Effects of the Guiding Tank on Flow Characteristics inside the Double-Suction Squirrel-Cage Fan for Range Hood

Abstract

The effects of the guiding tank on flow characteristics inside a double-suction squirrel-cage fan for the range hood were numerically investigated in this paper. Flow analysis was conducted by solving the three-dimensional steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations using the realizable k- turbulence model. Numerical results were validated with the experimental data for total pressure. Differences in flow characteristics between the fan model and the range hood model at the nearly maximum mass flow rate of 0.3214 kg/s were analyzed in detail. Numerical simulation results show that the incoming flow of the squirrel-cage fan will be distorted due to the guiding tank. The inlet distortion will deteriorate the aerodynamic performance of the squirrel-cage fan and cause obvious differences in the velocity field, the pressure field and the vortex structures inside the fan.