Toward improved rotor-only axial fans - Part II: Design optimization for maximum efficiency

Numerical design optimization of the aerodynamic performance of axial fans is carried out, maximizing the efficiency in a design interval of flow rate s. Tip radius, number of blades, and angular velocity of the rotor are fixe d, whereas the hub radius and spanwise distributions of chord length, stagg er angle, and camber angle are varied to find the optimum rotor geometry. C onstraints ensure a pressure rise above a specified target and an angle oaf attack on the blade below stall. The optimization scheme is used to invest igate the dependence of maximum efficiency on the width of the design inter val and on the hub radius. [S0098-2202(00)01602-3].