Article ID: x344 - How to determine equilibrium rotation of propeller in ambient flow

How to determine equilibrium rotation of propeller in ambient flow

Article ID: x344

Solution ID: S-018690
Product(s): SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
Version: All Versions
Category: Fluid dynamics
Created: 26/12/2006
Last Revised: 6/1/2016
Discussion

Procedure
Assume the following situation: Inside a tube, water flows over a fan. For a given flow speed and pressure drop what is
the neatest (easiest) way to calculate the rotational speed of the fan?
The rotational speed that corresponds to equilibrium can be determined using the following iterative procedure:

1. Define your project normally with the desired inlet volume (or mass) flow rate, and a pressure opening at the outlet.
2. Make an educated guess at the rotational velocity on the propeller and enter it in the definition of the Rotating Region.
3. Make sure to follow the directions in Article ID: x325 - Rotating regions in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation (Solution ID:
S-018786)
4. Define a goal for the torque around the axis of rotation for all the faces of the propeller
5. Run the simulation
6. Either:
a. If you get a driving torque, then the flow causes the propeller to accelerate. Run again with a larger rotational velocity
b. If you get a resisting torque, then the flow causes the propeller to slow down. Run again with a smaller rotational velocity
c. repeat until the residual torque is small enough for you accuracy needs.

Of course, driving/resisting torque is determined from the positive/negative value of the torque. In addition, note that
the sign of the torque depends on the orientation of the axis of the coordinate system used to obtain the torque.

Example
Consider the impeller below, free to rotate under the effect of an ambient air velocity of -5m/s in the Z direction.
You can download the model from Solution ID: S-018690 in the SOLIDWORKS Knowledge Base.

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 Article ID: x344 - How to determine equilibrium rotation of propeller in ambient flow

The goal of the simulation is to determine equilibrium rotation in ambient flow.

Four projects have been defined, each with a different angular velocity for the rotating region: -600, -200, 200 and 600 RPM.
A Global goal has been defined for the Z component of torque.
Once results are obtained, it can be graphed against the angular velocity of the rotating region:

From the above graph, it can be concluded that the angular velocity that doesn't produce any torque is around -500RPM.
This should be confirmed by one or more additional simulations.

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