Experiment No.

08
To obtain the fan characteristics curves for a centrifugal fan operating at constant speed and varying
flow rate

8.1 Introduction
8.1.1 Centrifugal Fan
Centrifugal fans consist of an impeller in a casing having a spirally shaped contour. The air enters the
impeller in an axial direction and is discharged at the impeller outer periphery. The air flow moves
along the centrifugal direction (or radial direction). Sometimes centrifugal fans are called radial
flow type fans. Centrifugal fans can generate relatively high pressures. They are suitable for high
pressure applications as compared with axial flow fans. Generally centrifugal fans have three types
of blade: forward blade, backward blade and radial blade. The characteristic curve of three kinds of
centrifugal fan is shown in Figure.[1]
They are frequently used in ‘dirty’ airstreams (high moisture and particulate content), in material
handling applications and in systems at higher temperatures. They can be small, with sub 0.125 kW
motors, or large, with hundreds of kW motors driving fans.
Type of Applications Advantages Disadvantages
fan
Radial (1) (1) Only suitable for low–
Industrial/mining/petrochemical Suitable for high static medium airflow rates
(2) pressures and high
Dust extraction applications temperatures
(3) (2)
High-pressure applications Simple design allows
custom-build units for
special applications
(3)
Can operate at low air flows
without vibration problems
(4)
High durability
(5)
Have large running
clearances, which is useful
for airborne solids (dust,
wood chips and metal
scraps) handling services
Forward (1) HVAC/industrial (1) Can move large air (1) Only suitable for
curved (2) Clean air supply & and volumes against relatively clean service
extraction low pressure applications but not for
(2) Relative small size high pressure and
(3) Low noise level (due to harsh services
low speed) and well suited (2) Fan output is
for residential heating, difficult to adjust
ventilation, and air- accurately
conditioning (HVAC) (3) Driver must be
 applications selected carefully to
avoid motor overload
because power curve
increases steadily with
airflow
(4) Relatively low
energy-efficiency (55–
65%)
Backwar (1) HVAC/industrial (1) Can operate with (1) Not suitable for
d (2) Clean air supply and extractionchanging static pressure (as dirty air streams (as fan
inclined this does not overload the shape promotes
motor) accumulation of dust)
(2) Suitable when system (2) Airfoil bladed fans
behaviour at high air flow is are less stable because
uncertain of staff as they rely on
(3) Suitable for forced-draft the lift created by each
services blade
(4) Flat-bladed fans are (3) Thin airfoil bladed
more robust fans subject to erosion
(5) Curved-bladed fans are
more efficient (exceeding
85%)
(6) Thin air-foil bladed fans
are most efficient
Aerofoil (1)Industrial/mining/petrochemical (1) High efficiencies (85– (1) Extremely high
blades (2) Clean air supply and 90%) labour input to
(3) extraction (2) High volume and manufacture
medium to high pressure
(3) Non-overloading
characteristics

8.1.2 Types of Fans

Majorly we can classify the fans into two types which are:
 Centrifugal fans
 Axial Fans
Any component or system that generates operational heat which can negatively affect its
performance must be cooled. This is one of those simple engineering rules you learned in school and
probably ignored until you were tasked with a real-world thermal management project.

