Understanding the aerodynamics of the fan blade tip (original) (raw)
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Experimental investigation of tip-leakage flow in an axial flow fan at various flow rates
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 2019
Casing pressure measurements and Stereoscopic Particle-Image Velocimetry (SPIV) measurements are used together to characterize the behavior of the rotor tip leakage flow at both the design and near-stall conditions in a low-speed multistage axial compressor. A three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver is also performed for the multistage compressor and the prediction of tip leakage flow is compared with SPIV data and casing dynamic static pressure data. During the experiment 10 high-frequency Kulite transducers are mounted in the outer casing of the rotor 3 to investigate the complex flow near the compressor casing and Fourier analyses of the dynamic static pressure on the casing of the rotor 3 are carried out to investigate the tip leakage flow characteristics. At the same time, the two CCD cameras are arranged at the same side of the laser light sheet, which is suitable for investigating unsteady tip leakage flow in the multistage axial compressor. The SPIV measurements identify that the tip leakage flow exists in the rotor passage. The influence of tip leakage flow leads to the existence of low axial velocity region in the rotor passage and the alternating regions of positive and negative radial velocity indicates the emergence of tip leakage vortex (TLV). The trajectory of the tip leakage vortex moves from the suction surface toward the pressure surface of adjacent blade, which is aligned close to the rotor at the design point (DP). However, the tip leakage vortex becomes unstable and breaks down at the near-stall point (NS), making the vortex trajectory move upstream in the rotor passage and causing a large blockage in the middle of the passage.
Development of a Tip Leakage Control Device for an Axial Flow Fan
Volume 6: Turbomachinery, Parts A, B, and C, 2008
Performance of an axial fan unit used in ducted fan based propulsion systems is closely related to its tip leakage mass flow rate and the level of tip/casing interactions. The present experimental study uses a stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimeter to quantify the three dimensional mean flow observed at just downstream of a ducted fan unit. After a comprehensive description of the baseline fan exit flow, a number of novel tip treatments based on pressure side extensions are introduced. Various tip leakage mitigation schemes are introduced by varying the chordwise location and the width of the extension in the circumferential direction. The current study shows that a proper selection of the pressure side bump location and width are the two critical parameters influencing the success of each tip leakage mitigation approach. Significant gains in axial mean velocity component are observed when a proper pressure side tip extension is used. It is also observed that a proper tip leakage mitigation scheme significantly reduces the tangential velocity component near the tip of the axial fan blade. Reduced tip clearance interactions are essential in improving the energy efficiency of ducted fan systems. A reduction or elimination of the momentum deficit in tip vortices are also expected to reduce the adverse performance effects originating from the unsteady and highly turbulent tip leakage vortical flows rotating against a stationary casing.
Efficiency of an axial fan unit used in ducted fan based propulsion systems is closely related to its tip leakage mass flow rate and the level of tip/casing interactions. The present experimental study uses a stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimeter to quantify the three dimensional mean flow observed at just downstream of a ducted fan unit. After a comprehensive description of the tip leakage influenced fan exit flow, a number of tip treatments based on pressure side extensions are introduced. Various tip leakage mitigation schemes are introduced by varying the chordwise location and the width of the extension in the circumferential direction. The current study shows that a proper selection of the pressure side bump location and width are the two critical parameters influencing the success of tip leakage mitigation. Significant gains in axial mean velocity component are observed when a proper pressure side tip extension is used. It is also observed that a proper tip leakage mitigati...
The Effect of Tip End-Blade Geometry on the Axial Fans Performance
A numerical study is carried out to investigate the effect of the addition of winglet to the end of blade on the axial fan performance. Validation and assessment of the used computer program FLUENT 6.2, is carried out by comparing its result with previous researcher. Simulation is then carried out to analyze the flow pattern with and without a winglet attached to the fan blade. Velocity distribution produced numerically showed that the winglet suppresses the secondary flow at the tip gap. Pressure distributions also confirmed the winglet advantages. Calculated performance of the fan used showed general increase of the fan efficiency with 3.5% above those without winglet at the optimum efficiency point and with up to 6 % at off design point.. 1. INTRODUCTION Fans demand minimum gaps in order to facilitate operation, this gap tip clearance flow is known to have detrimental effects on the axial fans performance. The static pressure difference between the suction and the pressure side o...
