NON-FREE VORTEX FLOW EFFECTS IN AN AXIAL FLOW ROTOR

Authors

  • János Vad
  • Ferenc Bencze
  • Alessandro Corsini
  • Franco Rispoli

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis of three-dimensional flow field developing through an industrial axial flow fan rotor of non-free vortex design carried out on the basis of concerted experimental and numerical investigations. The paper focuses on non-free vortex flow effects requiring consideration in rotor blade design theories. The distortion of stream surfaces through the blading has been observed and a quantitative analysis of its effects on the blade loading condition has been carried out in the through-flow core region. The streamlines close to the blades have been modelled fitting to outward and inward conical stream tubes on the blade suction and pressure sides, respectively - termed `cone couple model´. It has been pointed out that the blade lift can be satisfactorily described at midspan on the basis of the cone couple model, with use of pitch-averaged flow data. The loading aspects of the tested axial rotor have been discussed on the basis of both the pressure distribution in the vicinity of the blades and pitch-averaged flow data obtained upstream and downstream of the rotor. Sample calculations suggested that separate optimisation of the blade suction and pressure sides is essential if the three-dimensional blade-to-blade flow is intended to be considered in NFV fan design with use of two-dimensional cascade data.

Keywords:

axial flow fans, laser Doppler anemometry, computational fluid dynamics, non-free, vortex design, turbomachinery design aspects

Citation data from Crossref and Scopus

How to Cite

Vad, J., Bencze, F., Corsini, A., Rispoli, F. “NON-FREE VORTEX FLOW EFFECTS IN AN AXIAL FLOW ROTOR”, Periodica Polytechnica Mechanical Engineering, 45(2), pp. 201–216, 2001.

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