Short of throttling the power in the system, applying some heat sinks, or using pipes or cold plates,
you are going to need a fan to move some air and cool things off. That means a choice of either an
axial fan or a centrifugal fan design. The question is, which design will work best for your needs?
This blog aims to help. Shop CUI Devices' full range of ac fans and dc fans.
8.1.2.1 Axial Fans
An axial fan has a motor-driven rotating shaft (axis) on which are mounted skewed blades that pull
air in and force it out in a direction parallel to the shaft. Axial fans are sometimes called propeller
fans. You may also hear the terms tubeaxial or vaneaxial fans. These are simply axial fans made to fit
in a duct.
Axial fans effectively and efficiently move high volumes of air to cool objects or ventilate spaces.
They are available in almost any size from board level to room size, and they do not require a lot of
power to operate, depending on size. They also come in both ac and dc models. Ac powered fans are
usually rated above 100 volts and use line current. Dc powered fan voltages can be much lower (3, 5,
12, 24, or 48 Vdc) but are typically driven by a power supply or batteries.
The airflow that axial fans deliver, however, is low pressure. This combination of low pressure with
high volume airflow is ideal for cooling equipment and spaces as the airflow is evenly distributed in
a defined area.
Common Applications for Axial Fans
Axial fans move large volumes of air effectively and efficiently and are commonly used to cool both
small and large spaces. They can cool electronic equipment or computer rooms. They can be used in
HVAC operations, in ac condensers, heat exchange units, or for spot cooling in industrial systems.
Axial fans can also operate as exhaust fans.

8.1.2.2 Centrifugal Fans

Centrifugal fans are sometimes called radial fans or centrifugal blowers. They have a motor driven
hub which contains impellers that throw off air into the fan housing that is then directed to an outlet.
Centrifugal fans discharge air at a 90-degree angle (perpendicular) to the air intake.
Centrifugal fans essentially pressurize air within the blower housing. They produce a steady, high-
pressure stream of air in comparison to axial fans, but they move lesser volumes of air. They are
available with either forward or backward curved impellers for either blowing or suction. Centrifugal
fans expel air from a cowl, which allows them to target a specific area, making them better for
cooling a particular part of an electronics application that generates more heat, such as a power FET,
DSP, or FPGA. As with axial fans, they also come in both ac and dc powered models, depending on
application, but centrifugal fans typically require more power to operate than axial fans. Both
centrifugal blowers and axial fans produce audible and electromagnetic noise, but centrifugal models
are somewhat louder than axial ones. Since both fan designs use motors, EMI effects of either can
impact system performance in sensitive applications.
Like axial fans, centrifugal blowers are also available in many different sizes, speeds, and footprints.
Their design, with an enclosure surrounding the moving parts, is reliable, durable, and quite difficult
to damage.
The combination of high pressure with low volume air delivery makes centrifugal fans perfect for
moving air through a concentrated area like ductwork or pipes, or for exhaust or ventilation uses.
Common Applications for Centrifugal Fans
Given the reliability and durability of their design, centrifugal fans can operate well in many
applications that function in harsh and dirty environments with particulates, hot air, and gasses. Since
they are typically used with ductwork or piping, they work well in air conditioning or drying
systems, even at the smaller system level. For electronics, centrifugal fans are frequently found in
small devices such as laptops because of how the air is expelled at 90 degrees from the intake,
leading to higher directionality.
8.1.3 Comparison of Axial and Centrifugal Fan
Thermal management considerations for systems that generate heat, particularly ones that are
electronic in nature, should be reviewed early in the design stage. This is consistent with both time
and cost saving initiatives that seek to avoid re-designs. It can also be particularly useful to
accommodate thermal considerations due to planned component improvements throughout the
lifecycle of a product or system that may generate additional heat.[2]
Employing either an axial fan or centrifugal fan as a cooling solution can depend on several factors,
based on the pros and cons of each fan design and what your system requires. Here is a quick
summary of their main characteristics:
Axial Fans Centrifugal Fans
 High Pressure/Low Volume
 High Volume/Low Pressure
 Airflow perpendicular to axis
 Airflow parallel to axis
 Lower operating speed than axial
 Higher operating speed than centrifugal
 Better for specific directed cooling
 Compact designs
 Typically uses more power than axial
 Lower power usage than centrifugal
 More audible noise than axial
 Less audible noise than centrifugal
 Durable and resistant to harsh
 Typically, less expensive than centrifugal
environments

8.1.4 Correct Fan Selection

8.1.4.1 Consider Thermal Analysis
How much heat is the system estimated to generate? How many cubic feet per minute (CFMs) of air
will need to be moved by a cooling fan to reach and maintain a proper, functional operating
temperature?
Thermal resistance, surface temperatures of mechanisms within a unit, the temperature of fluids
within an apparatus and their expansion potentials and failing point of materials are all focal points
when deciding on the proper cooling fan.
When conducting thermal analysis, the temperature source should be accounted for typical and
worst-case scenarios. Once this is determined, an effective air–flow requirement can be established.

