EFFECT OF COANDA NOZZLE CLEARANCE ON THE

FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF AIR AMPLIFIER

2
2
1
1
3
J. M. Lee , M. Y. Cho , C. K. Honi, s. M. Yoon , H. s. Kim , Y.-J. Kim
I Graduate

School ofMechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea

2
Pico &Tera Co., Ltd., 980-3, Youngtong-Dong, Suwon, Korea

3School

ofMechanical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Korea

neoguI2jm@skku.edu, jomy0325@skku.edu, hskim@picoandtera.com, yjkim@skku.edu

Keywords: Air Amplifier, Coanda Effect, Diffuser, CFD

formed a simulation of a Venturi-shaped roof for natural

ventilation. They investigated the Venturi effect of wind
blocking with different contraction heights, and showed
that negative pressure in the roof was decreased dispro
Abstract
portionally with the increase of contraction height. Bashir
et
al. [6] presented a computational analysis of cavitation
An air amplifier makes air flow increased by ejecting a
activity
with various designs of Venturi tube. In order to
small amount of air, which results in the Coanda effect: A
tendency of keeping fluids attached to an adjacent surface optimize Venturi tube, the location of cavity inception, the
while the air flow is passing along the wall boundary. In divergence angle, and the length of slit ratio were consid
this paper, the flow characteristics of an air amplifier were ered. Valentin et at. [7] numerically investigated double
investigated with various flow and geometrical conditions. glazed facades ventilation system in building applied to
[n particular, various values of the Coanda nozzle clear Coanda nozzles. Horn [8] invented the air amplifier for
ance (6 = O. [, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and O.S mm), diffuser angles cleaning the surface of a web of material with high
(a = [S", 20 , 2S0), and pressure conditions (Pc = 0.[, 0.2, velocity and low-volume air being directed.
0.3, and 0.4 MPa) were considered. Numerical analysis
[n this paper, the flow characteristics of air amplifier
was performed using a commercial CFD code, ANSYS with various diffuser angles were investigated. [n particu
CFX 14.S with the shear stress transport (SST) turbulent lar, various values of Coanda nozzle clearance were con
model. The results of pressure and velocity distributions sidered and the total pressure, velocity, flow rate, and suc
were graphically depicted with various operating condi tion force were calculated and graphically depicted.
tions.
(Computational Fluid Dynamics).

1 Introduction

2 Model Description

Figure 1 shows the modeled air amplifier. It consists of a

Air amplifier, which is an aerodynamic device, makes air cylindrical section,Coanda nozzle, and a diffusing section.
flow increased by using ejection of small amount com The lengths of cylindrical and diffusing sections are set to
pressed air. Because it can supply more uniform air flows 230.9 mm and 248.6 mm each. As shown in Figure 1 and
than the other devices, it is widely used for many appli Table 1, the clearance (6) between the walls of bothsides
ances. In general, it makes efficient use of Coanda effect, in Coanda nozzle is set to 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and O.S mm.
which is a tendency of keeping fluid attached to an adja Moreover, three different diameters are defined as Dc = 10
cent surface, when the air flow passes along the wall mm, Di = 47 mm, and Do = 89 mm. Various Coanda noz
boundary [1] . A lot of researchers conducted investiga zle clearances are graphically depicted in Figure 2. Com
tions on the flow characteristics of Coanda effect [2] -[4] . pressed air is injected into the Coanda nozzle which has a
Lee et at. [2] experimentally investigated and simulated
ring-shaped plenum. Because there is a narrow slit be
the air knife flow in the process of a hot-dip galvanizing.
tween the plenum and primary duct, a jet can be ejected
[n order to reduce the strip splashing, they considered
making Coanda flow along the wall, as shown in Figure 3.
various deflection angles and the existence of Coanda
In order to examine the effect of diffuser angle, three
nozzle, and reported that the diffuser angle of 9 with
different cases (a = IS.O, 20.0, and 2S.00) were considered
Coanda nozzle showed the most effective to reduce the
(see Figure 4). Boundary conditions of the modeled air
harmful potentiality. Fiser et at. [3] compared simulations
amplifier were given in Table 2. Here the atmospheric
and measurements of flow characteristics regarding the
pressure conditions at the inlet and outlet were considered.
Coanda effect. They set up the CFD model based on ex
perimental results with various inclination angles. Mamou
3 Numerical Analysis
et at. [4] studied the aerodynamic performance of airfoil
with the existence of Coanda jet and jet flap.
Air amplifiers also use the Venturi effect, which de In order to elucidate the flow characteristics in the air am
scribes the increase fluid velocity or flow rate due to the plifier, the following governing equations were solved:
Continuity equation:
decrement of a cross-section area. Blocken et at. [S] per-

Velocity
150

Table 1. Geometric details.

