Global Infrastructure & Industry

Use of Grade 80 Steel in Fabricated

Centrifugal Impeller
Authors:
Nicholas Brunck (American Fan Co.)
Paul Okeley (Flkt Fan Group)
A. Geoff Sheard (Flktwoods)
April 18
th
, 2012
Global Infrastructure & Industry
Backward Curved Centrifugal Impeller
High efficiency
Lack of overloading horsepower
Stable performance throughout pressure range
Low noise levels near peak efficiency
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Methods to Increase Tip Speed
Intermediate shroud(s) (ring) per US Patent
3,306,528 (Eck, 1967)
Widely used in practice today
Item 50
Blade Gussets
US Patent 4,028,005
(Eck, 1977)
Item 122
No discussion of effects on
performance.
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Historical Data
Inherently, an intermediate shroud is an obstruction in the airstream
Unpublished test results from Garden City Fan
November 1973
222BF flat backward inclined blades
565.2mm (22)
Comparison of impeller with and without
intermediate shroud
4 percentage point increase in efficiency
5-6% power savings
Plotted in non-dimensional form
Total efficiency vs. Specific diameter
Pressure coefficient (FTP/PVP) vs.
Specific diameter
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Historical Data (cont)
4%
head
gravity
diameter
speed
flow
2 2 2
3 1
1
2
2
1
4
1
diameter specific

H
g
D
N
Q
D N
gH
ND
Q
D
st
st
D

speed
diameter
density
pressure fan total
2
pressure velocity peripheral
pressure fan total

N
D
P
DN
P
PVP
FTP
PVP
FTP

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Application to Backward Curved Impeller
Duty Point
3363 Pa
4.6 m
3
/s
73% efficiency
Maximum 508mm
(20) impeller
Testing was conducted
on available impeller
381mm (15)
AMCA Std. 210-07
Type B
Data scaled via Fan
Laws
Meets pressure and
flow duty requirements
Efficiency low by 3%


Efficiency
requirement
not met
w/ring
Max speed
w/out int
shroud
Global Infrastructure & Industry
Backward Curved Impeller with & without intermediate shroud
381mm (15) scaled
to 508mm (20) via
Fan Laws
With Int. Shroud:
3823 rpm
70% efficiency
W/out Int. Shroud:
3698 rpm
73% efficiency


Motivation to remove
intermediate shroud
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Mechanical Design Considerations
Removal of intermediate shroud increases stress
in impeller at given speed
Imagine the blade as a beam, fixed at both ends
Max. stress is proportional to the moment, which is
proportional to the square of the beams length






By effectively doubling the length of the beam, the
moment & stress are quadrupled
Maximum speed of standard 508mm Gr. 50
impeller without intermediate shroud is 2785 rpm
Much lower than required 3698 rpm
(1)
(2)
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Global Infrastructure & Industry
Author: AAAA BBBBBBBBB
Business: Global Infrastructure &
Industry
Date: 10 Jan 2011
Ref: FWG-100111-rev1