8.1.4.2 Determine the System Impedance

As air is taken into and exhausted from a cooling fan and therefore removed from equipment, a
cooling system will lose air pressure. System Impedance is simply the sum of pressure drop
throughout a system.
The more air paths—e.g. the more exhaust venting, intake valves, and overall system length and
complexity within a cooling system—the greater the margin of error for controlling system
impedance rises. Determining overall capacity and integrity of a cooling fan and connected systems
will further enable efficient determinations of static pressure and needed ventilation can be
established.
8.1.4.3 Determine if you actually need a fan, or if a blower makes more sense
Air flow and pressure dynamics are the biggest considerable differences between choosing a fan or
blower system. Blowers operate against a high-pressure gradient and deliver air flow perpendicular
to the blower axis.
In contrast, fans work against low pressure environments and produce high air flow rates parallel to
their fan blade axis. Blowers create much higher air pressures and are generally much louder than
fans. Blowers can be gear–driven air pumps and are most effective when dealing with a disparity of
air pressure in an application.
Whether a fan is oriented centrifugally or axially is also a concern when choosing the proper cooling
fan motor.
Centrifugal fans produce markedly higher air pressures and can handle more hostile operating
conditions such as extreme heat or dryness. Physical strains placed upon units by virtue of their
design, though, such as vortices or tip leakage flow can be problematic.
Axial fans, those which work like an airplane propeller, create an aerodynamic lift which pressurizes
air. Although these fans are usually cheaper, smaller, and lighter than their centrifugal counterparts,
they typically are noisier and can generate considerable vibrations which can be costly to manage.
These vibrations could additionally add strain to the operation of the unit.

8.1.4.4 Consider the performance curve

The characteristics of each fan are represented graphically as performance curves. Curves can be
developed for a number of conditions, including fan volume, system static pressure, fan speed, and
brake-horsepower.
The intersection of the system curve with the static pressure curve is called the operating point.
Power requirements are determined by plotting the operating point to the power curve. A fan’s
performance curve should match the proposed operating point, so that the fan will sufficiently cool
your system.

8.1.4.5 Choose a fan that fits your design

The last step is the easiest: choose a fan with the right size, weight, and design so that it can be
integrated into your system.[3]
Knowing if your application requires high volumes of airflow but low pressure or high pressure and
low volumes is just one of the questions that need to be answered in order to determine the correct
industrial fan selection.
It is important to also take into consideration factors such as:
 Density of the air to be moved.
 Air temperature.
 Humidity.
When determining the pressure required it is important to consider system restrictions. For example,
additional pressure may be required to achieve flow across a filter, or to compensate for a pressure
drop due to length, size and complexity of ducting.
All ducting will have an effect on the air passing through a system and this will nearly always take
the form of a restriction to the flow and therefore have an influence on pressure requirements.
At the earliest stage in the design process the ducting should be carefully evaluated and made as
efficient as possible. This will reflect beneficially on the final design in the overall cost, the
compactness of the fan and the running costs.
In reality, there are many factors that impact upon fan specification and applications that demand
particular air movement characteristics for cooling, exhausting, aerating, ventilating and drying
should undergo a ‘system resistance’ assessment. Only by evaluating all the impacting factors (flow
resistance, power units, size, space envelope) is it possible to ensure maximum efficiency and
reliability of both the fan and the equipment involved.[4]

