared to a tile with higher porosity. For the air flow rates investigated here, the flow field was nearly identical and influence of flow rate was nondistinguishable. The influence of pore size was non-negligible, even when the porosity and flow rate for the two cases were same. Larger blockage of the tile edges resulted in higher cold air bypass from the top. Reduction in the tile width showed improved air delivery to the rack with considerably reduced cold air bypass. Recessing the rack did not affect the flow field significantly.

Study of the Flow Field and Performances of a Centrifugal Pump During Unstable Operating Conditions by CFD

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romain Prunières ◽  
Neo Imai ◽  
Yasuhiro Inoue ◽  
Takashi Okihara ◽  
Takahide Nagahara
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Performance Curve ◽  
Centrifugal Pumps ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Local Dent

Centrifugal pumps curve instability, characterized by a local dent and uprising head curve, often causes severe problems such as vibrations and noises. At low flow rates, stability of performance curve is necessary for reliable operation of the pump. Most of the studies regarding centrifugal pumps curves instability focus on flow rate around 60 % of the best efficiency flow rate. The purpose of present investigation is to analyse the causes of the occurrence of performance curve instability by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and to understand the mechanism of such instability at flow rates around 30 % of best efficiency flow rate. In order to understand the causes of the performance curve instability, two impellers with different outlet shape are analysed. During experimental tests, performance curve instability appeared around 30 % of the best efficiency flow rate on the first impeller while the second impeller remains stable. CFD analysis also shows unstable performance curve for the first impeller, and stable for the second one. Hence, a detailed analysis of the flow field of the two impellers and a quantitative comparison are performed in order to characterize the instability phenomenon.

scholarly journals Laser-Doppler Velocimetry Measurements Inside a Backward Curved Centrifugal Fan

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-181
Author(s):  
Tong-Miin Liou ◽  
Meng-Yu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Turbulence Intensity ◽  
Laser Doppler Velocimetry ◽  
Reverse Flow ◽  
Flow Region ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Laser Doppler ◽  
Centrifugal Fan ◽  
Doppler Velocimetry ◽  
Flow Rates

Laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements are presented of relative mean velocity and turbulence intensity components inside the impeller passage of a centrifugal fan with twelve backward curved blades at design, under-design, and over-design flow rates. Additional LDV measurements were also performed at the volute outlet to examine the uniformity of the outlet flow for the three selected flow rates. Complementary flow visualization results in the tongue region are further presented. It is found that the number of characteristic flow regions and the average turbulence level increase with decreasing air flow rate. For the case of under-design flow rate, there are a through-flow region on the suction side, a reverse flow region on the pressure side, and a shear layer region in between. The corresponding average turbulence intensity is as high as 9.1% of blade tip velocity.

The Application of PIV in the Study of Impeller-Diffuser Interaction in Centrifugal Fan: Part I — Impeller-Vaneless Diffuser Interaction

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek Mekhail ◽  
Zhang Li ◽  
Du Zhaohui ◽  
Willem Jansen ◽  
Chen Hanping
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Maximum Flow ◽  
Image Processing Technique ◽  
High Speed Photography ◽  
Centrifugal Fan ◽  
Performance Measurements ◽  
Vaneless Diffuser ◽  
Unstable Flow

Abstract The PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) technology is a brand-new technique of measuring velocity. It started in the 1980’s with the development of high-speed photography and the image processing technique of computers. This article deals with PIV applied to the study of unsteady impeller-vaneless diffuser interaction in centrifugal fen. Experiments were carried out at The Turbomachinery Laboratory of Shanghai Jiaotong University. The test rig consists of a centrifugal, shrouded impeller, diffuser and volute casing all made of plexiglass. A series of performance measurements were carried out at different speeds and different vaneless diffuser widths. PIV measurements were applied to measure the unsteady flow at the exit part of the impeller and the inlet part of the diffuser for the case of the same width vaneless diffuser. The absolute flow field is measured at medium flow rate and at maximum flow rate. It is informative to capture the whole flow field at the same instant of time, and it might be more revealing to observe the unstable flow in real time.

Effects of Inlet Mass Flow Distribution and Magnitude on Reactant Distribution for PEM Fuel Cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. McGarry ◽  
L. Grega
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Flow Separation ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Local Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Large Active Area ◽  
Mass Flow Rates

The mass flow distribution and local flow structures that lead to areas of reactant starvation are explored for a small power large active area PEM fuel cell. A numerical model was created to examine the flow distribution for three different inlet profiles; blunt, partially developed, and fully developed. The different inlet profiles represent the various distances between the blower and the inlet to the fuel cell and the state of flow development. The partially and fully developed inlet profiles were found to have the largest percentage of cells that are deficient, 20% at a flow rate of 6.05 g/s. Three different inlet mass flow rates (stoichs) were also examined for each inlet profile. The largest percent of cells deficient in reactants is 27% and occurs at the highest flow rate of 9.1 g/s (3 stoichs) for the partially and fully developed turbulent profiles. In addition to the uneven flow distribution, flow separation occurs in the front four channels for the blunt inlet profile at all flow rates examined. These areas of flow separation lead to localized reactant deficient areas within a channel.

