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Article
Publication date: 23 February 2015

Manoj Kumar Chaudhary and Anindita Roy

A small wind turbine blade was designed and optimized in this research paper. The blade plays an important role, because it is the most important part of the energy absorption…

Abstract

A small wind turbine blade was designed and optimized in this research paper. The blade plays an important role, because it is the most important part of the energy absorption system. Consequently, the blade has to be designed carefully to enable to absorb energy with its greatest efficiency. The main objective of this paper is to optimized blade number and selection of tip speed ratio corresponding to the solidity. The power performance of small horizontal axis wind turbines was simulated in detail using blade element momentum methods (BEM). In this paper for wind blade design various factors such as tip loss, hub loss, drag coefficient, and wake were considered. The design process includes the selection of the wind turbine type and the determination of the blade airfoil, twist angle distribution along the radius, and chord length distribution along the radius. A parametric study that will determine if the optimized values of blade twist angle and chord length create the most efficient blade geometry. The 3-bladed, 5-bladed and 7-bladed rotor achieved maximum values of Cp 0.46, 0.5 and 0.48 at the tip speed ratio 7, 5 and 4 respectively. It was observed that using BEM theory, maximum Cp varied with strongly solidity and weakly with the blade number. The studies showed that the power coefficient increases upto blade number B = 5, while the blade number if increased above 5 then the power coefficient decreases at operating pitch angle equal to 3°. Highest Cp would have solidity between 4% to 6% for number of blade 3 and design point tip speed ratio of about "7". Highest Cp would have solidity ranging from 5% to 10% for number of blade 5 and 7 and design point tip speed ratio of about 5 and 4 respectively.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1971

Y.R. REDDY and M.S. KONNUR

A BLOWER is a rotodynamic machine converting the mechanical energy into fluid energy. Its performance represents the combination of performance of all the components. In the…

Abstract

A BLOWER is a rotodynamic machine converting the mechanical energy into fluid energy. Its performance represents the combination of performance of all the components. In the present study the number of blades has been chosen as a variable, keeping the rest of the system same. Earlier work done by Kearton showed that 16 bladed impeller out of the 4 impellers studied by him gave good overall performance. Theoretical considerations of Stodola, Busemann and Pfleiderer indicated that the blade exit angle and the number of blades controlled the unit's performance. Recently Bommes carried out extensive experiments on blowers by varying both the blade exit angle and the number of blades. When Pfleiderer's method was used to predict the number of blades, the predictions were not in agreement with the experiments. In this a theoretical equation has been developed which agrees well with the experimental results.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 43 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1953

D.G. Ainley

A comprehensive series of tests have been made on an experimental single‐stage turbine to determine the cooling characteristics and the overall stage performance of a set of…

Abstract

A comprehensive series of tests have been made on an experimental single‐stage turbine to determine the cooling characteristics and the overall stage performance of a set of air‐cooled turbine blades. These blades, which arc described fully in Part I of this paper had, internally, a multiplicity of passages of small diameter along which cool air was passed through the whole length of the blade. Analysis of the test data indicated that, when a quantity of cooling air amounting to 2 per cent, by weight, of the total gas‐flow through the turbine is fed to the row of rotor blades, an increase in gas temperature of about 270 dcg. C. (518 deg. F.) should be permissible above the maximum allowable value for a row of uncoolcd blades made from the same material. The degree of cooling achieved throughout each blade was far from uniform and large thermal stresses must result. It appears, however, that the consequences of this are not highly detrimental to the performance of the present type of blading, it being demonstrated that the main effect of the induced thermal stress isapparently to transfer the major tensile stresses to the cooler (and hence stronger) regions of the blade. The results obtained from the present investigations do not represent a limit to the potentialities of internal air‐cooling, but form merely a first exploratory step. At the same time the practical feasibility of air cooling is made apparent, and advances up to the present arc undoubtedly encouraging.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 25 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 31 January 2020

Zehba A.S. Raizah

The purpose of this study is to apply the incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics method for simulating the natural convection flow inside a cavity including cross blades…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to apply the incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics method for simulating the natural convection flow inside a cavity including cross blades or circular cylinder cylinder.

Design/methodology/approach

The base fluid is water and copper-water nanofluid is treated as a working fluid. The left and rights walls are maintained at a cool temperature, the horizontal cavity walls are isolated and the inner shape was heated. The physical parameters are the length of the blades L_Blade, the number of cross blades, circular cylinder radius L_R, Rayleigh number Ra and the nanoparticles volume fraction.

