Optimization of the dynamic-acoustic behaviour in heat pump axial fans

• Autor(a) principal: Guimarães, Bernardo Filipe Valente
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/29121
• topic: Aeroacoustics; Axial Fan Noise; Heat Pump; Dimples; Finlets; Boundary; Layer separation; Flexible trailing edge

The aim of this investigation is the aeroacoustic analysis of the boundary layer separation noise and trailing edge noise in a heat pump axial fan, using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Fluid Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) and Computational Aeroacoustics (CAA). The Broadband Noise Source (BNS) model and Transition SST turbulence model, implemented in Fluent 19.0, were used to study the boundary layer noise component of the three noise reduction features in steady-state and transient simulations. The objectives of this study were divided into two main parts: the analysis and optimization of golf ball dimples to control the the boundary layer separation on fan blade and the study regarding the application of two features from the "silent" flight of the owl on the fan, the finlets and the flexible trailing edge. The parametric optimization on dimples showed a 15,1% shift in boundary layer separation. This optimized pattern when applied to the suction side of the fan blade shifting the boundary layer separation which promotes the inhibition of the vortex generated at the junction of the blade with the hub resulting in a reduction of up to 0,8 dB under normal fan operating conditions. It was also found that dimples have a greater influence on operating conditions under an airflow less than 1500 m3/h, showing a shift in the stall resulting in an increase of the fan efficiency by 1,9% and a decrease in the boundary layer noise of 2,9 dB. On the second part of the work it was found that a fan with finlets presented a reduction of 0,3 dB at 300 rpm, although the results showed an increase in noise and a decrease in efficiency for higher rpm than those for which the finlets were optimized. The study of an flexible trailing edge showed a decrease in the thickness of the turbulence generated by the boundary layer. This, due to the downward movement of the flexible trailing edge that decreases the pressure mismatch between the suction surface and the pressure surface and the decrease of the angle of attack caused by its upward movement. Experimental measurements of an dimpled fan prototype, conducted in a hemi-anechoic chamber showed noise improvements in the order of 0,5 dB(A), the results suggested that for lower velocities than 380 rpm an increase in the fan efficiency is expected. Lastly, an attempt was made to induce stall in the fan through the obstruction of the heat pump evaporator. This investigation identified that for an airflow of 1700 m3/h at 535 rpm the original fan enters in a light stall condition while the dimpled fan prototype maintains its normal operating conditions, resulting in a reduction of 0,9 dB(A).