Performance Test on Single Stage Axial Flow Fan

Rahul Kumar, Pawan Ballyan, Palthiya Vinodh, Ranjan Das, Rajeev Verma, Sagar Babu, Harish Varma
B. Tech. Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
Abstract Axial flow fans are particularly versatile, being used in
a wide range of applications in industry and in Mining and Tunnel
ventilation. A performance test was carried out on single stage
axial flow fan test rig and the variables for performance
evaluation were measured. By varying the fan motor rotational
speed, input and output power calculations were done using the
measured variables and variation of efficiency with fan rpm was
studied. Maximum efficiency was obtained at 2400 rpm.
Keywords- Single Stage Axial Flow Fan, Efficiency.
I. INTRODUCTION
A mechanical fan is a machine used to create flow within
a fluid, typically a gas such as air. The fan consists of a rotating
arrangement of vanes or blades which act on the fluid. The
rotating assembly of blades and hub is known as an impeller, a
rotor, or a runner. Mechanical revolving blade fans are made in
a wide range of designs. There are three main types of fans
used for moving air, axial, centrifugal (also called radial)
and cross flow (also called tangential).
An axial fan is a type of a compressor that increases the
pressure of the air flowing through it
[1]
. The blades of the
axial-flow fans force air to move parallel to the shaft about
which the blades rotate. By comparison, Centrifugal fans blow
air at right angles to the intake of the fan, and spin the air
outwards to the outlet (by deflection and centrifugal force).
Axial flow fans are better suited for low-resistance, high-flow
applications, whereas centrifugal flow fans apply to high-
pressure resistance, low-flow conditions.
Axial flow fans, while incapable of developing high
pressures, they are well suitable for handling large volumes of
air at relatively low pressures. In general, they are low in cost
and possess good efficiency, most have a large hub and can
have blades of airfoil shape.

Figure 1. Flow through Axial fan
Depending on the operation range of the static pressure,
medium to high, the hub diameter can vary from 30 to 80% of
the blade outside diameter.

Figure 2. Schematic of Single Stage Axial Flow Fan
1. Fan Motor 2. Fan Blade
3. Stator Vanes 4. Pitot Probe
5. Air Flow Duct 6. Pressure Tappings

II. EXPERIMENT
The experiment was done on a typical centrifugal blower set up
at L002 Thermal lab at IIST. The set up mainly of a pump, a
motor and test rig. Test Rig consists of a single stage axial flow
fan. At both upstream and downstream of the fan, holes are
provided with suitable mounting attachments to enable probe to
traverse in a radial direction. A straight probe is provided for
this purpose. At the inlet duct, a standard Pitot-Static probe is
provided to measure the flow rate through the fan.
A multi-limb manometer is provided to measure the following:
static pressure at the hub and tip at the 4 stations, the static and
dynamic pressure of the straight probe, and the Pitot-Static
probe. An energy meter is used to measure the input power. A
non-contact type tachometer is provided to measure the fan rpm
directly.

Figure 1. Experimental Set-Up


Overall Dimension of test rig:
Length = 1.6m
Width = 1m
Height = 1.5m
Maximum Pressure Developed by the fan = 80mm of WG
Maximum flow delivered = 2.3m
3
/s
Technical Specification of the fan:
Fan blades 8 off air foil section
Inlet guide vanes 8off flat plate section
Outlet guide vanes 8 off pelage section
Load vanes 8 off flat plate section

III. PROCEDURE
Connect the multi-limb manometer limbs to the various static
pressure taps of the rig and the two probes. Then fill the
manometer reservoir with water. Switch on the control panel
with the motor speed control at minimum. Slowly increase the
motor speed to a required test speed. Note the time taken for 10
pulses in energy meter. Start taking reading from the manometer
(water column heights) with one of the limbs open to
atmosphere. The open limb provides a reference atmosphere
water column height. The pressure (positive of vacuum) at that
station is noted down. For the limbs connected to the probe, the
difference between the water column heights directly gives the
velocity head. Repeat the above procedure for different speed
conditions of the motor and note down the readings. Switch off
the motor after decreasing its speed slowly. Tabulate the
observations and calculate the required values.
IV. OBSERVATIONS
Fan
Speed
Time
for
10
Rev
Static Pressure rise
across the fan
Deliver
y Head
Suctio
n Head
P2T P2H P3T P3H
N(rpm) t(s) (cm of water) (m of Water )

