Investigation of performance improvements including application of inlet guide vanes to a cross-flow fan

Download
Author
Cordero, Samuel F.
Date
2009-09Advisor
Hobson, Garth V.
Gannon, Anthony
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The inherent characteristics of a cross-flow fan allowing for easy thrust vectoring as well as potential airfoil boundary layer control make it an attractive propulsive means for a theoretical vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. However, to compete with current methods of aircraft propulsion, further performance improvements of the cross-flow fan are needed. A baseline model of a cross-flow fan geometry developed by Vought Systems in the 1970s was scaled from a 12- inch diameter rotor to a 6-inch diameter rotor as a more realistic size for integration into a fan-in-wing concept to provide both thrust vectoring and boundary layer control over the wing. Using the computational fluid dynamics software ANSYS CFX, baseline performance trends were verified against previous 12- and 6-inch diameter models. Data from this model was then used to design a configuration of inlet guide vanes in an effort to increase the loading on the first stage of the fan and gain an improvement in pressure ratio over the baseline cross-flow fan. The CFD results were then compared with experimental results from a cross-flow fan test assembly modified to replicate the CFD model with inlet guide vanes. While the application of the particular inlet guide vane configuration did not result in the desired performance improvements, it did validate that computational fluid dynamics can adequately predict the impact of various design changes on the performance of the cross-flow fan as well as provide valuable insight into the behavior of the cross-flow fan for future efforts in performance improvement.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Experimental investigation of a six inch diameter, four inch span cross-flow fan
Ulvin, Jessica M. (Monterey California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2008-06);Investigations into the use of a cross-flow fan as a potential source of propulsion and lift have arisen due to the cross-flow fan's geometry, light weight and safety by shielding from bystanders. The application of a ... -
Experimental and computational investigation of cross-flow fan propulsion for lightweight VTOL aircraft
Hobson, Garth V.; Cheng, W.T.; Seaton, M. Scot; Gannon, Anthony; Platzer, Max F. (ASME, 2004-06);Cross-flow fan propulsion has not been seriously considered for aircraft use since an Vought Systems Division (VSD) study for the U.S. Navy in 1975. A recent conceptual design study of light-weight, single seat VTOL ... -
Performance measurements, flow visualization, and numerical simulation of a crossflow fan
Seaton, M. Scot. (Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School, 2003-03);A 12-inch diameter, 1.5-inch span crossflow fan test apparatus was constructed and tested using the existing Turbine Test Rig (TTR) as a power source. Instrumentation was installed and a data acquisition program was developed ...