8.1.5 Flow Rate and Differential Pressure

In determining a piping system, the flow rate is related to the square root of the pressure differential.
The higher the pressure difference, the higher the flow rate. If there is a regulating valve in the piping
system (artificial pressure loss). That is, the effective differential pressure decreases, and the flow
rate becomes correspondingly smaller. The pipeline pressure loss value will also be smaller.[5]
Flow rate is a critical parameter for monitoring and controlling the operational conditions in a variety
of industries, laboratories and utility services. It can be linked to asset management, keeping the fluid
in motion or even simple tank balancing. In fact, some applications require conducting accurate flow
rate measurements to maintain product quality and ensure the health and safety of workers around
the tank facility as inaccurate flow rate measurements or failing to take such measurements can cause
serious or disastrous results. Hence, to measure flow rate accurately and effectively in
incompressible fluids such as water, differential pressure transducers are commonly used.

A differential pressure transducer acquires the differential pressure of a closed system by calculating
the difference of applied force at two measurement points against pre-defined application parameters.
As in the case of a water pipe, a differential pressure flowmeter such as an orifice plate is used,
which introduces a constriction in the pipe to create a pressure drop across the flowmeter. The orifice
plate is simply installed in the pipe between the flanges. As the fluid passes through this plate, a
pressure drop is developed across the orifice plate that routes from the upstream side to the
downstream side. As shown in the figure below, the orifice is installed in the water pipe in such a
way that the upstream side of the orifice, which will have the higher pressure, is connected through a
three-valve manifold to the + port of the pressure transducer. Similarly, the downstream portion of
the orifice is connected to the – port. The three-valve manifold protects the pressure sensor from
overpressure which can be inflicted during installation.[6]
8.2 Literature Review
8.2.1 Analytical Literature Review
Stress analysis of fan impeller by experimental and finite element method has shown that, the stress
pattern in impeller components is highly complex. The stresses in the impeller components can be
reduced, by using the stiffening rings on the blades. In this paper, experimental and finite element
approaches have been discussed to study the stresses in centrifugal fan impeller. The flow of
centrifugal fan has been also determined by using the set-up as per AMCA and NAFM guidelines.
The effect of the stiffening rings on the stresses, noise and fluid flow has been also investigated and
discussed.

According to First Law of Thermodynamics:

( )
2
v
−W s=d + gdz +∫ vdp+ F
2

Mechanical Change in Change in

Shaft Work K.E of fluid P.E of fluid

dp P 2−P1
Change in P.E =
ρ
or
ρ
P2 = Discharge Outlet
P1 = Fan inlet
2 2
(v¿ ¿2 −v 1 )
W a= ρ+(P 2−P1)¿
2

ρ remains constant for incompressible flow.

Air velocity Calculation:

 C d π d × √2 ρ P o
2
Qv =
4ρ
 Inlet velocity:
Qv
v 1=
A1
r 1=50 mm
 Outlet velocity:
Qv
v 2=
A2
r 1=37.5 mm

The impeller with and without stiffening ring is analyzed for stresses using finite element method.
Initially, the self-developed program is used for the analysis. The program is coded in FORTRAN.
The program uses triangular shell element with 6 degrees of freedom per node (three translations and
rotations about x-, y- and z-axis). This element is based on the classical Kirchhoff’s plate theory. The
element has bending and membrane capability. The program uses the skyline solver with variable
bandwidth for the solution of equations. The program also has the capability to analyse the cyclic
symmetric structures like impellers, by analyzing only one repeatable sector of the whole structure.
The program has been tested on known problems. The element used in the program is actually a non-
conforming element. Hence, it is seen that, for convergence and acceptable results finer mesh is
required. It is also very laborious to create FE model and to interpret the results, which are in the
form of large output data.[7]