Findings

The results reveal that the lengths of the cross blade, number of the blades and radius of the circular cylinder is working as an enhancement factor for heat transfer and fluid flows inside a cavity. Adding nanoparticles augments heat transfer and reduces the fluid flow intensity inside a cavity. The best case for buoyancy-driven flow was obtained when the inner shape is the circular cylinder at a higher Rayleigh number.

Originality/value

This work uses a distinctive numerical method to study the natural convection heat from cross blades inside a cavity filled with nanofluid. It provides a new analysis of this issue and presented good results.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2017

Wenjie Cheng, Boqin Gu and Chunlei Shao

This paper aims to figure out the steady flow status in the molten salt pump under various temperatures and blade number conditions, and give good insight on the structure and…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to figure out the steady flow status in the molten salt pump under various temperatures and blade number conditions, and give good insight on the structure and temperature-dependent efficiencies of all pump cases. Finally, the main objective of present work is to get best working condition and blade numbers for optimized hydraulic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The steady flow in the molten salt pump was studied numerically based on the three-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations and the standard k-ε turbulence model. Under different temperature conditions, the internal flow fields in the pumps with different blade number were systematically simulated. Besides, a quantitative backflow analysis method was proposed for further investigation.

Findings

With the molten salt fluid temperature, sharply increasing from 160°C to 480°C, the static pressure decreases gently in all pump cases, and seven-blades pump has the least backflow under low flow rate condition. The efficiencies of all pump cases increase slowly at low temperature (about 160 to 320°C), but there is almost no variation at high temperature, and obviously seven-blades pump has the best efficiency and head in all pump cases over the wide range of temperatures. The seven-blades pump has the best performance in all selected pump cases.

Originality/value

The steady flow in molten salt pumps was systematically studied under various temperature and blade number conditions for the first time. A quantitative backflow analysis method was proposed first for further investigation on the local flow status in the molten salt pump. A definition about the low velocity region in molten salt pumps was built up to account for whether the studied pump gains most energy. This method can help us to know how to improve the efficiencies of molten salt pumps.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 27 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 1953

J. Reeman and R.W.A. Buswell

To facilitate future development of the cooled gas‐turbine, more test information is needed on the effectiveness of cooling in an actual turbine operating at high…

Abstract

To facilitate future development of the cooled gas‐turbine, more test information is needed on the effectiveness of cooling in an actual turbine operating at high gas‐temperatures. Part I of this paper deals with some design aspects of a single‐stage experimental turbine built to enable an experimental investigation to be carried out on the air cooling of nozzles and blades. The turbine, built for operation at high gas‐temperatures, was fitted with internally air‐cooled blades having a large number of small cooling passages running the whole length of the blades. A description is given of the pressed powder technique used to introduce the small passages in blocks of heat‐resisting material from which the blades could be machined. Mention is made of some of the difficulties encountered in this method of manufacture and also of the need for careful consideration of suitable methods of disposal of the cooling air when internally cooled nozzles and blades of this form are used.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 25 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2020

Ziqiang Fang, Songlin Peng, Jiangang Yi and Jun Du

The purpose of this paper is to optimize the structure of plough blades in a ploughshare mixer using the discrete element method (DEM) simulations.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to optimize the structure of plough blades in a ploughshare mixer using the discrete element method (DEM) simulations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the validated DEM model, three numerical tests are conducted to determine how the mixing performance evolves as structural parameters of blades change. Results from the analysis provide basis for structure optimization of blades. The structural parameters include sweep angle of blade γ, regular axial pitch p and regular circumferential angular offset α. The parameters to evaluate mixing performance include mass flow rate and Lacey index.

Findings

The DEM results show that the mixing performance at γ of 35° is better than 15°, 25° and 45°. The mixer which has a p of less than or equal to 1.11 · b is more efficient than the mixer which has a p greater than 1.11 · b, where b is tail width of blade. The circumferential symmetric distribution of blades (α = 180°) is more beneficial to improve the mixing performance in comparison with the circumferential asymmetric distribution (α < 180°). Based on the results, an optimized mixer with a γ of 35°, a p of 0.61 · b and an α of 180° is proposed, which has a better mixing performance compared to all mixers listed.

Originality/value

The structural parameters of blades, including γ, p and α, are found to be critical for good mixing. From the view angle of structure optimization of plough blades, a new ploughshare mixer with a γ of 35°, a p of 0.61 · b and an α of 180° is investigated and recommended for improving mixing efficiency.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 37 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 May 2019

Mohammadreza Amoozgar and Hossein Shahverdi

This paper aims to develop a new approach for aeroelastic analysis of hingeless rotor blades.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop a new approach for aeroelastic analysis of hingeless rotor blades.

