Enhancing Efficiency of Industrial Centrifugal Fans Using Blade Adjustment Mechanism

Przemyslaw Moczko, Piotr Odyjas, Damian Pietrusiak, Jędrzej Więckowski, Peter Scholz, Martin Dix, Tomasz Osiecki, Tristan Timmel and Lothar Kroll
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Przemyslaw Moczko: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Machine Design and Research, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Piotr Odyjas: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Machine Design and Research, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Damian Pietrusiak: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Machine Design and Research, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Jędrzej Więckowski: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Machine Design and Research, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Peter Scholz: Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Martin Dix: Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, 09126 Chemnitz, Germany
Tomasz Osiecki: Institute of Lightweight Structures and Polymer Technology, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Tristan Timmel: Institute of Lightweight Structures and Polymer Technology, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany
Lothar Kroll: Institute of Lightweight Structures and Polymer Technology, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: The paper presents research on increasing the efficiency of industrial centrifugal fans, which are the third highest energy-consuming group of devices. This problem is related to the frequent incompatibility of the fan characteristics with the flow conditions of the installation in which they are operated, which lowers efficiency and increases energy consumption. By ensuring high efficiency of these devices, it is possible to significantly reduce the operating costs of such industrial equipment. For this purpose, a unique concept of regulating the flow parameters of centrifugal fans was developed. The scientific basis of this idea is that a relatively small change in the impeller diameter of the fan significantly affects the flow rate and the pressure rise of the fan. Therefore, the idea uses variable length of the impeller blades by dividing them into a fixed and a movable part. It enables adjustment of the length of the blades, which allows extension of the range of effective and efficient operating parameters. On this basis, several technical solutions of the regulation system were developed, which were then tested using simulation and analytical methods. Two material options for the moving part of the blade have also been developed, one made of metallic materials (high-strength steel and aluminum) and the other made of composite materials. The research showed a significant influence of the mass of the movable part of the blade on the load of the control system. Therefore, ultra-light material variants were used for the impeller blades. The flow simulation tests of the new method of adjusting the fan flow parameters confirmed the effectiveness of this solution. As a result, a wider range of highly efficient centrifugal fans equipped with such a control system was obtained.

Keywords: adjustable fan blade; lightweight; efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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