Name

Diameter [mm]

Dc

10

OJ

47

113

Do

89

Name

Length [mm]

75

30.4

38

230.9

L,
L2

248.6

LJ

Clearance, r5
Diffuser angle,

O.l, 0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5

0
1m s-11

15.0,20.0,25.0

[']

Figure 3. Schematic of Coanda effect produced in the down

stream wall region of the clearance.

Table 2. Boundary conditions.

Name

Type

Inlet

Opening

Outlet

Opening

Compressed air

Inlet

Pressure [atm]

0.1 - 0.4 [MPa]

Inlet

..

oT

Rowdirection.

l,

'L,

[J Governing parameter

Figure 4. Configurations of the modelled diffusers.

Figure 1. Schematic of the modeled air amplifier.

0:

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

[Unit: mmJ

Figure 2. Configurations of Coanda nozzle clearance.

(1)
Momentum equation:

apujui
ax,

---

where,

LIf

JL

aU,
ax I

ap
ax,

--

aUj
-

axl

aLij
aXf

(2)

--

2 aUk
--JL
OiJ

axk

(3)

Figure 5. Grid systems.

Here

is the fluid density, ui is the orthogonal veloc

ity, p is the static pressure, Tij is the stress tensor,

Jl

is

the dynamic viscosity, respectively.

Numerical analysis were performed using a commercial
CFD code, ANSYS CFX 14.5 with the shear stress trans
port (SST) turbulent modelof which the k-w model is lo
cally adopted around the surface of the walls and k-E
model is applied at the dead-end of the boundary layers.
This makes it possible to predict the separation of high
flow velocity. The number of elements in the grid system
was from 9,600,000 to 11,000,000 (see Figure 5). In addi
tion, the inflation grid condition was adopted with 15
numbers of inflation layers for accurate boundary layer
simulation. Ideal air was used as working fluid. A finite
volume method is used to solve the governing Equations
(I )-(3). Convergence of this iterative procedure is de
clared when the mass and momentum residual falls below
10-3 at all grid points.

12000
11000
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
o
-1000
-2000
[Pal

Figure 6_ Effect of clearance on the total pressure distributions

for the case of Pc = 0.4 MPa.
150

113

. .....
-

i)8=02mn

75

4 Results and Discussion

In this study, flow characteristics of air amplifiers which

have different diffuser angles and clearances were consid
ered with various pressure conditions. And flow character
istics of each configuration were numerically investigated.
The effects of clearance with Coanda nozzle (6 = 0.1, 0.2,
0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mm) were considered with different
compressed air pressure (Pc = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 MPa).
The total pressure distributions were shown in Figure 6. It
is noted that the pressure gradient was increased as the
clearance increases. It is also seen that the amount of air
flow was increased due to Coanda effect, and high pres
sure was formed at the bottom of outlet region.
Figure 7 showed the velocity distributions with various
values of clearance. It is seen that the fluctuation flow was
formed at the downstream of air amplifier. In case of 0.5
mm clearance, high Coanda flow was formed at the bot
tom of outlet region.
In general, the pressure of compressed air at Coanda
nozzle creates the Coanda flow, which is a tendency of
keeping fluid attached to an adjacent surface. For this rea
son, the relationship between the compressed air pressure
and flow rate is important to obtain the appropriate jetting
performance. The flow rate of compressed air with various
values of clearance and compressed air pressure were in
vestigated and depicted in Figure 8. It can be noted that
the flow rate of compressed air is proportionally increased
as the pressure of compressed air increases. It is also in
creased as the Coanda nozzle clearance is enlarged.
The flow rate, passing through the inlet and outlet, in
duced by lower pressure region which is caused by
Coanda effect along the diffusing wall is calculated and
demonstrated in Figure 9. Results showed that the flow
rate was increased as the increase of pressure conditions
of compressed air. It is noted that the air amplifier having
0.2 mm Coanda nozzle clearance has the highest induced
flow rate among the five models.
In hence, to find an optimal diffuser angle, the air am
plifier having 0.2 mm clearance was adopted. Three dif-

i)o=02nm

38

Figure 7. Effect of clearance on the velocity distributions for the

case of Pc = 0.4 MPa.
4000

3000

__ O.1mm

--O.2mm
-A--O.3mm
--.-O.4mm
O.5mm

E
g

u::::

1000

O +----.------,------.--_.--
0.1

0.2

0.3

Pressure of compressed air.

