Axial Fan Design and Simulation

This report presents a comprehensive axial fan analysis using TCAE simulation software.

Keywords
CFD, FEA, FSI, TCAE, TMESH, TCFD, TFEA, SIMULATION, AXIAL FAN, RADIAL FAN,
TURBOMACHINERY, INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW, DEFORMATION, DISPLACEMENT, STRESS, MODAL
ANALYSIS, INCOMPRESSIBLE, RANS, AIRFLOW, STEADY-STATE, AUTOMATION, WORKFLOW

Benchmark Parameters
● Fan speed: 3000 RPM ● Impeller material: steel
● Flow model: incompressible ● Material density: 7800 kg/m3
● CFD Mesh size: 0.6M cells ● Material structure: isotropic
● Medium: air ● Young modulus: 2.1E11 Pa
● Dynamic viscosity: 1.8 × 10-5 Pa⋅s ● Poisson ratio: 0.3
● Air density: 1.2 kg/m3
● Simulation type: Fan
● Turbulence intensity: 5% ● FEA Mesh size: 84k cells
● Turb. Model: k-omega SST ● Total CPU Time: 1.5 core.hours/point

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Axial Fan - Introduction

This study shows a complex step-by-step analysis of an axial fan from its design to an advanced
CFD & FEA simulation, including FSI and modal analysis. The simulation software used for this
analysis is TCAE - a comprehensive simulation environment based on open-source. This
particular axial fan which is used in this example is completely artificial, however, it was derived
from a real existing fan, for which the comparison of the CFD and FEA results with
measurement has been made. The goal of this study is to show in detail how to make a
comprehensive analysis of the basic axial fan characteristics: efficiency, phi-psi, torque, power,
pressure, stress, displacement, modal analysis, and many more.

Axial Fan - Design

A typical input for a detailed simulation analysis is a watertight (wet) surface model in form of
STL surface. For CFD simulation, it is needed to have a closed watertight model (sometimes
called waterproof, or model negative, or wet surface) of the fan inner parts where the air
flows. For FEA simulation, it is needed to have a closed surface model of solid of the impeller
in form of a single one STL surface.

In general, there are multiple ways how the axial fan model can be created. The CAD model of
the axial fan can be generally created in any CAD software manually or in an automated way
via parametric model. Or, engineers can use a special dedicated software for turbomachinery
design like for example CFturbo, Concepts NREC, or TURBOdesign Suite and create the CAD
model and export STL surface. Alternatively, the surface model of a axial fan can be created in
an open-source software like Salome, FreeCAD, or OpenCascade. In any case, a axial fan can
be described with the help of a set of parameters that describe all the important shapes and
measures of a fan.

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CFDSUPPORT has developed a special geometry builder for axial fans, based on Salome,
inside the TCAE software module TCAD. This axial fan TCAD geometry builder reads the set of
parameters and creates the CAD geometry in the STEP format, and extracts the STL surface
out of it. STL surface is needed for the CFD & FEA simulation.

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For example, according to the sketch, consider the following axial fan rotor (impeller)
parameters:

● axis = "x" ● axis_pt=[0,0,0]

● flow_direction = [1, 0, 0] ● rot_angle = 12
● flange = True ● n = 16
● CFD_domain = True ● flange_center = [0.0, 0.0, 0.150]
● periodicity = True ● Rp = 0.002
● fillet = False ● vp = 0.005
● hubCutIn = False ● Dp = 0.035
● hubCutOut = False ● Hub (-0.15 0 0.150) (0.08 0 0.150)
● onlyCFD = False ● Shroud (-0.15 0 0.270) (0.08 0
● blade_rot = False 0.270)

And following blade points (slices):

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The slices create the blade. Such combination of parameters leads to a complete rotor
(impeller) component CFD domain ready for the simulation:

The rotor and stator components are created in a similar way. The full axial fan geometry
would be following:

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Axial Fan - CFD Preprocessing

At axial machines, the flow field is highly periodic and it is very common to simulate just a
single blade periodic segment of the machine. It is very suitable because it drastically reduces
the simulation time. Axial fans in the early design stage are typically simulated as periodic. In
this case, let's consider a single rotor blade segment (out of 16 blades) with angle 22.5
degrees, and a single stator blade segment (out of 12 blades) with angle 30 degrees.

For CFD simulation it is best to split the axial fan into several waterproof components because
of rotation (some parts are rotating and some parts are not). Each component consists of a
few or multiple STL surfaces. It is smart to split the surface model into multiple surfaces
because it opens a wider range of simulation methods (mesh refinements, manipulation,
boundary conditions, evaluation of results on model parts, ...). This particular axial fan seems
reasonable to be split into two components: Rotor and Stator.

