• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.396-403
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• 2018

In this paper, a high-performance and low-noise centrifugal fan is developed for cooling automotive seats which provide a driver with pleasant driving environment. First, the flow characteristics of the existing fan unit was analyzed using a fan performance tester and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations. The analysis of the predicted flow field indicated vortex flow near the tip of fan hub and stagnation flow on the top of fan hub. Two design points are devised to reduce the vortex flow and the stagnation flow observed in the existing fan unit. First, the cut-off clearance which is the minimum distance between the fan blade and the fan housing is increased to reduce the vortex strength and, as a result, to reduce the overall sound pressure level. Second, the hub shape is more modified to eliminate the stagnation flow. The validity of proposed design is confirmed through the numerical analysis. Finally, a prototype is manufactured with a basis on the numerical analysis result and its improved flow and noise performances are confirmed through the P-Q curves measured by using the Fan Tester and the SPL (Sound Pressure Level) levels measured in the anechoic chamber.