8.2.2 Modeling and Simulation

In the present work, a model design of a centrifugal fan (MD1) is referred from a case study which is
designed for an industrial requirement of volume flow rate 7 m3/s at a total pressure of 2000 Pa at the
outlet of fan while the impeller is rotating at 1500 revolutions per minute (RPM) referring to the
theoretical concepts from standard fan handbooks and research articles. The dimensions of the
impeller are calculated theoretically. The design of the spiral casing is done using the three-point
method mentioned by Bleier. The geometric similarity concept is used in determining the percentage
of wheel diameter (d2) to be considered for constructing three different radii arcs around the impeller
to form a casing. An inlet cone is designed such that the outlet area of the inlet cone should be larger
than the inlet entry area of the impeller so that, flow will accelerate while entering the impeller.
CFD is a numerical technique that is used to solve fluid flow problems by converting the governing
differential equations which are derived from basic laws which govern the fluid flow into a system of
algebraic equations. The fluid flow domain is discretized into several subdomains which are known
as control volumes and each subdomain is represented by a set of discrete points known as nodes or
grid points.
In this present work, the geometry is imported into Ansys-Space Claim for creating a fluid domain
which is airtight and it is imported into Ansys Meshing Module. The meshing of the fluid domain is
done with tetrahedral prism mesh as shown in fig. which is an unstructured mesh. Method of
meshing is chosen as automatic so that complex geometries like impeller and casing will be meshed
with tetrahedrons and simple geometries like inlet cone will get structured mesh. Based on the
complexity of geometry, very fine mesh is given to blade surfaces and coarse mesh is given to the
inlet cone. The element sizes for different parts of centrifugal fan are tabulated.
8.2.3 Experimentation
Many previous researches have concentrated on the noise of backward-curved (BC) blades and
forward-curved (FC) multi-blade centrifugal fans. In this paper, an experimental study has been
carried out to study the noise reduction of an industrial FC blades centrifugal fan. First of all, the
performance and noise characteristics of the FC centrifugal fan were tested to compare the
similarities and differences from those of BC blades and FC multi-blade centrifugal fans. And then,
some different volute geometric configurations were carried out in order to study the effects of
inclined volute tongue, impeller blade-tongue clearance, hub-volute clearance and their coupling
effect to the performance and noise of the FC blades centrifugal fan. The aim of many different
experimental tests is to validate whether the effects of different modifications to fan performance and
noise are additive and to find a good impeller-volute matching to reduce the centrifugal fan noise
without reducing performance. The experimental results show that a good coupled modification not
only could reduce the fan noise but also could advance the fan performance and extend the operating
range.
The experimental measurement has been carried out in a hemi-anechoic chamber of the National
Engineering Center of Fluid Machinery and Compressor, at Xi’an Jiaotong University. The useful
size of the hemi-anechoic chamber is 6.1 m long by 2.8 m wide by 3.6 m high. The inside surfaces
are all lined with mineral wool wedges that are 59 cm deep, which has a good absorption
characteristic at frequency above 150 Hz.

Background noise
Fig. shows a typical linear SPL spectrum of the background noise in the hemi-anechoic chamber, as
well as overall linear and A-weighted SPLs. The overall linear SPL of background noise is typically
around 24 ± 2 dB. Noise in the low frequency strongly dominates the SPL spectrum, mainly due to
building-services and vibration noise. SPLs in the high frequencies are generally below 4 dB, and the
overall SPL of background noise is much lower than the fan noise level.
Original fan performance curve and noise
Fig. shows the original fan total pressure and efficiency against volume flow rate. Q0 = 50.8 m3/min
refers to the volume flow rate at best efficiency point (BEP) and Q1 = 28.8 m3/min refers to the
volume flow rate at highest total pressure point. Qmin = 14.3 m3/min refers to the minimum volume
flow rate and Qmax = 67.5 m3/min refers to the maximum volume flow rate. The centrifugal fan runs
under part loading operating condition when the volume flow rate is lower than Q1. Unstable flow
can occur during these conditions, at which the rotating stall associating with flow separation on the
suction surface of impeller blades could result in the centrifugal fan performance decreasing and

noise increasing.[7]

