Numerical Modeling and Simulation of a Volumetric Resistance Blower Using Porous Rotor

Abstract

This paper presents an experimentally validated modeling methodology for a new type of blower design known as Volumetric Resistance Blower (VRB). It replaces the traditional centrifugal blower fan blades with a continuous porous medium disk and has been reported to be capable of providing a lower acoustic noise for the same output flow compared to a traditional blower. A 3-D transient numerical model of VRB is developed which incorporates the movement of a porous rotor using experimentally determined foam parameters to characterize the porous drag effect and a sliding mesh to simulate the rotation effect. The numerical results are validated with experimentally determined fan curve over broad range of operating conditions. The effect of the foam resistance parameters on the flow characteristics is investigated which serves the rationale for the optimization of these parameters. The model is used to study the sensitivity of the VRB performance to foam parameters using different types of commercially available open-cell reticulated foam.