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Axial Fan - CFD Preprocessing

The model topology is always up to the user, there are no limitations on the number of
components or individual surfaces. In any case, the final model for CFD simulation needs to be
split into closed waterproof components. This axial fan is split into two components. First one
is called rotor (this component is rotating). The second one is called stator (this component is
fixed).

Each component consists of individual STL

files. Typically, they are the inlet, the
outlet, and the wall. For example, within a
simplest possible approach, the rotor
component can consist just out of a few
STL surfaces called, for instance:

● rotor-inlet.stl
● rotor-outlet.stl
● rotor-blade.stl
● rotor-periodic-1.stl
● rotor-periodic-2.stl
● rotor-hub.stl
● rotor-shroud.stl

Or, within a detailed approach, the

impeller component can consist out of
the following parts:

● rotor-inlet.stl
● rotor-outlet.stl
● rotor-blade-PS.stl
● rotor-blade-SS.stl
● rotor-blade-LE.stl
● rotor-blade-TE.stl
● rotor-periodic-1.stl
● rotor-periodic-2.stl
● rotor-hub.stl
● Rotor-shroud.stl

Such structure of surface files allows much more possibilities for performing high tech
simulations (mesh refinements, manipulation, boundary conditions, evaluation of results on
model parts, ...). On the other hand, a simple structure if often sufficient and easier for
simulation setup. For more details, see the TCAE documentation. Now the CFD model is ready
for meshing with TMESH using snappyHexMesh open-source application.

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Axial Fan - FEA Preprocessing
For FEA simulation, it is best to create
a simple, single one, closed STL
surface of the axial impeller solid, for
instance: impeller-solid.stl. That has
already been created with the TCAD
geometry builder in the design stage.

Now the model is ready for meshing

with TMESH using NetGen
open-source application.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
The surface model has to be clean.
The principle is always the same: the
watertight surface model has to be
created; all the tiny, irrelevant, and
problematic model parts must be
removed, and all the holes must be
sealed up (the watertight surface model is required).

The preprocessing phase is an extremely important part of the workflow. It sets all the
simulation potential and limits. It should never be underestimated. Mistakes or poor quality
engineering in the preprocessing phase, can be hardly compensated later in the simulation
phase and postprocessing phase. For more details, see the TCAE documentation.

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Axial Fan - CFD Meshing
The computational mesh for CFD is created in an automated software module TMESH, using
the snappyHexMesh open-source application. All the mesh setting is done in the TCAE GUI.

For each model component, a cartesian block mesh is created (box around the model), as an
initial background mesh, that is further refined along with the simulated object. Basic mesh
cell size is a cube defined with the keyword "background mesh size".

The mesh is gradually refined to the model wall. The mesh refinement levels can be easily
changed, to obtain the coarser or finer mesh, to better handle the mesh size. Inflation layers
can be easily handled if needed.

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Axial Fan - FEA Meshing
The computational mesh for FEA is created in an automated software module TMESH, using
the NetGen open-source application. All the mesh settings are done in the TCAE GUI.

The closed STL model is meshed with just a little

effort because there are just a few parameters to

set. The most important parameters for FEA

meshing are "h Max" and "h Min" which mean the

maximal and minimal mesh edge in meters. The

mesh is created with an automated algorithm.

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Axial Fan - CFD Simulation Setup

The CFD simulation is managed with TCAE software module TCFD. Complete CFD simulation
setup and run is done in the TCFD GUI in ParaView. TCFD uses OpenFOAM open-source
application.

● Simulation type: Fan [-] ● Turbulence intensity: 5% [-]

● Time management: steady-state [-] ● Speedlines: 1 [-]
● Physical model: incompressible [-] ● Simulation points: 5 [-]
● Number of components: 2 [-] ● Fluid: air [-]
● Wall roughness: none [-] ● Reference pressure: 1 [atm]
● Physical model: incompressible [-] ● Dynamic viscosity: 1.8×10E-5 [Pa⋅s]
● Speed: 3000 [RPM] ● Air density: 1.2 [kg/m3]
● Outlet: Static pressure 0 [m2/s2] ● CFD CPU Time: 1.5
● Turbulence: RANS [-] [core.hours/point]
● Turbulence model: k-omega SST [-] ● BladeToBlade: on [-]
● Wall treatment: wall functions [-]

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Any project simulated in TCFD has its component graph. The component graph shows how the
components are organized - the model topology. What is the inlet, the outlet and how the
components are connected via interfaces. A simple scheme of the component graph is shown
below. The air flow enters the fan in the component suction via interface suction-inlet and
leaves the fan from component spiral via interface spiral-outlet. This is a typical example of a
very simple linear order of the flow through a combination of three components.