The Impact of Realistic Casing Geometries and Clearances on Fan Blade Tip Aerodynamics
Journal of Turbomachinery
During engine operation, fan casing abradable liners are worn by the blade tip, resulting in the formation of trenches. This paper describes the influence of these trenches on the fan blade tip aerodynamics. A detailed understanding of the fan tip flow features for cropped and trenched clearances is first developed. A parametric model is then used to model trenches in the casing above the blade tip and varying blade tip positions. It is shown that increasing clearance via a trench reduces performance by less than increasing clearance through cropping the blade tip. A response surface method is then used to generate a model that can predict fan efficiency for a given set of clearance and trench parameters. This model can be used to influence fan blade design and understand engine performance degradation in service. It is shown that an efficiency benefit can be achieved by increasing the amount of tip rubbing, leading to a greater portion of the tip clearance sat within the trench. It...
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, 2020
In this study, a numerical analysis was conducted to investigate the effect of the tip clearance on the aerodynamic performance, internal flow characteristics, and stall region characteristics of an axial fan. Three-dimensional steady and unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) calculations were conducted with a shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model. Tip clearance ratios of 0, 0.01, and 0.02 were applied to the impeller. As the tip clearance ratio increased, the aerodynamic performance of the axial fan decreased at both the design and the off-design conditions. The correlation between the tip leakage vortex (TLV) and the flow angle of the velocity triangle was presented for the difference in the tip clearance and flow rate. As the flow rate increased, the differences in the aerodynamic performance induced by the tip clearance ratio decreased. As the tip clearance ratio increased, the size of the TLV increased and gradually moved in the circumferential direction to interfere with the main flow at the low flow rate. Meanwhile, the size of the TLV was similar and gradually moved in the axial direction even if the tip clearance ratio increased at the high flow rate. The pressure fluctuations were observed by the fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analysis to compare and analyze internal flow characteristics at the stall region and design point. The static pressure was converted to the appropriate magnitude. The locations of the highest magnitude were shown to be different at the stall region and the design point, respectively.
Compressor is a dynamic machine with complicated 3d aerodynamics. Dynamics creates an uncertain environment and induces the flow with instabilities, resulting in reduced performance. Motion being circumferential, flow is also subjected to rotational accelerations. Added to these complications are the tip gap and related vortex aerodynamics in the tip region, which also influence the passage flow of the rotor and thus complicates the flow field. The result of these implications is the generation of the turbulence in the flow field. Turbulence is a fluctuating characteristic of the flow, which extracts its energy from the mean flow field. Energy consumed by the turbulent nature of flow is a waste. Therefore it is very much important to understand about the influence of the turbulence and related kinetic energy compressor aerodynamics. In this paper work is presented to understand about the turbulence under such varying geometry conditions of flow, as well as blade. Results of nature of the turbulence and its growth are discussed for varying mass flow rates and different tip gaps of acceptable range.
The Role of Tip Clearance in High-Speed Fan Stall
Volume 1: Turbomachinery, 1991
A numerical experiment has been carried out to define the near stall casing endwall flow field of a high-speed fan rotor. The experiment used a simulation code incorporating a simple clearance model, whose calibration is presented. The results of the simulation show that the interaction of the tip leakage vortex and the in-passage shock plays a major role in determining the fan flow range. More specifically, the computations imply that it is the area increase of this vortex as it passes through the in-passage shock, which is the source of the blockage associated with stall. In addition, for fans of this type, it is the clearance over the forward portion of the fan blade which controls the flow processes leading to stall.
Effect of a casing fence on the tip-leakage flow of an axial flow fan
International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 2019
The effect of a casing fence on the tip-leakage flow of an axial flow fan is investigated using large eddy simulation. A fence is attached on the shroud near the trailing edge of an axial flow fan used in an outdoor unit of air conditioner. The Reynolds number is 547,000 based on the blade tip radius and tip velocity. At the design condition, the fan efficiency is increased by the casing fence. The roles of the fence are to block backward leakage flows near the shroud and to weaken the movement of the tip-leakage vortex (TLV) in the azimuthal direction. Also, the fence reduces the double-leakage tip-clearance flow generated at the aft part of the blade tip due to the TLV-blade interaction, reducing the strength of the tip-separation vortex. Consequently, the tip leakage and total pressure losses are reduced, and the efficiency is increased. The pressure fluctuations on the aft part of the blade tip of the pressure surface caused by the TLV-blade interaction are also significantly reduced by the fence, indicating reduction of the noise source. According to the interaction between the fence and backward leakage flow induced by the TLV, the fence significantly and slightly increases the aerodynamic performances at the design and peak efficiency conditions, respectively, but reduces them at an overflow condition.