RADIAL FAN DESIGN
AND SIMULATION
SUBJECT DTL
COURSE CODE AS247DL
Table of Contents Go, change the world
RV College of
Engineering®
❏ Problem Statement
❏ Stages of Manufacturing
❏ Working of Radial and Ducted Fans
❏ Comparative Study
❏ Mathematical Modelling
❏ SolidWorks Modelling
❏ CFD Simulation
❏ Future Study
❏ Conclusion
❏ References
RV College of
Engineering® PROBLEM STATEMENT Go, change the world
● Electric motors generate significant heat that needs to be dissipated to prevent
overheating and extend their operational lifespan.
● Existing radial fans often suffer from inefficient airflow distribution, leading to
inadequate cooling, energy wastage, and material wear.
● The goal is to design a high-efficiency radial fan blower that optimizes cooling and
minimizes energy consumption, addressing these issues in a practical and
cost-effective manner.
STAGES OF MANUFACTURING Go, change the world
RV College of
Engineering®
Literature Survey Preliminary CFD Simulation
Design
1 3 5
2 4 6
Mathematical SolidWorks Documentation
Modelling Modelling
RV College of
Engineering® Working of Radial Fan Go, change the world
1. Air Intake at the Inlet
2. Air Acceleration by the Impeller
3. Increase in Air Pressure
4. Airflow through the Volute Casing
5. Air Exhaust at the Outlet
Key Factors Affecting Radial Fan Performance
● Impeller Speed (RPM): Higher speeds increase airflow velocity and pressure but can raise noise levels and energy
consumption.
● Blade Design: Affects airflow volume and efficiency; backward-inclined blades are energy-efficient, while
forward-curved blades provide more volume.
● Volute Casing: Optimized to minimize turbulence and enhance pressure recovery.
● Inlet and Outlet Design: Proper design reduces energy losses and ensures efficient airflow.
RV College of
Engineering® Working of Ducted Fan Go, change the world
1. Air Intake and Duct Design
● Airflow Path
● Duct Shape
2. Air Acceleration by the Impeller
3. Pressure and Air Velocity: While the air velocity is higher, the static pressure is generally lower than in radial fans. This is due to the
streamlined design that favors high-velocity airflow over high-pressure buildup.
● Blade Design: The impeller blades in a ducted fan are optimized for pushing air at higher velocities through the duct.
4. Directed Airflow Through the Duct
● Focused Air Stream: The duct channels the airflow directly towards specific components or areas, making it ideal for targeted
cooling applications.
● Minimizing Energy Loss: The streamlined airflow reduces turbulence and energy losses, making ducted fans more efficient in
delivering airflow with minimal resistance.
5. Air Exhaust
● Cooling Efficiency: This focused, high-speed airflow makes ducted fans particularly suitable for cooling specific hotspots in
machines, motors, or electronics.
RV College of
Engineering® Comparative Study Go, change the world
Aspect Radial Fan Ducted Fan
Airflow High pressure, slower moving air, High velocity air, focused and
characteristics spreads over a large area directed airflow
Pressure and Higher static pressure, lower air Lower static pressure, higher air
Velocity velocity velocity
Cooling Suitable for cooling large motor Suitable for targeted cooling of
Efficiency surfaces specific components
Size and Bulkier and requires more space Compact, easier to fit in tight
space spaces
Noise levels Quieter due to lower air velocity Noisier due to higher speed air
Application Ideal for general motor cooling over Ideal for spot cooling, focusing
suitability broad areas airflow on hotspots
RV College of
Engineering® Mathematical Modelling Go, change the world
● Wheel to Diameter Ratio (W/D):
General range of W/D is 0.1 - 0.25 W/D = 2.41/11.97 = 0.201
Closer to 0.1 → Narrower fan → High pressure,
low-volume applications d/D = 4.92/11.97 = 0.411
● Inlet Diameter to Wheel Diameter Ratio (d/D):
General range: 0.35 - 0.75
A_d/A_w = 1.725
Closer to 0.35 → High pressure applications
N/D = 16/11.97 = 1.33
● Discharge Area to Wheel Area Ratio
General range: 1.5 - 2.5
● Cut-off Point Clearance, C:
C = 0.05D to 0.1D (the cut-off point clearance is
5% to 10% of the wheel diameter)
● Number of Blades to Diameter Ratio
General range: 0.5 - 1.4
RV College of
