GB2623590A - An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan - Google Patents

An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2623590A
GB2623590A GB2215663.2A GB202215663A GB2623590A GB 2623590 A GB2623590 A GB 2623590A GB 202215663 A GB202215663 A GB 202215663A GB 2623590 A GB2623590 A GB 2623590A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fan
blade
hub
shaped profile
fan hub
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
GB2215663.2A
Other versions
GB202215663D0 (en
Inventor
Kinghorn Iain
Gower Douglas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Flakt Woods Ltd
Original Assignee
Flakt Woods Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Flakt Woods Ltd filed Critical Flakt Woods Ltd
Priority to GB2215663.2A priority Critical patent/GB2623590A/en
Publication of GB202215663D0 publication Critical patent/GB202215663D0/en
Priority to PCT/EP2023/079386 priority patent/WO2024084095A1/en
Publication of GB2623590A publication Critical patent/GB2623590A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/26—Rotors specially for elastic fluids
    • F04D29/32—Rotors specially for elastic fluids for axial flow pumps
    • F04D29/38—Blades
    • F04D29/388—Blades characterised by construction
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/02—Selection of particular materials
    • F04D29/023—Selection of particular materials especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/26—Rotors specially for elastic fluids
    • F04D29/32—Rotors specially for elastic fluids for axial flow pumps
    • F04D29/325—Rotors specially for elastic fluids for axial flow pumps for axial flow fans
    • F04D29/329—Details of the hub
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/26—Rotors specially for elastic fluids
    • F04D29/32—Rotors specially for elastic fluids for axial flow pumps
    • F04D29/34—Blade mountings
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2230/00—Manufacture
    • F05D2230/20—Manufacture essentially without removing material
    • F05D2230/21—Manufacture essentially without removing material by casting
    • F05D2230/211—Manufacture essentially without removing material by casting by precision casting, e.g. microfusing or investment casting
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2230/00—Manufacture
    • F05D2230/30—Manufacture with deposition of material
    • F05D2230/31—Layer deposition
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2230/00—Manufacture
    • F05D2230/50—Building or constructing in particular ways
    • F05D2230/53—Building or constructing in particular ways by integrally manufacturing a component, e.g. by milling from a billet or one piece construction
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2260/00—Function
    • F05D2260/30—Retaining components in desired mutual position
    • F05D2260/31—Retaining bolts or nuts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F05—INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04
    • F05D—INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS
    • F05D2260/00—Function
    • F05D2260/30—Retaining components in desired mutual position
    • F05D2260/36—Retaining components in desired mutual position by a form fit connection, e.g. by interlocking

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)

Abstract

Disclosed is a fan blade 1 for an axial fan, the blade having an impeller blade 4, having a blade element, a blade base element 5 and a single threaded bolt 8 all formed as a single piece, the blade base element adapted to be secured onto a fan hub 2, the fan hub being adapted to be connected to a fan drive motor, where the single threaded bolt can be secured to the fan hub by a single nut 11. The blade base may be a shaped profile adapted to engage with a shaped profile on the fan hub, ensuring that the blade remains in the correct relative orientation. The shaped profile of the blade comprises a projection shaped to engage with a correspondingly shaped recess in the fan hub. The blade may be formed using an additive manufacturing process or an investment casting process, and may be formed of steel, a metal alloy or a plastics material.

