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Scaling the performance of a miniature axial flow fan

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Abstract

The performance characteristics of a miniature axial flow fan are studied computationally by solving the Navier–Stokes equations. The fan performance is evaluated in the Reynolds number range \(Re\,\upepsilon\) [10−3, 107]. It is shown that in the high Reynolds number regime the curves of flow rate coefficient ϕ versus the pressure rise coefficient ψ, flow rate coefficient ϕ versus the torque coefficient τ, and the flow rate coefficient ϕ versus the fan hydrodynamic efficiency η collapse well. In the low Reynolds number regime the pressure rise coefficient and the torque coefficient scaled by the Reynolds number lead to an excellent collapse of the performance curves. Further, from the computational results and enriched with scaling arguments, it is shown that for Re → ∞, ϕmax → 0.378, and for Re → 0, ϕmax → 0.083. The asymptotic limits for maximum pressure rise and maximum torque coefficients are also evaluated. Finally, the asymptotic limits for the maximum fan hydrodynamic efficiency η are obtained. They are: for Re → ∞, ηmax → 0.400, and for Re → 0, ηmax → 0.013. An expression for the maximum fan hydrodynamic efficiency in the entire Reynolds number range is presented which is free of Reynolds number as an explicit parameter. The results obtained in the present study will be useful in the scaling, design and testing of miniature axial flow fans.

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Abbreviations

A ref :

Reference area (m2)

c :

Absolute velocity (m/s)

C D :

Drag coefficient

C f :

Skin friction coefficient

c mid :

Blade chord length at mid-span (m)

C p :

Pressure coefficient

c θ :

Swirl velocity (m/s)

D :

Fan rotor diameter (m)

DF:

Diffusion factor

F :

Body force

Fr :

Froude number

g :

Acceleration due to gravity (m2/s)

GCI :

Grid Convergence Index

L :

Reference length (m)

N :

Fan rotational speed (rpm)

p :

Pressure (Pa)

Q :

Volumetric flow rate (m3/h)

r :

Position vector (m)

Re :

Reynolds number

s :

Blade pitch (m)

St :

Strouhal number

t :

Time (s)

T :

Torque (N m)

u :

Velocity vector (m/s)

U :

Reference velocity (m/s)

w :

Relative velocity (m/s)

x, y, z :

Cartesian coordinates

Z :

Number of blades

α :

Absolute flow angle (°)

β :

Relative flow angle (°)

η :

Hydrodynamic efficiency of fan

μ :

Fluid dynamic viscosity (kg/m s)

ν :

Fluid kinematic viscosity (m2/s)

ρ :

Fluid density (kg/m3)

τ :

Torque coefficient

τ w :

Wall shear stress (N/m2)

Φ :

Global flow rate coefficient

φ :

Local flow rate coefficient

Ψ :

Global pressure rise coefficient

ψ :

Local pressure rise coefficient

Ω :

Angular velocity (rad/s)

in :

Inlet

max :

Maximum value

mid :

Mid-span

1:

Inlet

2:

Outlet

*:

Non-dimensional quantities

′:

Modified quantities

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Acknowledgements

The work reported in this paper was performed as a part of a project funded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India, (DARO/081102072/M/I/SE-05), and by the Department of Science and Technology, India, (SR/I3/EC-01/2009-MSRSAS-B(G) and B(C)), which is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, 560 058, India

    Soumyashree A Hiremath, M Sivapragasam, S Umesh & M D Deshpande

Authors
  1. Soumyashree A Hiremath
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  2. M Sivapragasam
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  3. S Umesh
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  4. M D Deshpande
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M Sivapragasam.

Additional information

M D Deshpande: Formerly, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore, 560 058, India.

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Hiremath, S.A., Sivapragasam, M., Umesh, S. et al. Scaling the performance of a miniature axial flow fan. Sādhanā 48, 142 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-023-02204-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12046-023-02204-1

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