0.4

Pc

[MPaj

Figure 8. Effects of compressed air pressure and Coanda nozzle

clearance on the compressed air flow rates.

ferent diffuser angles (a = 15, 20, and 2Y ) were consid

ered with various values of compressed air pressure (Pc =
0.1,0.2,0.3, and 0.4 MPa).
Figure 10 shows the total pressure distributions with
three different diffuser angles. It is noted that the total
pressure distributions show various tendencies each other.
[n particular, due to Coanda effect, high-pressure air
flowed at the surface of wall, and low-pressure air flowed
at the center of outlet region. [t is reasonable to assume
that this pressure gradient makes the air flows from high
pressure region to low-pressure one, and fluctuation flow
shall be formed at the downstream of the air amplifier.
The velocity distributions on the centerline surfaces of vari
ous air amplifier configurations were shown in Figure 11.

10000

O.1mm

8000

E
g

cT
eli

6000

0
u:

4000

2000

0.2

0.1

0.3

0.4

Pressure of compressed air, Pc [MPaj

Figure 9. Effects of compressed air pressure and Coanda nozzle

clearance on the primary flow rates at the inlet region.

12000

11000
10000

9000
8000

--------.('!

---------.;___
;;

i) u

7000
6000
5000
4000

250

2000

ii) u = 20

3000
2000

1000

-1000

____---.;_
-2000 L..._
.
;;

[Pal

controlled compressed air showed a proportional relation

ship with the pressure of compressed air. However, the
diffuser angle did not have any influence on the flow rate
of compressed air. The primary flow rate, passing through
the inlet and outlet, induced by lower pressure region
which is caused by Coanda flow along the diffusing wall
is calculated and graphically depicted in Figure 13. It can
be noted that the flow rate is proportionally increased as
the compressed air pressure increases. Results also
showed that the air amplifier having 20 diffuser angle has
a higher induced flow rate than the other models. [n addi
tion, the flow rate ratios (Q/Qe) with various pressure
conditions and diffuser angles are calculated and graphi
cally depicted in Figure 14. Results showed that for the
case of the diffuser angle 20, the flow rate ratio has the
highest value among all modeled cases.
The negative pressure distributions can be converted to
suction forces by multiplying with each representative
suction area. The distribution of suction forces with vari
ous diffuser angles was calculated and graphically de
picted in Figure 15. The region of the red dotted line cir
cle demonstrates the suction forces at the outlet region. A

iii)

u =

15

Figure to. Effect of diffuser angle on the total pressure distribu

tions for the case ofPe

O.4MPa.

E
g

"

1500

2"

u:::

-u=25

---A-- u =

1000

20

-u=15

i) a25
0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

Pressure of compressed air, Pc [MPaj

0.0
[m ....1[.
iii)

u=

!5"

Figure 11. Effects of diffuser angle on the velocity distributions

for the case ofPe O.4MPa.

Figure 12. Effects of compressed air pressure on the flow rates

with various diffuser angles.

14000

In each case, high-velocity distributions can be seen in the

vicinity of wall in the diffusing area because of Coanda
effect, which was induced by ejection flow from Coanda
nozzle. In case of the diffuser angle 20, the velocity in
'bottleneck' region showed the highest of all models (refer
to red dotted line circle in Figure 11(ii. As a result, it
makes possible to the velocity of the induced flow faster
than the other models. Moreover, the severe fluctuations
of velocity distribution in the downstream of the air ampli
fier were found because there is a disparity on the quantity
of Coanda flow ejected from the Coanda nozzle. Because
of these flow characteristics, there could be a loss of the
induced flow rate.
The flow rates of compressed air with various pressure
conditions (Pc = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 MPa) and diffuser
angles (a = 15",20, and 25") were calculated and demon
strated in Figure 12. [t is seen that the flow rate of the

12000

a.

(f

u:

10000
8000

6000

4000

2000

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Pressure of compressed air, Pc [MPaj

Figure 13. Effects of compressed air pressure on the primary

flow rates at the inlet region with three different diffuser angles.