8.3 Methodology
8.3.1 Experimental Setup
 Centrifugal fan demonstration unit
 Interface device
8.3.2 Procedure
 The software should be on the PC that is used for the experiment and demonstration.
 Check that the IFD7 is positioned beside the FM41, and the power and sensor cables from the
FM41 are connected to the front IFD7 sockets.
 Check that the IFD7 is connected to the suitable main supply, as indicated on the rear of the
device or on the main lead supplied of the device.
 Check that the IFD7 is connected to the PC using the USB cable supplied.
 Switch on the main power to the IFD7. Switch on the power switch on the front of the IFD7.
The PC should be on and the FM41 software should be running.

8.4 Observations and Calculations

Orifice Diff. Fan Diff. Motor Discharge

Fan Setting Fan Speed Inlet Temp. Density of
Pressure Pressure Torque Coefficient
S N T air
P0 Pf T Cd

o
% Rpm C kPa kPa Nm Kg/m3

90 2700 31.4 -0.232 -0.045 0.12 0.596 1.137

90 2700 32.4 -0.181 -0.028 0.08 0.596 1.132
90 2700 33.8 -0.133 -0.011 0.06 0.596 1.126
90 2700 31.5 -0.057 0.000 0.00 0.596 1.136
90 2700 34.4 -0.001 -0.002 0.01 0.596 1.123

Fan Inlet Outlet Fan Total Predicted

Fan Power Overall Predicted
Discharge Velocity Velocity Pressure Total
Output Efficiency Discharge
Q Vin Vout Pressure

L/s m/s m/s kPa W % L/s Pa

53.209 7.51 13.83 0.03 1.67 5.025 35.47 0.014

47.082 6.64 12.23 0.03 1.47 6.746 31.38 0.014
40.446 5.71 10.51 0.03 1.33 7.256 26.96 0.015
26.360 3.72 6.85 0.02 0.50 56.21 17.57 0.008
4.245 0.60 1.10 0.00 0.01 0.433 2.83 0.001

8.5 Result and Discussion

8.6 Conclusion
8.7 References

1. Yu, J. Centrifugal Fan. 2011; Available from:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/centrifugal-fan#:~:text=1%20Centrifugal
%20fans-,Centrifugal%20fans%20consist%20of%20an%20impeller%20in%20a%20casing
%20having,direction%20(or%20radial%20direction).
2. Smoot, R. Axial Fans vs. Centrifugal Fans. Available from:
https://www.cuidevices.com/blog/axial-fans-vs-centrifugal-fans-what-is-the-difference.
3. Pelonis, S. Choosing The Right Fan Feb 25, 2014; Available from:
https://www.pelonistechnologies.com/blog/5-steps-to-choosing-a-fan.
4. GUIDE TO INDUSTRIAL FAN SELECTION. Jan 28, 2015; Available from:
https://www.aircontrolindustries.com/technical-us/industrial-fan-selection-guide/.
5. Flow rate and differential pressure. 2022-05-10; Available from:
https://apureinstrument.com/blogs/relation-between-flow-and-pressure/#:~:text=meter%20for
%20irrigation-,Flow%20rate%20and%20differential%20pressure%3F,system%20(artificial
%20pressure%20loss).
6. HOW TO MEASURE FLOW RATE IN LIQUIDS USING DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
TRANSDUCERS. Available from: https://www.bestech.com.au/blogs/how-to-measure-flow-
rate-in-liquids-using-differential-pressure-transducers/.
7. Bhope, D., P.M.J.M. Padole, and M. Theory, Experimental and theoretical analysis of
stresses, noise and flow in centrifugal fan impeller. 2004. 39(12): p. 1257-1271.
8. Ch, S.V., K. Anantharaman, and G.J.M.T.P. Rajasekaran, Effect of blade number on the
performance of centrifugal fan. 2023. 72: p. 1143-1152.