• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.114-123
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• 2000

The flow structure around a rotating axial-fan was experimentally investigated using a phase averaging velocity field measurement technique. The fan blades were divided into 4 different phases, for which 500 velocity fields were acquired for each phase angle with a 2-frame PTV system. Velocity field measurements were also carried out at two planes parallel to the axis of rotation, with offsets toward the radial direction of the fan. For accurate synchronization of the PTV system with the phase of the axial fan, two synchronization circuits were employed with a photo-detector attached to the rotating shaft. The phase averaged velocity fields show periodic variations with respect to the blade phase. The periodic formation of vortices at the blade tip is also observed in vorticity contour plots. Locations of local maximum turbulence intensities in the axial and radial directions are found to be located in an alternating pattern. These experimental results can be used to validate numerical calculations and to understand the flow characteristics of an axial fan.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.9 no.6 s.39
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• pp.9-16
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• 2006

Performance characteristics of an axial flow fan having distorted inlet flow have been investigated using numerical analysis as well as experiment. Two kinds of hub-cap, rounded and right-angled front shape, are tested to investigate the effect of inlet flow distortion on the fan performance. Numerical solutions are validated in comparison with experimental data measured by a five-hole probe downstream of the fan rotor. It is found from the numerical results that non-uniform axial inlet velocity profile near the hub results in the change of inlet flow angle. Large recirculation flow upstream the fan rotor for the right-angled hub-cap induces a negative incidence, thus invokes separated flow on the blade surfaces and deteriorates the performance of fan rotor.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.30-35
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• 2010

The aerodynamic performance of axial flow fans for outdoor unit of air-conditioner is investigated by numerical and experimental approaches in this study. The pressure drop and volumetric flow rate are compared each other in several different conditions and fan speeds. It is shown that the predicted fan performances are quite well matched with the experimental results. It is also shown that the curvature of the fan arc and hub height have significant influences on the flow distribution after hub. By the results of this study, it can be suggested that several ways to improve the aerodynamic performance of the axial flow fan can be found using the numerical analysis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.639-644
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• 2002

In this paper, a successful noise reduction of an axial flow fan for a refrigerator is presented. The vortex sheet generated at the blade tip of fan was suppressed by changing the shape of the tip. The structure of vortex sheet and detailed flow pattern around the fan were studied by two-dimensional LDV(Laser-Doppler Velocimetry). Effective ways to work out the result as mentioned above are to make the tip of the blade varied in thickness and to have elliptical shapes. To seek the optimal value fur the shape of new fan, several cases were examined. Through the application of the methods, the refrigerator became less noisy by 3.8 dB(A) in terms of air-borne noise produced only by the axial flow fan compared to the current one.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2010

Small-sized axial fans are used as air cooler for electric equipments. But there is a strong demand for higher power of fans according to the increase of quantity of heat from electric devices. Therefore, higher rotational speed design is conducted, although, it causes the deterioration of efficiency and the increase of noise. Then the adoption of contrarotating rotors for the small-sized axial fan is proposed for the improvement of performance. In the present paper, the performance curves of the contra-rotating small-sized axial fan with 100mm diameter are shown and the velocity distributions at a partial flow rate at the inlet and the outlet of each front and rear rotor are clarified with experimental results. Furthermore, the flow conditions between front and rear rotors of the contra-rotating small-sized axial fan are investigated by numerical analysis results and causes of the performance deterioration of the contra-rotating small-sized axial fan at the partial flow rate is discussed.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.735-741
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• 2007

An axial F.R.P. fan model for cooling tower is developed. The fan is designed using the equations for one dimensional inviscid flow through the fan blade. Fan shape is swept forward with a parabolic function. Calculations of the three dimensional turbulent flow around the fan are carried out to investigate performance of the fan. Data of the total pressure rise and hydraulic efficiency can be obtained for the various setting angles. Calculated values of the total pressure rise and hydraulic efficiency at the design point are less than those of the design specification. The prototype of the F.R.P. fan is made by laminating of the fiberglass and epoxy resins on the mold of fan shape.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.12 no.11
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• pp.972-981
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• 2000

Comprehensive work is done for flows by an axial fan by experimental research. The present model fan is used for air handling device for out-door unit of an air conditioner in home appliance. PIV(Particle Image Velocimetry) system and wind tunnel are adopted for measurements of flows and performance evaluation, respectively. Major experimental conditions are the installation depth of a fan into a bellmouth of it. Optimal position of a fan in an inlet guide tube is observed by examination of fan-performance and flows in both upstream and downstream of the fan. Consequently, in the case of the fan inserted in half depth into the inlet tube, the efficiency of fan shows its maximum value and flow patterns is also streamlined.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.7-16
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• 2007

An axial-type fan which operates at the relative total pressure of 671Pa and static pressure of 560Pa with the flow rate of $416.6m^3/min$ is developed with an optimization technique based on the gradient method. Prior to the optimization of fan blade, a three-dimensional axial-type fan blade is designed based on the free-vortex method along the radial direction. Twelve design variables are applied to the optimization of the rotor blade, and one design variable is selected for optimizing a stator which is located behind of the rotor and is used to support a fan driving motor. The total and static pressure are applied to the restriction condition with the operating flowrate on the design point, and the efficiency is chosen as the response variable to be maximized. Through these procedures, an initial axial-fan blade designed by the free vortex method is modified to increase the efficiency with the satisfaction of the operating condition. The optimized fan is tested to compare the aerodynamic performance with an imported same class fan. The test result shows that the optimized fan operates with the satisfaction of restriction conditions, but the imported fan cannot. From the experimental and numerical test, they show that this optimization method improves the fan efficiency and operating pressures of a fan designed by the classical fan design method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.06a
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• pp.1381-1385
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• 2000

In this paper, a guideline of axial flow fan design for noise reduction of refrigerators is p resented. Refrigerators have components which have a role to screen particular frequency air borne-noise which is generated by an axial flow fan set in them. Effective ways to use the particular characteristic of refrigerators are shown in this study. As a result of application of the methods, we reduced the noise of the target systems by more than 3 dB(A) from the viewpoint of air-borne noise produced by the axial flow fan set.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.65-69
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• 2004

In the present work, characteristics of an axial flow fan haying distorted inlet flow produced by hub cap are investigated. The distorted inlet flow is generated by the shape of hub cap installed in front of the axial flow fan. Two different cases of hub cap geometry are analyzed to verify the influence of flow distortion. The flow fields are analyzed numerically by solving steady form of three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Wavier-Stokes equation and standard k-$\epsilon$ model is used for a turbulence closure. The results obtained from the numerical simulation are compared to those from experimental measurements. It is found that the overall performance of the axial flow fan is increased by reducing the flow distortion at the hub. Detailed characteristics of the flow fields of two different geometric conditions are also discussed.