20 diffuser angle has the most powerful suction force

among all models.

5 Conclusions

a 6
"

..

(T

..

0 2
u:::

_0.=25

a=20
- 0.= 15

0.1

0.2

0.4

0.3

Pressure of compressed air, Pc [MPa]

Figure 14. Flow rate ratios (O/Oc) for different values of the
compressed air pressure and diffuser angle.
x

x';'b
-t

"

'

-_

.. -

--

= ISo

0.=20

.0.=

2So

-;
e
J2
c:
0

n
:>

en

I;',

-8

12

16

20

24

.:
....

26

28
30

0.0

0.2

Location

[2]

I :
"
"
"

18

-22

Engineering and Technology, Advances in Intelli

:1

14

/:
I I

: ,
"
'
,',,

[3]

.... ,,_,.Jo<f#'

0.4

0.6

[4]

[m]

Figure 15. Effects of diffuser angle on the suction forces for the

case ofPc

0.4 MPa.

Table 3. Suction forces at the outlet region with three different

[5]

diffuser angles.
Diffuser angle [0]

Sum of suction force [N]

25

-50.04

15

-59.91

20

Natarajan, E. and Onubogu,N.O. (2012) Application

of Coanda Effect in Robots-A Review. Mechanical
125,411-418.
http://dx.doi.orgIl0.1007/978-3-642-27329-2 56
Lee, D.W., Hwang, J.G., Kwon, Y.D., Kwon, S.B.,
Kim, G.Y. and Lee, D.E. (2007) A Study on the Air
Knife Flow with Coanda Effect. Journal 0/ Mechan
ical Science and Technology, 21, 2214-2220.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007IBF03177482
Fiser, J., Jedelsky, J., Vach, T., Forman, M. and Ji
cha, M. (2012) Comparison of CFD Simulations and
Measurements of Flow Affected by Coanda Effect.
EPJ Web o/Conferences, 25.
Mamou, M. and Khalid, M. (2007) Steady and Un
steady Flow Simulation of a Combined Jet Flap and
Coanda Jet Effects on a 2D Airfoil Aerodynamic Per
formance. Revue des Energies Renouvelables CER,
55-60.
Blocken, B., van Hooff, T., Aanen, B. and Bronsema,
B. (2011) Computational Analysis of the Perfor
mance of a Venturi-Shaped Roof for Natural Venti
lation: Venturi-Effect versus Wind-Blocking Effect.
Computer & Fluids, 48, 202-213.
http://dx.doi.orgIl0.1016/j.compfiuid.2011.04.012
Bashir, T.A., Soni, A.G., Mahulkar, A.V. and Ani
ruddha, B.P. (2011) The CFD Driven Optimization
of a Modified Venturi for Cavitational Activity. The
gent and Soft Computing,

. \. \../

-10

:
,

-4

[I]

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: I
....
" : I I
, '
I :

References

\
\
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\

,
,
,
I

Acknowledgements

The financial aid from the Korea Ministry of Education

through the Brain Korea 21 PlusProject [HRD Center for
Convergence Mechanical System Design] is gratefully
acknowledged.

(a= 15)
b:l (a=200)
(a=25)

.... -- .... "

"
/

In this study, optimal configuration of the air amplifier

was studied. In particular, three different diffuser angles
and four different compressed air pressure conditions were
considered with various values of Coanda nozzle clear
ance and constant diameter ratio. In order to find an op
timal diffuser angle, the model having 0.2 mm clearance
was adopted. It is concluded that the air amplifier having
20 diffuser angleshowed beneficial effect of enhancing
the jetting performance.It has approximately 20% higher
discharge flow rate than the other models.
In order to have better predictions of numerical studies,
however, we would be glad to compare these results with
those obtained by experimental methods in the near future.

-76.32

sum of the suction forces at the outlet region with three

different diffuser angles was calculated and demonstrated
in Table 3. Results showed that the air amplifier having

[6]

Canadian Journal 0/ Chemical Engineering,

[7]

89,

1366-1375. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cjce.20500
Valentin, D., Guardo, A., Equsquiza, E., Valero, C.

and Alavedra, P. Use of Coanda Nozzles for Double

Glazed Facades Forced Ventilation. Energy and Build
ings, 62, 605-614.

[8]

Horn, P.E. (1996) Air Amplifier Web Cleaning Sys

tem. United States Patent 5490300.