Description

An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan The present invention relates to axial fans and methods of manufacturing the individual fan blades and assembling the blades onto a fan hub. An axial fan has a rotatable hub adapted to be connected to a drive source such as an electric motor and a plurality of fan blades disposed about the axis of the hub and extending in a generally radial direction from the hub. Blades typically consist of an impeller blade element mounted on or incorporating a base which is connected to the hub.
In the interests of improving the efficiency of the fan blade and its cost, it is desirable to keep the base part of the fan blade as small as possible so as not to impede the airflow. It is known for the impeller blade elements to be bolted on a base which is itself connected to the hub. An alternative form of connection is known, for example, as shown in US 2011/031 1365 Al,formed of two parts in which the blade impeller elements are formed of a cast metal and a fastening device is cast in with the impeller element. A threaded part of the fastening device extends from the radially inner end of the impeller element so as to be bolted to the hub directly or indirectly. In order to ensure a good connection between the impeller element and the fastening device it is necessary for the part of the fastening device cast into the impeller element to have a varied shape to provide a large surface area to ensure a good strong connection in the casting between the fastening device and the impeller blade element. This arrangement has the disadvantage that the base of the blade impeller element must be substantially larger than the main part of the impeller blade to provide the necessary strength to the connection. A further disadvantage is that for each blade in a fan the quality of the connection between the two parts must be checked, preferably by a non-destructive test, such as X-rays. Any which do not meet an acceptable standard have to be scrapped and replaced. This slows down production and increases cost.
The present invention seeks to provide an axial fan which overcomes the shortcomings of the known devices.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fan blade for an axial fan, the blade having an impeller blade element and, formed integrally therewith a blade base adapted to be secured onto a fan hub, the fan hub being adapted to be connected to a fan drive motor, wherein the blade base has formed integrally therewith a single threaded bolt by which the fan blade is securable by a single nut to the fan hub.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling an axial fan utilising a jig adapted to be removably mounted on the fan hub and having a shaped profile adapted to engage each of the fan blade elements so as to pivot each fan blade element about its axis to ensure each fan blade is located in the correct axial position and to hold the impeller blade elements in position while the single bolt is tightened, the jig then being removed.
In a preferred embodiment of a fan blade according to the first aspect of the invention, the blade base may have a shaped profile adapted to interengage in a form locking manner with a shaped profile on the fan hub to ensure that the fan blade is located in the correct orientation about its axis relative to the fan hub. In one preferred form, the shaped profile on the blade base comprises a projection adapted to interengage with a correspondingly shaped profile formed in a recess in the fan hub.
Preferably, the fan blade is formed by an additive manufacturing process, or by an investment casting process.
The fan blade may be formed of steel, a metal alloy or a plastics material.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 shows a cross-section through a fan blade according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows a cross-section through an alternative construction of fan blade not in accordance with the present invention, Figure 3 shows a fan blade according to the present invention, Figure 4a shows schematically a plan of a jig for positioning the blades correctly about their axial position prior to completing fastening of the blade elements to the base, Figure 4b shows an end view of the jig.
Referring to Figure 2 there is shown schematically an example similar to the construction shown in US 2011/0311365 and not in accordance with the claimed invention, in which a fan blade 20 has a substantial base 22 containing a threaded bore 24 in which a threaded stud 26 is screwed, which then extends through the fan hub 28. A nut 30 engages the stud 26 and is tightened to secure the fan blade to the fan hub 28. This design has the disadvantage that the base 22 must be substantial to give sufficient strength to the connection between the stud and the fan blade which increases the weight of the blade and reduces the aerodynamic area of the fan blade.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 3, there is shown schematically in Figure 1 a cross-section through a fan blade 1 of an axial fan, the fan blade 1 being secured to a fan hub 2 which is adapted to be rotated by a fan motor (not shown) and is rotatable about a fan axis 3. The fan blade 1 consists of an elongate impeller element 4 which is formed integrally with a base 5 by which the impeller element 4 is connected to the fan hub 2 so as to extend outwardly radially on an axis normal to the fan axis 3. At its radially innermost end the impeller element 4 merges into an enlarged zone 6 which comprises part of the base 5. The enlarged zone 6 is located in a recess 7 in the fan hub 2. The base 5 has a spigot 8 which consists of a cylindrical part 9 by which the fan blade 1 is located in a bore 2a in the fan hub 2. The cylindrical part 9 terminates in a screw thread 10 through which the fan blade 1 is secured to the fan hub 2 by a bolt 11 with an intermediary washer 12. The spigot 8, the cylindrical part 9 and the screw thread 10 are substantially aligned with the axis of the impeller element 4.
The fan blade 1 including the impeller element 4, the base 5, spigot 8, cylindrical part 9 and the screw thread 10 are formed integrally in one component formed by an additive manufacturing technique or by investment casting. The material in which the fan blade 1 is formed may be steel, a metal alloy or a plastics material.
It is necessary for the impeller elements 4 to be accurately located about their axes relative to the fan hub 2 to ensure that the aerodynamic performance of all the impeller elements in the fan is equal. One solution to this problem is to physically check the position of each element 4 as the fan is being assembled, but this is time-consuming and hence expensive. In an alternative solution, the blade base 5 has a shaped profile adapted to interengage in a form locking manner with a shaped profile in the recess 7 in the fan hub to ensure that the fan blade is located in the correct orientation about its axis relative to the fan hub 2 on assembly. In one alternative form, the shaped profile on the blade base comprises a recess adapted to interengage with a correspondingly shaped projection formed on the fan hub 2.
Another concept is illustrated in Figures 4 a and 4b. In this concept, a jig 120 has a locating body 122 which locates the jig on the fan hub 2 and the body has a plurality of locating elements 124 disposed about the periphery, one for each of the impeller elements 4 of the fan. The locating elements 124 have a profile face shaped to match that of the impeller elements 4. To assemble the fan, the fan elements are loosely secured to the fan hub, the jig is then offered up to the fan hub 2 so the locating elements 124 each engage the associate impeller element 4 to pivot the element into the desired position. The bolts 11 can then be tightened to fix the impeller elements 4 in the correct angular position In another form, it has been proposed to use a collet or cotter pin arrangement to fasten the fan impeller element to the blade base. Although such arrangements can ensure the correct angular location of the impeller element they do not provide a reliable connection with sufficient axial loading to guarantee overcoming the centrifugal forces generated during operation. Also such a connection has to be tested in the final assembly of the fan, which can increase production and assembly costs