Engineering® Mathematical Modelling Go, change the world
1. Wheel Diameter and Speed
Velocity (V): The velocity of the air is determined by the peripheral speed of the fan wheel:
V = RPM x Circumference of the wheel
2. Air Velocity and Pressure Relationship
V = 66 x sqrt(h) (h → Velocity pressure in inches of WC)
3. Fan Capacity
C = B x V x D (Blast area in sqft, Velocity in fpm, D is discharge coefficient)
B=DxW/3
4. Power Required
HP = C x h x 5.2 / 275
C → Capacity in cubic feet per minute
H → Pressure in inches of WC
RV College of
Engineering® Mathematical Modelling Go, change the world
Losses Heat transfer
● Leakage Loss: QL = Cd*pi*d*Δ*(2Ps/P)0.5
● Q=h.A. ΔT.W
Δ = clearance between impeller eye and inlet casing
h = Convective heat transfer coefficient
● Suction pressure loss: dPsuc=(k*rho*V2)/2 (W/m2K)
k = 0.5-0.8 = loss factor A = Surface area of the motor
rho = density of the fluid ΔT = Temp, difference between surface and air
● Impeller pressure loss: dPimp=0.5*k*rho*(W1-W2)2 ● Nusselt number: Nu = C.Rem.Prn
● Heat dissipated by fan, Q = mCpΔT
k = 0.25, W = Specific work
● Thermal resistance, Rth = 1/hA, ΔT=QRth
● Volute pressure loss: dP = 0.5*k*rho(V2-V4)2
● Disc Friction Loss: Tdf*f*rho*W2(r25/5) = pi.f.rho(U2/r2)2(r5/5)
Pdf=2piNT/60
RV College of
Engineering® Modelling in Solidworks Go, change the world
RV College of
Engineering® CFD Simulation Go, change the world
3200 RPM 6000 RPM
RV College of
Engineering® CFD Simulation Go, change the world
RV College of
Engineering® CFD Simulation Go, change the world
500 rad/sec 800 rad/sec
1000 rad/sec
RV College of
Engineering® CFD Simulation Go, change the world
Future Study Go, change the world
RV College of
Engineering®
● Experimental validation: Future work might consider conducting physical experiments to
demonstrate the validity of CFD simulation work and to improve design using physical performance
of the blower.
● Advanced materials: Studying the use of advanced materials or coatings to improve the durability
and the efficiency of different components of the blower.
● Noise reduction: Analyzing design changes to lower noise and vibration a blower may undergo,
making it acceptable in noise-sensitive applications.
● Variable speed control: Implementation and testing variable speed controls that demonstrate
improved efficiency in using the blower to cool in regards to performance and working conditions.
● Integrating blower with other systems: Future work might study integrating the radial fan blower
with other cooling systems or electronic controls to enhance system efficiency.
RV College of
Engineering® Conclusion Go, change the world
Improved cooling performance: The radial fan increased the airflow and increased the pressure and
therefore improved at cooling the electric motor, enhancing the heat removed from the electric motor.
Design improvement: Design modifications such as changing the blade angles and the housing,
allowed for more uniform pressure distribution from the electric motor to the electric motor.
Efficiency metrics: The design modification improved cooling efficiency and improved energy
consumption, compared to the initial design attempts.
Overall, the project met its goal of design improvement and change through better cooling
performance and cooling efficiency features of the radial fan blower and ducted fan.
RV College of
Engineering® References Go, change the world
Xu, J., Zhang, S., Wang, L. (2020). "Performance Analysis of Radial Fans Using Computational Fluid Dynamics."
Journal of Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 67, pp. 345-355.
Huang, T., Wang, X. (2018). "Effects of Volute Casing Design on Fan Performance." International Journal of
Mechanical Engineering, Vol. 45, pp. 112-121.
Fan, Y., Lee, J., et al. (2019). "Experimental Validation of Impeller Geometry Effects on Cooling Efficiency." Heat
Transfer Engineering, Vol. 40, pp. 254-268.
Park, K., Han, S., Kim, J. (2021). "Application of CFD for Optimizing Fan Design in Industrial Applications."
Computational Engineering Journal, Vol. 58, pp. 102-115.
NPTEL. (2020). "Design of Centrifugal Fans." National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL),
Lecture Series, Indian Institute of Technology.