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Axial Fan - FEA Simulation Setup

The FEA simulation is managed with TCAE software module TFEA. Complete FEA simulation
setup and run is done in the TFEA GUI in ParaView. TFEA uses Calculix open-source
application.

● Beam material: steel [-]

● Material density: 7800 [kg/m3]
● Material structure: isotropic [-]
● Young modulus: 2.1E11 [Pa]
● Poisson ratio: 0.3 [-]
● Fixed radius: 100 [mm]
● Finite element order: second [-]
● FEA CPU Time: 0.02 [core.hours/point]

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Axial Fan - TCAE Simulation
The TCAE simulation run is completely automated. The whole workflow can be run by a single
click in the GUI, or the whole process can be run in the batch mode on a background. Modules
used are TCAD, TMESH, TCFD, and TFEA. The simulation is executed in the steady-state mode,
for five volumetric flow rate values of 7.48793, 6.54555, 5.78475, 4.98318, and 4.5046032
m3/s resulting from special "Outlet Vent" boundary condition. TCFD includes a built-in
post-processing module that automatically evaluates all the required quantities, such as
efficiency, torque, forces, force coefficients, flow rates, pressure, velocity, and much more. All
these quantities are evaluated throughout the simulation run, and all the important data is
summarized in an HTML report, which can be updated anytime during the simulation, for
every run. All the simulation data are also saved in tabulated .csv files for further evaluation.
TCFD is capable of writing the results down at any time during the simulation. The
convergence of basic quantities and integral quantities is monitored still during the simulation
run. The geometry was created onetime using TCAD in the preprocessing phase. First, the
TMESH is executed to create the volume meshes for CFD & FEA. Then the CFD simulation is
executed and evaluated. After that, in the FSI step, the pressure field is integrated to create
the force field which is prescribed as a load for the FEA simulation. Finally, the FEA simulation
is executed and evaluated.

All the simulation data are also saved in tabulated .csv files for further evaluation. TCFD is
capable of writing the results down at any time during the simulation. The convergence of
basic quantities and integral quantities is monitored still during the simulation run. The
geometry was created onetime using TCAD in the preprocessing phase. First, the TMESH is
executed to create the volume meshes for CFD & FEA. Then the CFD simulation is executed
and evaluated. After that, in the FSI step, the pressure field is integrated to create the force
field which is prescribed as a load for the FEA simulation. Finally, the FEA simulation is
executed and evaluated.

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Axial Fan - Postprocessing - Integral Results
The simulation results are evaluated automatically. Every simulation run in TCAE has its own
unique simulation report. The integral results both for CFD and FEA are written down in the
following HTML or PDF reports:

CFD Simulation Report - FEA Simulation Report

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Axial Fan - Postprocessing - Volume Fields
All the integral results are stored in the .CSV files and are available for further postprocessing
if needed. The volume fields are postprocessed in open-source visualization tool ParaView.
ParaView provides a wide range of tools and methods for CFD & FEA postprocessing and
results' evaluation. There are available countless useful filters and sources, for example:
Calculator, Contour, CLip, Slice, Threshold, Glyph (Vectors), Streamtraces (Streamlines), and
many others.

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Axial Fan - Postprocessing - Integral Results

Meridional Average
For turbomachinery engineers, it is typically important to see the results, for example, total
pressure or velocity, circumferentially averaged and projected on the meridian plane. This
method is called the Meridional Average. This meridional average projection avoids the holes
(blades) and shows how the total pressure (energy) or velocity are distributed along the
meridian (a 2D interpretation of flow through the fan).

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Blade to Blade
Blade to blade view is a special transformation method that transforms the rotational object
(and the CFD results) into the dimensionless hexahedron of edges 2phi x 1 x 1. The
blade-to-blade view offers a unique perspective for an inspection of the flow between the
blades on a plane at a fixed relative distance between hub and shroud surfaces. Especially,
leading and trailing edges (flow angles) are of the main interest here.

Conclusion
● It has been shown how to make a comprehensive CFD & FEA analysis including FSI of the axial
fan in a single one automated workflow.
● TCAE showed to be a very well suited tool for CFD, FEA, and FSI engineering simulations.
● TCAE showed to be a very effective tool for CFD, FEA, and FSI engineering simulations.
● More information about TCAE can be found on CFD SUPPORT website:
https://www.cfdsupport.com/tcae.html
● Questions will be answered via email [email protected]

References
[1] TCAE Documentation https://www.cfdsupport.com/download-documentation.html
[2] [email protected]

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