Axial Fan Housing Geometry for Blade-Tip Bypass Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing axial fans in HVAC systems suffer from reduced flow rates and increased power consumption due to wide clearances between blade tips and the housing, leading to inefficient air bypass and noise issues.
Innovation Solution
An axial fan assembly with a housing design that increases the inner diameter of the housing near the blade tips to accommodate longer blades, reducing air bypass and optimizing airflow, thereby enhancing efficiency and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If axial fan blades are fabricated using injection molding process, then manufacturing ease is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates resulting in wide clearance between blade tips and housing
Solution Approach 1:
The housing incorporates an extended inner diameter portion that creates a localized transition zone. This allows the housing to have different effective diameters at different axial positions, providing a local quality change that accommodates the blade tip clearance requirements while maintaining the injection molding manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The housing design changes the geometric parameter of the inner diameter along the axial direction. By creating an extended inner diameter portion with a gradual transition, the patent modifies the spatial parameter of the housing to reduce clearance without changing the blade manufacturing process
2Ease of manufacture
If wide clearance is maintained between blade tips and housing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to reduced flow rate
Solution Approach 1:
The extended inner diameter portion creates a localized region that guides airflow more effectively. This local structural quality change reduces air bypass while maintaining ease of manufacture through the injection molding process
3Ease of manufacture
If wide clearance is maintained between blade tips and housing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but use of energy deteriorates due to increased power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the inner diameter parameter of the housing along the axial direction, the patent creates an optimized flow path that reduces energy loss from air bypass, thereby decreasing power consumption while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
4Productivity
If axial fan is used in HVAC system, then productivity is improved through air movement, but object-generated harmful factors worsen due to noise production
Solution Approach 1:
The extended inner diameter portion modifies the airflow parameters by reducing turbulence and bypass flow. This parameter change leads to smoother airflow and reduced noise generation while maintaining effective air movement for HVAC productivity
Data Source
AI summary
An axial fan assembly for use with an HVAC system, including an axial fan and a housing. The axial fan includes a hub and one or more blades extending a blade length out to a blade tip. The hub is configured to rotate the blade tip of each of the one or more blades along a rotational travel path. The housing includes an inner surface radially outwards of the rotational travel path of the blade tip of the one or more blades, the inner surface having an inner diameter, and a housing portion proximate the rotational travel path of the blade tip of the one or more blades, the inner surface within the housing portion having an extended inner diameter to accommodate the blade length of the one or more blades and reduce a flow of air bypassing the one or more blades.