The 14th IFToMM World Congress, Taipei, Taiwan, October 25-30, 2015
DOI Number: 10.6567/IFToMM.14TH.WC.PS2.003
In Line Fan Performance Improvement
Ying-Che Weng1
Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan
YCWeng@itri.org.tw
Abstract: This article numerically investigates the in line fan
performance for gas transportation. The in line fan consists of a
mix-flow fan, a front cover, a motor cover, a back cover and
outlet guide vanes (OGV). The model of the in line fan has been
simulated in ANSYS-Fluent to validate the flow fields. The
optimization parameters include the blade shape of mix-flow fan
and OGV, the number of the impeller blade and OGV. The
computational fluid dynamics results have been successfully
used to optimize the in line fan flow fields for improving the
flow rate, and the pressure.
Keywords: in line fan, OGV, performance
1 Introduction
The type of fan can divide into centrifugal, axial,
transverse and mix-flow fan from flow through the
impeller direction. The mix-flow fan has higher flow rate
than centrifugal fan and larger pressure than axial fan in
pipe system. This article uses a computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) software package to investigate the 3-D
flow field inside the in line fan.
Fig. 1 displays the in line fan is composed of a mix-
flow fan, a front cover, a motor cover, a back cover and
outlet guide vanes (OGV).
Mix-flow fan
OGV
Front
cover Motor cover Back
cover
Fig. 1. The in line fan 3-D model
Many papers have used CFD simulation to study the
performance of the fan. Different types of the fan cover
and guider caused the flow field uniformity [1]. Wang et
al. (2657-2660) applied the Fluent to simulate the
diagonal flow fan and validated the main factors
influencing the fan performance are the guide vanes and
the diffuser section [2]. Wang et al. (356-360) adopted
computational and experimental results to analyze the
flow field in mix-flow fan. The results indicated that the
flow separated obviously in 80~90% design point [3].
Shiomi et al. (337-344) experimentally observed the
rotating stall is the main problem at Ns=1620 of mix-flow
fan [4]. Fukano et al. (2657-2660) measured the tip
Hung-Cheng Yen1
BRIANYEN@itri.org.tw
clearance performance between mix-flow fan and housing.
The results show that the noise reduces with smaller
clearance [5].
The present article numerically investigates the in line
fan performance. The article is divided into two parts. The
first part changes the blade numbers of mix-flow fan and
OGVs to find the in line fan performance. Finally, the
relations of performance between blades and OGVs are
discussed. Using the above mentioned improvements, this
article determines the better fan performance of the in line
fan.
2 Simulations
The commercial software Fluent is employed to
calculate the continuity, momentum and energy equations
based on the control volume method [6]. Testing the grid
density is also necessary to confirm the accuracy of the
numerical results. The physical model is assumed to be an
incompressible flow with constant properties. In the
calculation, the k-ε turbulent model with suitable
boundary conditions is adopted by using an implicit
segregated steady-state solver. Fig. 2 exhibits the
boundary condition of the in line fan model. Pressure inlet
and pressure outlet boundary conditions are imposed in
the model. With a rotating speed of 3300 rpm, the package
function of moving the reference frame replaces the
motion of the fan. In addition, a second upwind scheme is
used to get more accurate results. The under-relaxation
parameters are set at 0.2 for pressure and 0.6–1 for
momentum, k-ε, and energy. A calculation is converged
when the residuals are below the specified convergence
criterion.
Fig. 2. Boundary setup for axial fan and centrifugal fan
3 Numerical results
3.1 Motor cover types
For flow uniformity, this article changes the motor
cover to decrease the flow separation and recirculation.
Fig. 3 shows different motor cover types.
In Fig. 5, the tail flow filed of in line fan has been
modified by motor cover Type 2. The dead zone and the
vortex of motor cover are reduced obviously. Flow
separation phenomenon of motor cover has been
eliminated also. The Type 2 motor cover effectively
decreases energy loss.

(a) Type 1(original)

(b) Type 2 (a) Type1 (original)

(c) Type 3

Fig. 3. Schematics of motor covers

Fig. 4 demonstrates the P-Q curve of the 3 types in line

fans. The results present that the operating region and
point increasing with Type 2 and Type 3 motor cover. The
performance of Type 2 is 25% than original (Type1).
30
EXP
TYPE 1
TYPE 2
TYPE 3
25
(b) Type 2

Fig. 5. Comparison of velocity field improvement with Type

Pressure (mmAq)

20
1and 2

15
3.2 Blade numbers
To compare the performance with various blades and
10 OGVs, this study rearranges the combination for
increasing performance. This article adopts adding the
blades number method for getting more pressure. Fig. 6
5
indicates the different blades of in line fan. The number of
blades is 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, respectively.
0
0 1 2 3 4
Q (cmm)

Fig. 4. Comparison of in line fan performance with different

motor cover types
 of in line fan. The number of OGVs is 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11,
respectively.