1000

89.0

24.8

24.7

24.3

24.7

0
-0.0025

1200

58.0

25.2

25

24.2

24.8

0

-0.006

1400

36.0

25.5

25.3

24.1

24.8

0.0005

-0.009

1595

28.0

26

25.7

23.9

24.9

0.001

-0.0135

1797

21.0

26.4

26

23.8

25.1

0.0005

-0.017

2000

15.0

26.9

26.5

23.6

25.2

0.001

-0.022

2200

11.0

27.6

26.9

23.4

25.3

0.0015

-0.0275

2396

9.0

28.1

27.4

23

25.5

0.0025

-0.0325

Table 1. Pressure Readings across Fan



Table 2. Pitot Probe Readings

Fan Speed Pitot Tube Reading

N(rpm)
h1 h2 hw
(cm) (cm) (m)
1000 8.3 8.7 0.004
1200 8.2 8.7 0.005
1400 8.1 8.8 0.007
1595 8 8.9 0.009
1797 7.9 8.9 0.01
2000 7.8 9.1 0.013
2200 7.7 9.3 0.016
2396 7.4 9.5 0.021

Table 3. Calculated values
Velocity Static
Pressure
Head
Flow
Rate
Input
power
Output
Power
Effeciency
(m/s) h(m of
water)
Q(m3/s) Pi(kW) Po(kW) (%)
7.793 0.0025 1.05 0.20 0.03 12.76
8.71 0.006 1.18 0.31 0.07 22.31
10.31 0.0095 1.39 0.50 0.13 25.94
11.69 0.0145 1.58 0.64 0.22 34.92
12.32 0.0175 1.66 0.86 0.29 33.32
14.05 0.023 1.90 1.20 0.43 35.66
15.59 0.029 2.10 1.64 0.60 36.58
17.86 0.035 2.41 2.00 0.83 41.38

V. EQUATIONS AND SAMPLE CALCULATION
For reading #2:
For Fan Input Power
[3]
,
Input power to motor = (3600*n)/ (K*t) kW
Where,
K= Energy meter constant = 1600 imp/kWh.
t =Time for n impulses in seconds.
n = 10
t = 28 s.
Efficiency of VFD and Motor = 80% (assumed)
Motor Output Power = (0.8*3600*n)/ (K*t) kW
Fan input Power, Pi = Motor output
= 0.642857 kW
For Fan Output Power,
Flow rate, Q = (A * V) m
3
/s
Where,
Inlet area, A = 0.135 m
2

Velocity, V = (2*g*Ha) m/s
= (2*g*(Hw/100)*(w/a)) m/s
Hw = Velocity head in cm of water.
= 0.9 cm of water
Velocity, V = 11.69 m/s
Delivery head,
hD = ((atm- P3T) + (atm- P3H))/2 m of water
= 0.001 m of water
Suction head,
hS = ((atm- P2T) + (atm- P2H))/2 m of water
= -0.0135 m of water
Static pressure head across the fan,
h = (Delivery head Suction head) m of water
h = 0.0145 m of water
Fan output power , Po = (*g*h*Q)/1000 kW
g = 9.81m/s
2

Q = 1.578m
3
/s
Po = 0.2244 kW
Efficiency of the axial flow fan,
= (Po/Pi)*100%
= 34.91 %
VI. GRAPHS

Graph 1 Input Power Vs Flow Rate


Graph 2 Fan speed Vs Flow Rate

Graph 3. Head Vs Flow Rate


Graph 4. Efficieny Vs Flow Rate
VII. RESULT
The air flow rate varies from 1.05 to 2.41 m
3
/s by changing
RPM of the motor from 1000 to 2400. Correspondingly, the
graph of total head, fan speed and input has been obtained. The
total head varied from 2.5 cm to 35 cm while the power varied
from 258W to 827 W. The efficiency varied from 12.75%-
41.4% and peak in efficiency is achieved at a flow rate of 1.968
m
3
/s at around 2000 rpm.
VIII. CONCLUSION
It can be inferred that as flow rate is increased then the fan
speed increases linearly and input power increases with the
cube of flow rate
[4]
. Efficiency increases with flow rate as
usual with peak at 2400rpm.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like to acknowledge with appreciation the numerous
and valuable persons whose contribution has been important in
this report. We would like to thank our instructors Dr. Deepu M
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3 2.8
I
n
p
u
t

P
o
w
e
r
(
k
W
)
Flow Rate(m3/s)
Input Power vs Flow Rate
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3 2.8
F
a
n

S
p
e
e
d
(
r
p
m
)
Flow Rate(m3/s)
Fan Speed vs Flow Rate
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3 2.8
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

H
e
a
d
(
m

o
f

w
a
t
e
r
)
Flow Rate(m3/s)
Pressure Head vs Flow Rate
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3 2.8
E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y
Flow Rate(m3/s)
Efficiency vs Flow rate
and Dr. Rajesh S for their valuable help. We also thank our lab
assistants for clearing our doubts.
REFERENCES

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axial_fan_design
[2] http://eeref.engr.oregonstate.edu/@api/deki/files/841/=Axial_Fan.png
[3] Dr. Rajesh S, Dr. Deepu M, IIST Lab Hand Out
[4] http://www.nyb.com/Catalog/Letters/EL-03.pdf