Axial Fans and

Compressors
MEE 304 Turbomachines
Lecture – 13
Dr.Y. Mukkamala
 Axial Fan for Engine Cooling
Radiator Fan Fan Pulley

Internal Combustion Engine

 Axial Flow Ducted Fan without guide vanes
Diffuser
Nozzle
Rotor Hub

Inlet

Outlet
  Applications

 1) Mining and ventilation

 2) Radiator cooling fans
 3) Power plants
 4) Cooling towers
 1) Flow is always parallel to the main shaft axis.
 2) Axial fans and compressors handle higher flow rates
at lower stage pressures.
 3) In contrast to centrifugal machines, axial machines
have numerous stages.
 4) Ceiling and table fans, ventilation fans are examples
of axial fans.
 5) Forced and induced draft fans, and high draft fans
used in mines, industrial furnaces and AC plants are
examples for axial blowers.
 6) Gas compression devices used in superchargers,
producer gas plants and aircraft engines are known as
compressors.
 Axial Fan Stage with Upstream Guide Vanes
UGVs Rotor

Negative Inlet swirl (-Vy2) imparted

by UGVs, and subsequently
removed by the rotor blades.
 Velocity Triangle
Vx1 = V1

I.G.V

β2
v2 Vx2
V2 
2

u2 Vy2
Rotor

v3 Vx3 = V3

u3, Vy3 = 0
w st  [u3Vy 3  u2 ( Vy 2 )]
 w st  u2Vy 2  u2 (Vx 2 tan  2  u2 )
2Vx 2 2
 w st  u (2 tan  2  1)  u2 (2 tan  2  1)
u2
Assuming 100% stage efficiency
(p0 ) s 2
w st = (h 0 ) s   u2 (2 tan  2  1)

Stage Pressure Coefficient
(p0 )
 st   2(2 tan  2  1)
1 2
u
2
Degree of Reaction
Pressure Rise in the Rotor :
1 1 1
( p) r   (u3  u2 )   (v 2  v3 )   (v 22  v32 )
2 2 2 2

2 2 2
From velocity triangles
v 22  [Vx22  (u  Vy 2 ) 2 ]; v32  [Vx23  u32 ]
1 2 2 2 2 2 1
 (p) r   [Vx 2  u  Vy 2  2uVy 2  Vx 3  u ]  [Vy 2 (Vy 2  2u )]
2 2
1
[Vy 2 (Vy 2  2u )]
(p) r 2 1 Vy 2
 R=   1
(p 0 ) st  uVy 2 2 u
R>1
Also
1 1
R = 1 + (2 tan  2  1)  (1   tan  2 )
2 2
 Fan Stage with upstream guide vanes (R = ½)
V1
1

2
β2
v2 Vx2 V2
2

u2
Rotor Vy2

Symmetric fixed and rotating blades

V2 = v 3 β3 3 V3 = v 2
2 = β3; 3 = β2
Vy3
V2 = v3; v2 = V3
u3
 Axial Fan Stage with downstream guide vanes

v2
Vx2 = V2

Rotor

v3 V3

Vy3
DGV
u

V4 = Vx4
 Axial Fan Stage with UGV and DGV
V1 = Vx1
DGV

β2
v2
Vx2
V2 2
UGV Rotor
u
Vy2

v3 β3 3
V3

Vy3
 IGV Rotor Diffuser

Pressure

Velocity

 Pressure-Velocity variation in an Axial Compressor

 Velocity Triangles for a Compressor Stage

IGV
h2, p2
2
h02, p02
v2 β2 2 V2
Vx2
2
Vy2
Rotor
u2
3

v3 β3 3 V3
h3, p3
3

Vy3
Diffuser h03, p03
Blades
u3 h4, p4
4
h04, p04
Vx4 4 V4
  Free Vortex Flow
V V
= 
r r
1 
  ( rV )
r r
If the axial component of vorticity is zero (i.e., rV  const), then the corresponding flow is a "free vortex" flow.
In such a flow, the fluid is not acted upon by a force.

rV  const
Entry :
rhV 2 h  rV
t  2 t  rmV 2 m  C2

At exit:
rhV 3 h  rV
t  3t  rmV 3m  C3

d
(Vx ) 2  0
dr
 Vx  constant along the blade height.
 Vx2h  Vx2t  Vx2m = Vx2
Vx3h  Vx3t = Vx3m = Vx3

Air angles

Rotor Entry
V 2 h C2
tan  2h  
Vx 2 h rhVx
u2  V 2 h u2 V 2 h u2 h C2
tan  2 h ( )   
Vx 2 h Vx 2 h Vx 2 h Vx 2 h rhVx
Similarly, for the tip section
V 2 t C2
tan  2t  
Vx 2t rVt x

ut C2
tan  2t  
Vx rV
t x

Rotor Exit
V 3h C3
tan 3h   ;
Vx 3 rhVx
Vx3h tan 3h  u3h  Vx 3 tan  3h
uh
 tan 3h   tan  3h
Vx
C3 u C
Similarly tan 3t  ; tan3t  t  3
rV
t x Vx rV
t x