Claims (8)

  1. CLAIMS1. A fan blade for an axial fan, the blade having an impeller blade element and, formed integrally therewith, a blade base adapted to be secured onto a fan hub, the fan hub being adapted to be connected to a fan drive motor, wherein the blade base has formed integrally therewith a single threaded bolt by which the fan blade is securable by a single nut to the fan hub.
  2. 2. A fan blade according to claim 1, wherein the blade base has a shaped profile adapted to interengage in a form locking manner with a shaped profile on the fan hub to ensure that the fan blade is located in the correct orientation relative to the fan hub.
  3. 3. A fan blade according to claim 2, wherein the shaped profile on the blade base comprises a projection adapted to interengage with a correspondingly shaped profile formed in a recess in the fan hub.
  4. 4. A fan blade according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fan blade is formed by an additive manufacturing process..
  5. 5. A fan blade according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the blade is formed by an investment casting process.
  6. 6. A fan blade according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the blade is formed of steel, a metal alloy or a plastics material.
  7. 7. An axial fan having a plurality of fan blades according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the fan blades being secured to the fan hub equi-distantly about the periphery of the fan hub.
  8. 8. A method of assembling an axial fan according to claim 7, utilising a jig adapted to be mounted on the fan hub and having a shaped profile adapted to engage each of the fan blade elements to pivot each fan blade about its axis to ensure each fan blade is located in the correct axial position and to hold the impeller blade elements in position while the single bolt is tightened, the jig then being removed.
GB2215663.2A 2022-10-21 2022-10-21 An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan Pending GB2623590A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2215663.2A GB2623590A (en) 2022-10-21 2022-10-21 An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan
PCT/EP2023/079386 WO2024084095A1 (en) 2022-10-21 2023-10-20 An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2215663.2A GB2623590A (en) 2022-10-21 2022-10-21 An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB202215663D0 GB202215663D0 (en) 2022-12-07
GB2623590A true GB2623590A (en) 2024-04-24

Family

ID=84818521

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2215663.2A Pending GB2623590A (en) 2022-10-21 2022-10-21 An axial fan and methods of manufacturing axial fan blades and assembling the fan

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2623590A (en)
WO (1) WO2024084095A1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3890062A (en) * 1972-06-28 1975-06-17 Us Energy Blade transition for axial-flow compressors and the like
US4499646A (en) * 1983-07-07 1985-02-19 Ford Motor Company Method of attaching a metal shaft to a ceramic shaft and product produced thereby
KR20100102007A (en) * 2009-03-10 2010-09-20 경상대학교산학협력단 A ventilation-fan for controlling rotor angle and a hub ventilation-fan for controlling rotor angle
US20200088049A1 (en) * 2018-09-18 2020-03-19 General Electric Company Airfoil shroud assembly using tenon with externally threaded stud and nut

Family Cites Families (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB567978A (en) * 1943-09-02 1945-03-12 Davidson & Co Ltd Improvements in or relating to cased screw fans and the like
JPS59208200A (en) * 1983-05-13 1984-11-26 Matsushita Seiko Co Ltd Moving blade control type axial blower
RU2235920C1 (en) * 2003-04-29 2004-09-10 Открытое акционерное общество "Энергомашкорпорация" Axial-flow fan
DE102009010748A1 (en) 2009-02-26 2010-09-02 W & S Management Gmbh & Co. Kg Fan blade and fastener therefor
US10808545B2 (en) * 2017-07-14 2020-10-20 United Technologies Corporation Gas turbine engine fan blade, design, and fabrication
CN207892867U (en) * 2017-10-31 2018-09-21 中国有色集团（广西）平桂飞碟股份有限公司 A kind of mining axial blower

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3890062A (en) * 1972-06-28 1975-06-17 Us Energy Blade transition for axial-flow compressors and the like
US4499646A (en) * 1983-07-07 1985-02-19 Ford Motor Company Method of attaching a metal shaft to a ceramic shaft and product produced thereby
KR20100102007A (en) * 2009-03-10 2010-09-20 경상대학교산학협력단 A ventilation-fan for controlling rotor angle and a hub ventilation-fan for controlling rotor angle
US20200088049A1 (en) * 2018-09-18 2020-03-19 General Electric Company Airfoil shroud assembly using tenon with externally threaded stud and nut

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB202215663D0 (en) 2022-12-07
WO2024084095A1 (en) 2024-04-25

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