Numerical Simulation of the Unsteady Flow Patterns in a Small Squirrel-Cage Fan

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Velarde-Sua´rez ◽  
Rafael Ballesteros-Tajadura ◽  
Jose´ Gonza´lez-Pe´rez ◽  
Bruno Pereiras-Garci´a
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Air Conditioning ◽  
Flow Distribution ◽  
Geometrical Model ◽  
Squirrel Cage ◽  
Automotive Air Conditioning ◽  
Commercial Code ◽  
Performance Curves ◽  
Flow Features ◽  
Good Agreement

In this work, a numerical simulation on the main flow features in a squirrel-cage fan, used in automotive air conditioning units, has been carried out. A 3D unsteady model has been developed for the entire machine. The flow in this geometrical model has been solved using the commercial code FLUENT®. Some of the analyzed features are the performance curves, the flow distribution over the different aspiration sections, the pressure and velocity distributions in selected surfaces, and the forces on the blades and on the whole impeller. The numerical results have been compared with the available experimental data, showing a reasonable good agreement.

Unsteady Turbine Rim Sealing and Vane Trailing Edge Flow Effects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iván Monge-Concepción ◽  
Shawn Siroka ◽  
Reid A. Berdanier ◽  
Michael D. Barringer ◽  
Karen A. Thole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Unsteady Flow ◽  
Rotational Speed ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Trailing Edge ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Large Scale Structures ◽  
Purge Flow ◽  
Scale Structures

Abstract Hot gas ingestion into the turbine rim seal cavity is an important concern for engine designers. To prevent ingestion, rim seals use high pressure purge flow but excessive use of the purge flow decreases engine thermal efficiency. A single stage test turbine operating at engine-relevant conditions with real engine hardware was used to study time-resolved pressures in the rim seal cavity across a range of sealing purge flow rates. Vane trailing edge (VTE) flow, shown previously to be ingested into the rim seal cavity, was also included to understand its effect on the unsteady flow field. Measurements from high-frequency response pressure sensors in the rim seal and vane platform were used to determine rotational speed and quantity of large-scale structures (cells). In a parallel effort, a computational model using Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) was applied to determine swirl ratio in the rim seal cavity and time-resolved rim sealing effectiveness. The experimental results confirm that at low purge flow rates, the VTE flow influences the unsteady flow field by decreasing pressure unsteadiness in the rim seal cavity. Results show an increase in purge flow increases the number of unsteady large-scale structures in the rim seal and decreases their rotational speed. However, VTE flow was shown to not significantly change the cell speed and count in the rim seal. Simulations point to the importance of the large-scale cell structures in influencing rim sealing unsteadiness, which is not captured in current rim sealing predictive models.

scholarly journals Influence of mineralization and injection flow rate on flow patterns in three-dimensional porous media

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (27) ◽  
pp. 14605-14611 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Moosavi ◽  
A. Kumar ◽  
A. De Wit ◽  
M. Schröter
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Flow Field ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Flow Patterns ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Flow Rates ◽  
Injection Flow Rate ◽  
Injection Flow

At low flow rates, the precipitate forming at the miscible interface between two reactive solutions guides the evolution of the flow field.

scholarly journals Investigation of the Flow Field in the Vicinity of an Axial Flow Fan During Low Flow Rates

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francois G. Louw ◽  
Theodor W. von Backström ◽  
Sybrand J. van der Spuy
Keyword(s):  
Flow Field ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Axial Flow ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Design Flow ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Axial Flow Fan ◽  
Free Vortex ◽  
Flow Rates

Large axial flow fans are used in forced draft air cooled heat exchangers (ACHEs). Previous studies have shown that adverse operating conditions cause certain sectors of the fan, or the fan as a whole to operate at very low flow rates, thereby reducing the cooling effectiveness of the ACHE. The present study is directed towards the experimental and numerical analyses of the flow in the vicinity of an axial flow fan during low flow rates. This is done to obtain the global flow structure up and downstream of the fan. A near-free-vortex fan, designed for specific application in ACHEs, is used for the investigation. Experimental fan testing was conducted in a British Standard 848, type A fan test facility, to obtain the fan characteristic. Both steady-state and time-dependent numerical simulations were performed, depending on the operating condition of the fan, using the Realizable k-ε turbulence model. Good agreement is found between the numerically and experimentally obtained fan characteristic data. Using data from the numerical simulations, the time and circumferentially averaged flow field is presented. At the design flow rate the downstream fan jet mainly moves in the axial and tangential direction, as expected for a free-vortex design criteria, with a small amount of radial flow that can be observed. As the flow rate through the fan is decreased, it is evident that the down-stream fan jet gradually shifts more diagonally outwards, and the region where reverse flow occur between the fan jet and the fan rotational axis increases. At very low flow rates the flow close to the tip reverses through the fan, producing a small recirculation zone as well as swirl at certain locations upstream of the fan.

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