This paper presents an analysis on the air flows in a single stage centrifugal fan with a vaneless diffuser and peripheral louver outlets. The performance data of the fan are obtained experimentally. A numerical fluid flow model is developed. The agreements between the numerical and experimental results are reasonably good. The performances of the fan under various working conditions are explained by the flow structures and pressure distributions. Flow energy analysis shows that the major energy losses in the fan are the impeller loss, the diffuser loss, and the gap leakage loss. Suggestions on the design and application of fans with such architecture are given.
Issue Section:
Flows in Complex Systems
References
1.
Wake
, D.
, Gray
, R.
, and Brown
, R.
, 1991, “Assessment on Industrial Vacuum Cleaners of Both Wet and Dry Types for Use in Potteries
,” Ann. Occup. Hyg.
, 35
(2
), pp. 201
–221
.2.
Wright
, T.
, 1984, “Centrifugal Fan Performance With Inlet Clearance
,” ASME J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power
, 106
(4
), pp. 906
–912
.3.
Nakayama
, Y.
, Aoki
, K.
, Yamamoto
, T.
, and Ohta
, H.
, 1985, “Measurement of Relative Velocity Distribution in Centrifugal Blower Impeller
,” Bull. JSME
, 28
(243
), pp. 1978
–1985
.4.
Yu
, Z.
, Li
, S.
, He
, W.
, Wang
, W.
, Huang
, D.
, and Zhu
, Z.
, 2005, “Numerical Simulation of Flow Field for a Whole Centrifugal Fan and Analysis of the Effects of Blade Inlet Angle and Impeller Gap
,” HVAC&R Res.
, 11
(2
) pp. 263
–283
.5.
Cao
, R.
, and Kang
, S. H.
, 2000, “Computational Investigation on Flow Field and Performance of Centrifugal Airfoil Fan With Radial Clearance at Impeller Inlet
,” Eur. J. Mech. Environ. Eng.
, 45
(2
), pp. 73
–78
.6.
Cau
, G.
, Mandas
, N.
, Manfrida
, N.
, and Nurzia
, F.
, 1987, “Measurements of Primary and Secondary Flows in an Industrial Forward-Curved Centrifugal Fan
,” ASME J. Fluids Eng.
, 109
(4
), pp. 353
–358
.7.
Zhang
, M.
, Gu
, C.
, and Miao
, Y.
, 1994, “Numerical Study of the Internal Flow Field of a Centrifugal Impeller
,” ASME Paper No. 94-GT-357.8.
Zhou
, W.
, Zhao
, Z.
, and Lee
, T. S.
, 2003, “Investigation of Flow Through Centrifugal Pump Impellers Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
,” Int. J. Rotating Mach.
, 9
(1
), pp. 49
–61
.9.
Anagnostopoulos
, J.
, 2006, “Numerical Calculation of the Flow in a Centrifugal Pump Impeller Using Cartesian Grid
,” Proc. of the 2nd WSEAS International Conference on Applied and Theoretical Mechanics
, Venice, Italy
, Nov. 20–22, pp. 124
–129
.10.
Torigoe
, M.
, Takemura
, S.
, and Sasaoka
, R.
, 1976, “High Efficiency Fan for the Electric Vacuum Cleaner
,” National Technical Report
, 22
(2
), pp. 159
–168
.11.
Blanco-Marigorta
, E.
, Fernández-Francos
, J.
, Parrondo-Gayo
, J.
, and Santolaria-Morros
, C.
, 2000, “Numerical Simulation of a Centrifugal Pump
,” ASME Paper No. FEDSM2000-11162.12.
Parrondo-Gayo
, J.
, Fernandez-Francos
, J.
, Gonzalez-Perez
, J.
, and Fernandez-Arango
, L.
, 2000, “An Experimental Study of the Unsteady Pressure Distribution Around the Impeller Outlet of a Centrifugal Pump
,” ASME Paper No. FEDSM2000-11302.13.
Kim
, J.
, Kwac
, L.
, and An
, J.
, 2004, “3-D Laser Vibration Measurement and an Analysis of the Unsteady Flow-Field and Aerodynamic Sound of Turbo Fan Motor in a Vacuum Cleaner
,” Mater. Sci. Forum
, 465–466
, pp. 259
–264
.14.
Fisher
, E.
, and Inoue
, M.
, 1981, “A Study of Diffuser/Rotor Interaction in a Centrifugal Compressor
,” J. Mech. Eng. Sci.
, 23
(3
), pp. 149
–156
.15.
Karanth
, K.
, and Sharma
, N.
, 2009, “Numerical Analysis on the Effect of Varying Number of Diffuser Vanes on Impeller-Diffuser Flow Interaction in a Centrifugal Fan
,” World J. Model. Simul.
, 5
(1
), pp. 63
–71
.16.
Sato
, T.
, Oh
, J.
, and Engeda
, A.
, 2005, “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow in a Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Compressor Stage. Part 1: Experimental Investigation
,” Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., Part C
, 219
(10
), pp. 1053
–1059
.17.
Sato
, T.
, Oh
, J. M.
, and Engeda
, A.
, 2005, “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow in a Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Compressor Stage. Part 2: Numerical Investigation
,” Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., Part C
, 219
(10
), pp. 1061
–1068
.18.
Paone
, N.
, Riethmuller
, M.
, and Braembussche
, R.
, 1989, “Experimental Investigation of the Flow in the Vaneless Diffuser of a Centrifugal Pump by Particle Image Displacement Velocimetry
,” Exp. Fluids
, 7
(6
), pp. 371
–378
.19.
Allos
, T.
, and Elder
, R.
, 1980, “Measurement of Flow Velocity in the Vaneless Diffuser of a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Using a Laser Doppler Anemometer
,” J. Mod. Opt.
, 27
(1
), pp. 119
–126
.20.
Allen
, R.
, Baldini
, N.
, and Donodrio
, P.
, 1999, “General Products, Chemical Specialties, and End User Products
,” Annual Book of ASTM Standards
, American Society for Testing and Materials
, West Conshohocken, PA
, Section 15, pp. 347
–360
.21.
Li
, H.
, 2009, “Fluid Flow Analysis of a Single-Stage Centrifugal Fan With a Ported Diffuser
,” Comput. Eng. App.
, 3
(2
), pp. 147
–163
.Copyright © 2012
by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.