(a) (b)
(a) (b)

(c) (d)
(c) (d)

(e)

Fig. 8. Demonstration of in line fan OGVs

(e)
The comparison of in line fan performance with 3-
Fig. 6. Illustration of in line fan blades
11OGVs is shown in Fig. 9. The maximum pressure is
37.9 mmAq and flow rate is 4.5 cmm at 9 OGVs and 7
Fig. 7 displays the comparison of the in line fan
OGVs, respectively. The optimization operation zone and
performance with 6-14 blades. The maximum pressure is
P-Q curve are at 12 blades and 7 OGVs.
37.86 mmAq and flow rate is 4.54 cmm at 8 blades and 14
40
blades, respectively. The optimization operation region 12fan-3vane
and P-Q curve are at 14 blades and 5 OGVs. 12fan-5vane
12fan-7vane
40
6fan-5vane 12fan-9vane
8fan-5vane 30 12fan-11vane
35 10fan-5vane
Pressure (mmAq)

12fan-5vane
14fan-5vane
30
Pressure (mmAq)

20
25

20

10
15

10

0
5 0 1 2 3 4 5
Q (cmm)
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 Fig. 9. Comparision of in line fan performance with different
Q (cmm)
OGVs
Fig. 7. Comparision of in line fan performance with different
blades
3.4 Relations of performance between blades and
OGVs
3.3 OGV Numbers Fig. 10 shows that the maximum pressure and flow rate
The OGVs provides not only better performance but is 12 blades and 9 OGVs, 14 blades and 5 OGVs
static pressure recovery [7]. This study employs respectively. But the optimization relation between
increasing the OGV number way to gain static pressure pressure and flow rate of the in line fan is 12 blades and 7
from lost kinetic energy. Fig. 8 shows the different OGVs OGVs.
 40 [4] Shiomi N., Cai W.X., Muraoka A., Kaneko K., and
exp(original)
12fan-7vane
Setoguchi T, “Internal Flow of a High Specific-Speed
35 14fan-5vane Diagonal-Flow Fan (Rotor Outlet Flow Fields with Rotating
8fan-5vane Stall)”, International Journal of Rotating Machinery, Vol. 9,
30 12fan-9vane
pp. 337-344, 2003.
[5] Fukano T., Takamatsu Y., and Kodama Y., “The Effects of
Pressure (mmAq)

25 Tip Clearance on The Noise of Low Pressure Axial and

Mixed Flow Fans”, Journal of Sound and Vibration, Vol.105,
20
pp. 291-308, 1986.
[6] ANSYS, “ANSYS Fluent user’s guide”, ANSYS Inc,2012.
15
[7] Setoguchi T., Santhakumar S., Takao M., Kim T.H. and
Kaneko K., “Effect of guide vane on the performance of a
10
Wells turbine”, Renewable energy, Vol. 23, pp.1-15, 2001.
5

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Q (cmm)

Fig. 10. Comparision of in line fan performance with

optimization blades and OGVs

Table 1 displays that the maximum pressure and flow

rate is decreased 0.5% and 0.7% at 12 blades and 7 OGVs,
respectively. However, it can increase 10.1% pressure and
12% flow rate compared to 14 blades and 5 OGVs and 12
blades and 9 OGVs, respectively.

Blades 8 14 12 12
OGVs 5 5 7 9
37.86 34.25 37.9
Pmax 37.7
+0.4% -10.1% +0.5%
4.02 4.54 4.06
Qmax 4.5
-12% +0.7% -12%

Table 1. The optimization blades and OGVs of in line fan

4 Conclusions
This article numerically investigates the in line fan
performance. The motor cover adjustments had been
simulated. It can increase the in line fan 25% performance
at operating region and 5% operating region range. The
simulated results also show that the maximum flow rate
occurred at 14 blades with 5 OGVs and the maximum
pressure produced at 12 blades with 9 OGVs, respectively.
However, the optimization relations of performance
between flow rate and pressure is 12 blades with 7 OGVs
of in line fan.

Acknowledgment
The author thanks the Bureau of Energy, Ministry of
Economic Affairs for supporting this project.

References
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