• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.883-892
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• 2003

The experiment using three-dimensional laser Dopperr velocimetery (LDV) measurements and the computation using the Reynolds stress model of the commercial code, FLUENT, were conducted to give a clear understanding on the structure of tip leakage flow in a forward-swept axial-flow fan operating at the maximum efficiency condition. The tip leakage vortex was generated near the position of the minimum wall static pressure, which was located at approximately 12% chord downstream from the leading edge of blade suction side, and developed along the centerline of the pressure trough within the blade passages. A reverse flow between the blade tip region and the casing, induced by tip leakage vortex, acted as a blockage on the through-flow. As a result, high momentum flux was observed below the tip leakage vortex. As the tip leakage vortex proceeded to the aft part of the blade passage, the strength of tip leakage vortex decreased due to the strong interaction with the through-flow and casing boundary layer, and the diffusion of tip leakage vortex caused by high turbulence. In comparison with LDV measurement data, the computed results predicted the complex viscous flow patterns inside the tip region, including the locus of tip leakage vortex center, in a reliable level.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1750-1757
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• 2003

This paper describes the flow measurements inside the blade passage of an axial flow fan by using a rotating hot-wire probe sensor from a relative flame of reference fixed to the rotor blades. The validity of fan rotor designed by a streamline curvature equation was performed by the measurement of the three-dimensional flow upstream and downstream of the fan rotor using a 5-hole pitot tube. The vortical flow structure near the rotor tip can be clearly observed by the measurements of a relative velocity and its fluctuation on quasi-orthogonal planes to a tip leakage vortex. Larger vortical flow, which results in higher blockage in the main flow, is formed according to decrease a flow rate. The vortical flow spreads out to the 30 percent span from the rotor tip at near stall condition. In the design operating condition, the tip leakage vortex is moved downstream while the center of the vortex keeps constant in the spanwise direction. Detailed characteristics of a velocity fluctuation with relation to the vortex were also analyzed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.399-406
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• 2014

Three-dimensional flow and aerodynamic loss in the tip-leakage flow region of a turbine blade equipped with both a pressure-side winglet and a suction-side squealer have been measured for the tip gap-to-span ratio of h/s = 1.36%. The suction-side squealer has a fixed height-to-span ratio of $h_s/s$ = 3.75% and the pressure-side winglet has width-to-pitch ratios of w/p = 2.64%, 5.28%, 7.92% and 10.55%. The results are compared with those for a plane tip and for a cavity squealer tip of $h_{ps}/s$ = 3.75%. The present tip delivers lower loss in the passage vortex region but higher loss in the tip-leakage vortex region, compared to the plane tip. With increasing w/p, its mass-averaged loss tends to be reduced. Regardless of w/p, the present tip provides lower loss than the plane tip but higher loss than the cavity squealer tip.