Design/methodology/approach

The aeroelastic approach developed here is based on the geometrically exact fully intrinsic beam equations and three-dimensional unsteady aerodynamics.

Findings

The developed approach is accurate, fast and very useful in rotorcraft aeroelastic analysis.

Originality/value

This beam formulation has been never combined with three-dimensional aerodynamic model to be used for aeroelastic analysis of blades. In addition, it is possible to handle the composite blades, as well as blades with initial curvatures and twist with this proposed formulation.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 91 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 December 2020

Xing Xie, Zhenlin Li, Baoshan Zhu and Hong Wang

This study aims to complete the optimization design of a centrifugal impeller with both high aerodynamic efficiency and good structural machinability.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to complete the optimization design of a centrifugal impeller with both high aerodynamic efficiency and good structural machinability.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the design parameters were derived from the blade loading distribution and the meridional geometry in the impeller three-dimensional (3D) inverse design. The blade wrap angle at the middle span surface and the spanwise averaged blade angle at the blade leading edge obtained from inverse design were chosen as the machinability objectives. The aerodynamic efficiency obtained by computational fluid dynamics was selected as the aerodynamic performance objective. Then, using multi-objective optimization with the optimal Latin hypercube method, quadratic response surface methodology and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, the trade-off optimum impellers with small blade wrap angles, large blade angles and high aerodynamic efficiency were obtained. Finally, computational fluid dynamics and computer-aided manufacturing were performed to verify the aerodynamic performance and structural machinability of the optimum impellers.

Findings

Providing the fore maximum blade loading distribution at both the hub and shroud for the 3D inverse design helped to promote the structural machinability of the designed impeller. A straighter hub coupled with a more curved shroud also facilitated improvement of the impeller’s structural machinability. The preferred impeller was designed by providing both the fore maximum blade loading distribution at a relatively straight hub and a curved shroud for 3D inverse design.

Originality/value

The machining difficulties of the designed high-efficiency impeller can be reduced by reducing blade wrap angle and enlarging blade angle at the beginning of impeller design. It is of practical value in engineering by avoiding the follow-up failure for the machining of the designed impeller.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 38 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 July 2006

B.O. Al‐Bedoor, S. Aedwesi and Y. Al‐Nassar

The purpose of this paper is to validate mathematically the feasibility of extracting the rotating blades vibration condition from the shaft torsional vibration measurement.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to validate mathematically the feasibility of extracting the rotating blades vibration condition from the shaft torsional vibration measurement.

Design/methodology/approach

A mathematical model is developed and simulated for extracting rotating blades vibration signatures from the shaft torsional vibration signals. The model simulates n‐blades attached to a rigid disk at setting angles and the shaft drives the disk is flexible in torsion. The model is developed using the multi‐body dynamics approach in conjunction with the Lagrangian dynamics. A three‐blade rotor system example is simulated for blades free and forced vibration under stationary and rotating conditions. Frequency spectrums for the shaft torsional and blades bending vibration are represented and studied for analysis verification purposes.

Findings

The torsional vibration frequency spectrums showed blades free and forced vibration signatures. The blade setting angle is shown to reduce the sensitivity of torsional vibration signal to blades vibration signatures as it increases. The torsional vibration signals captured the variation in blades properties and produced broadband frequency components for mistuned system. The shaft torsional rigidity is shown to reduce the sensitivity of torsional vibration signal to blades vibration if increased to extremely high values (approaching rigid shaft). The rotor inertia is shown to have less effect on the torsional vibration signals sensitivity. The method of torsional vibration as a tool for rotating blades vibration measurement, based on the proposed mathematical model and its simulation, is feasible.

Practical implications

There is a growing need for reliable predictive maintenance programs that in turn requires continuous development in methods for machinery health monitoring through vibration data collection and analysis. Turbo machinery and bladed assemblies like fans, marine propellers and wind turbine systems usually suffer from the problem of blades high vibration that is difficult to measure. The proposed new method for blades vibration measurement depends on the shaft torsional vibration signals and can be used also for verifying the signals from other types of bearings sensors for possible blades vibration condition monitoring.

Originality/value

This paper presents a unique mathematical model and simulation results for the rotating blades vibration monitoring. The developed model can be simulated for studying coupled blades vibration problems in the design stage as well as for condition monitoring in maintenance applications.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

Keywords

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