• Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1728-1738
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• 2001

Measurements have been made in an automotive HVAC b1ower for two different centrifugal fans. This work is directed at improving the performance of a conventional forward-curved centrifugal fan for a given small blower casing. Mean velocities and pressure have been measured using a miniature five-hole probe and a pressure scanning unit connected to an online data acquisition system. First, we obtained the fan performance versus flow rates showing a significant attenuation of unstable nature achieved with the new fan rotor in the surging operation range. Second, aerodynamic characterizations were carried out by investigating the velocity and pressure fields in the casing flow passage for different fan operating conditions. The measurements stowed that performance coefficients are strongly influenced by flow characteristics at the throat region. The main flow features ware common in both fans, but improved performance is achieved with tole new fan rotor, particularly in lower flow rate legions. Based on the measured results, design improvements were carried out in an acceptable operation range, which gave considerable insight into what features of flow behavior ware most important.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.12a
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• pp.122-128
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• 2000

Aerodynamic optimization of an automotive air-conditioning blower is a hard task because of the highly complex flow phenomena related to three-dimensional flow separations and the unsteady nature caused by the interaction between primary and secondary air flows throughout the fan. In this paper, an aerodynamic study on a forward-curved centrifugal fan has been carried out Firstly we obtained the fan performance curves versus flow rates showing its unstable nature in the surging operation range. Secondly aerodynamic characterizations were carried out by investigating the velocity and pressure fields in the casing flow passage using a 5-hole pilot probe, at different operating conditions. Surface flow pattern near the cut-off area exhibits similar flow behavior above the best efficiency operating point, although the pressure level increases substantially with the Increase of flow rate. Vorticity in the casing passage flow occurs in all (low rates, downstream from the r-Z plane $\theta$=120 deg., where the position of its core changes with the circumferential location. Although complex, the general flow behavior were common, giving insight in its main aerodynamic features.