TY - JOUR
T1 - A numerical investigation on the performance improvement of axial-flow automotive cooling fan with beads
AU - Hur, K. H.
AU - Haider, B. A.
AU - Sohn, C. H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2020/8/1
Y1 - 2020/8/1
N2 - This paper presents a CFD analysis of three types of axial-flow magnesium-based automotive cooling fans. The numerical modeling was conducted for geometrically modified fan designs: one with no-beads, the second one with beads at the suction-side of the fan namely reverse-beads fan, and the third one with beads installed at the pressure-side of the fan namely forward-beads fan. The effect of geometric modifications of the fan blades on the volumetric flow rate, fan efficiency, and energy efficiency was investigated using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations following the multiple reference frame methodology. The fan with no-beads was fabricated using 3D printing technology and tested to measure the flow velocity. Subsequently, the fans with beads along with the no-beads fan designs were numerically analyzed. The volumetric flow rate, fan efficiency, and energy efficiency were quantified as a function of fan rotating speed. The results show that the reverse-beads fan produced a relatively more volumetric flow rate and energy-efficient compared to the forward-beads fan. Moreover, to further improve the performance of the reverse-beads fan, the location and size of the bead structure were varied along the radial direction of the fan blade. The optimized reverse-beads fan significantly improves the fan performance.
AB - This paper presents a CFD analysis of three types of axial-flow magnesium-based automotive cooling fans. The numerical modeling was conducted for geometrically modified fan designs: one with no-beads, the second one with beads at the suction-side of the fan namely reverse-beads fan, and the third one with beads installed at the pressure-side of the fan namely forward-beads fan. The effect of geometric modifications of the fan blades on the volumetric flow rate, fan efficiency, and energy efficiency was investigated using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations following the multiple reference frame methodology. The fan with no-beads was fabricated using 3D printing technology and tested to measure the flow velocity. Subsequently, the fans with beads along with the no-beads fan designs were numerically analyzed. The volumetric flow rate, fan efficiency, and energy efficiency were quantified as a function of fan rotating speed. The results show that the reverse-beads fan produced a relatively more volumetric flow rate and energy-efficient compared to the forward-beads fan. Moreover, to further improve the performance of the reverse-beads fan, the location and size of the bead structure were varied along the radial direction of the fan blade. The optimized reverse-beads fan significantly improves the fan performance.
KW - Automotive cooling fan
KW - Axial fans
KW - CFD
KW - Fan efficiency
KW - Multiple reference frame
KW - Volumetric flow rate
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089084995&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12206-020-0724-0
DO - 10.1007/s12206-020-0724-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85089084995
SN - 1738-494X
VL - 34
SP - 3317
EP - 3323
JO - Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
JF - Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
IS - 8
ER -
