Flow Fields with Vortex in a Small Semi-open Axial Fan

In order to clarify the effect of tip clearance （TC） size on fan performance and the flow field at rotor outlet in a small semi-open axial fan, the experimental investigation was carried out. The tip diameter of test fan rotor was 180mm and test TC sizes were lmm （TC=1mm） and 4mm （TC=4mm）. Fan characteristics tests were carried out for two cases of TC size and three-dimensional velocity fields at rotor outlet were measured using a single slant hot-wire probe at four flow-rate conditions. As a result, it was found that the pressure - flow-rate characteristics curves for two cases showed almost the same tendency. However, the ensemble averaged velocity profiles along radial measurement stations of TC-4mm largely changed compared with that of TC=1mm in cases of small flow-rate condition. From the phase-locked averaging results, it was also found that the vortex existed in the rotor outlet flow field of high flow-rate condition for each TC case. Compared with the vortices for TC=1mm and TC=4mm, the vortex for TC=4mm was stronger than that for TC=1mm.

Flow Fields with Tip Leakage Vortex in a Small Axial Cooling Fan

In order to improve the fan characteristics, especially efficiency and noise level of a small axial cooling fan with a large tip clearance, the internal flow measurements with tip leakage vortex were carried out at fan rotor outlet us- ing an I-type hot-wire probe. The probe was set toward two directions, parallel and normal to the meridional plane of test fan, and the two directional velocity components were measured. From the result of fan test it was found that the test fan didn＇t have the unstable characteristic with a positive gradient on its pressure - flow-rate curve. From the results of velocity measurement it was observed that the tip leakage vortex exited at maximum efficiency flow-rate and large flow-rate conditions. However, at small flow-rate conditions the tip leakage vortex was not observed and it was found that the flow field were enlarged toward radial outwards

Impulse Turbine with 3D Guide Vanes for Wave Energy Conversion

In this study, in order to achieve further improvement of the performance of an impulse turbine with fixed guide vanes for wave energy conversion, the effect of guide vane shape on the performance was investigated by experiment. The investigation was performed by model testing under steady flow condition. As a result, it was found that the efficiency of the turbine with 3D guide vanes are slightly superior to that of the turbine with 2D guide vanes because of the increase of torque by means of 3D guide vane, though pressure drop across the turbine for the 3D case is slightly higher than that for the 2D case.

Comparison of Performances of Turbines for Wave Energy Conversion

The Wells turbine for a wave power generator is a self-rectifying air turbine that is available for an energy conversion in an oscillating water-air column without any rectifying valve. The objective of this paper is to compare the performances of the Wells turbines in which the profile of blade are NACA0020, NACA0015, CA9 and HSIM15-262123-1576 in the small-scale model testing. The running characteristics in the steady flow, the start and running characteristics in the sinusoidal flow and the hysteretic characteristics in the sinusoidal flow were investigated for four kinds of turbine. As a conclusion, the turbine in which the profile of blade is NACA0020 has the best performances among 4 turbines for the running and starting characteristics in the small-scale model testing.

Experimental Investigation of Stator Flow in Diagonal Flow Fan

Experimental investigations were conducted for the internal flow of the stator of the diagonal flow fan. Comer separation near the hub surface and the suction surface of the stator blade are focused on. At the design flow rate, the values of the axial velocity and the total pressure at stator outlet decrease near the suction surface at around the hub surface by the influence of the comer wall. At low flow rate of 80-90 % of the design flow rate, the comer separation between the suction surface and the hub surface can be found, which become widely spread at 80 % of the design flow rate.

Vortices within the Separation Region in a Decelerating Channel Flow (Effect of Inlet Velocity Gradient)

An experimental investigation was made into three-dimensional separated flow and the vortices within the flow separation in a decelerating channel flow generated by the suction from a porous side wall. The flows along the side and bottom walls were visualized by the surface tuft method. The turbulent internal flow was measured by the split-film probe to investigate the turbulent flow including the reverse flow. In the flow visualization for the strong decelerating flow （the suction flow ratio：0.8）, two typical flow patterns appear alternatively. One is that the flow near the bottom wall separates more upstream than the flow near the top wall and a clockwise vortex can be seen in the separation region. Another is the reversal flow pattern with a counterclockwise vortex. By the turbulent flow measurement using the split-film probe, two peaks of turbulence level are observed for the strong decelerating flow case. These peaks can be related with two flow patterns mentioned above.

Three Dimensional Separation with Spiral-Focus in a Decelerating Duct Flow (Effect of Asymmetric Inlet Boundary Layer Thickness)

An experimental apparatus was developed to study the three dimensional separated flow with spiral-foci. The internal decelerating flow was generated by the air suction from a side wall to produce the separation on an opposite-side wall. The relation between the upstream boundary layer and the generation of spiral-foci in the separation region was observed by a tuft method. As a result, it was clarified that the spiral-focus type separation could be produced on the side wall and its behavior was closely related to the vortices supplied into the separation region from the boundary layer developing along top wall or bottom one.