It is a well-known fact that the diffuser of a centrifugal fan plays a vital role in the energy transformation leading to better static pressure rise and efficiency. Many researchers have worked on modified geometry with respect to both impeller and diffuser so as to extract better efficiency of the fan. This paper highlights a unique numerical study on the performance of a centrifugal fan, which has a diffuser having nonparallel shrouds. The shroud geometry is parametrically varied by adopting various convergence ratios (CR) for the nonparallel shrouds encompassing the diffuser passage. It is revealed in the study that there exists an optimal CR for which the performance is improved over the regular parallel shrouded diffuser passage (base model). It is observed from the numerical analysis that for a nonparallel convergent shroud corresponding to a CR of 0.35, a relatively higher head coefficient of 3.6% is obtained when compared to that of the base model. This configuration also yields a higher theoretical efficiency of about 2.1% corroborating the improvement in head coefficient. This study predicts a design prescription for nonparallel diffuser shrouds of a centrifugal fan for augmented performance due to the fact that the converging region accelerates and guides the flow efficiently by establishing radial pressure equilibrium.
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August 2018
Research-Article
Investigations Into the Flow Behavior in a Nonparallel Shrouded Diffuser of a Centrifugal Fan for Augmented Performance
N. Madhwesh,
N. Madhwesh
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: madhwesh.n@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: madhwesh.n@manipal.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
K. Vasudeva Karanth,
K. Vasudeva Karanth
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: kv.karanth@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: kv.karanth@manipal.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
N. Yagnesh Sharma
N. Yagnesh Sharma
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: yagnesh.sharma@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: yagnesh.sharma@manipal.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
N. Madhwesh
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: madhwesh.n@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: madhwesh.n@manipal.edu
K. Vasudeva Karanth
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: kv.karanth@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: kv.karanth@manipal.edu
N. Yagnesh Sharma
Department of Mechanical and
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: yagnesh.sharma@manipal.edu
Manufacturing Engineering,
Manipal Institute of Technology,
Manipal Academy of Higher Education,
Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
e-mail: yagnesh.sharma@manipal.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Fluids Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF FLUIDS ENGINEERING. Manuscript received September 27, 2017; final manuscript received February 13, 2018; published online March 29, 2018. Assoc. Editor: Kwang-Yong Kim.
J. Fluids Eng. Aug 2018, 140(8): 081103 (12 pages)
Published Online: March 29, 2018
Article history
Received:
September 27, 2017
Revised:
February 13, 2018
Citation
Madhwesh, N., Vasudeva Karanth, K., and Yagnesh Sharma, N. (March 29, 2018). "Investigations Into the Flow Behavior in a Nonparallel Shrouded Diffuser of a Centrifugal Fan for Augmented Performance." ASME. J. Fluids Eng. August 2018; 140(8): 081103. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4039413
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