High speed, low torque axial flow fan

Details High speed, low torque axial flow fan High speed, low torque axial flow fan

2001-05-17

2002-08-06

Lopez, F. Daniel (Department: 3745)

Fluid reaction surfaces (i.e., impellers)

Rotor having flow confining or deflecting web, shroud or...

Axially extending shroud ring or casing

C416S189000, C416S22300B, C416S243000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06428277

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention generally relates to axial flow fans for use in automotive cooling applications and, more particularly, to high speed, low torque axial flow fans.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An axial flow fan may be used to produce a flow of cooling air through the heat exchanger components of a vehicle. For example, an airflow generator used in an automotive cooling application may include an axial flow fan for moving cooling air through a liquid-to-air heat exchanger such as an engine radiator, condenser, intercooler, or combination thereof. Often, axial flow fans are driven by electric motors, which, for a given speed, tend to operate most efficiently at low torque. The diameter of an engine cooling fan is often selected based on the radiator size: fans ranging from 250 mm to 600 mm can be used in typical automotive applications. Fans with small diameters (e.g., 300 mm) tend to rotate at higher speeds and at lower torques to obtain the same airflow as a fan with a large diameter (e.g., 500 mm).
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a large axial flow fan configured for operating at high speed yet at low torque to improve module efficiency by allowing the motor driving the fan to operate more efficiently when a small diameter fan cannot be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is achieved by providing an axial flow fan characterized by operating at high speed and low torque for producing airflow through an engine compartment of a vehicle. The fan includes a hub rotatable about an axis. An annular band is concentric with the hub and spaced radially outward from the hub. A plurality of fan blades are distributed circumferentially around the hub and extend radially from the hub to the annular band. Each blade has substantially the parameters defined by
Blade Section
Stagger
Radius/Tip Radius
&xgr;
Solidity
r = R/R
tip
Degrees
&sgr;
38.5%
76.0
0.522
46.6%
72.0
0.490
52.7%
71.5
0.470
57.8%
70.7
0.452
63.0%
71.1
0.432
68.1%
72.0
0.410
73.3%
72.9
0.385
78.4%
73.9
0.359
83.6%
74.4
0.332
88.7%
75.1
0.302
93.9%
76.7
0.267
100.0%
78.6
0.225
wherein
r is the non-dimensional radius from the rotational axis, (r=R/R
tip
with R being the radius from the rotational axis and R
tip
being the radius from the rotational axis at the blade tip),
&xgr; is the stagger angle of the blade at the radial distance R, and
&sgr; is the solidity C/S, with C being chord length and S being the circumferential blade spacing at the radial distance R.
The fan is configured for operating at high speed yet at low torque to improve module efficiency by allowing the motor driving the fan to operate more efficiently when a small diameter fan cannot be used.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and the functions of the related elements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics of manufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4569631 (1986-02-01), Gray, III
patent: 4569632 (1986-02-01), Gray, III
patent: 5326225 (1994-07-01), Gallivan et al.
patent: 5957661 (1999-09-01), Hunt et al.
patent: 6315521 (2001-11-01), Hunt
patent: 6350104 (2002-02-01), Moreau et al.
patent: 6368061 (2002-04-01), Capdevila

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