Laboratory No.

6
CENTRIFUGAL BLOWER TEST RIG
OBJECTIVE:

 To test specific blower and determine its overall efficiency using the numerous vanes
available.

INTRODUCTION:
A centrifugal blower is a machine with non-positive displacement or stable flow. In
comparison to positive displacement type machines, it discharges high volume air at a
relatively moderate pressure. The centrifugal blower test rig allows for the investigation of a
universal blower with several types of impellers: radial, forward, and backward. An orifice
meter is used to measure the air pressure. The power input is measured using an energy
meter. As a result, the overall efficiency of the blower can be determined.

Also, it is an AC motor with a fixed speed connected to a blower housing and fan.
The fan is also known as an impeller. The motor turns the impeller inside the housing, and
due to centrifugal force produced by the impeller's vanes, partial pressure is developed at the
housing's inlet and outflow. The air runs via a pipe that has been instrumented to monitor the
pressure head, velocity, and flow. To detect and determine the static and dynamic head of air
moving through the pipeline, a pivot tube with a differential pressure manometer is provided.
There is also a control valve to manage the flow of air. To comprehend the setup, three
impellers with different curved vanes were provided namely, Radial, Forward and Backward
blade.

Figure 1 Centrifugal Blower

SPECIFICATIONS:

1. Motor – 3HP, Ph., 2800 RPM Induction Motor

2. Impeller
a. Radial
b. Backward
c. Forward

Figure 2 Impellers

3. Orifice – It is used in order to measure the flow rate of blower having Ø=64 mm
4. Energy Meter – It is used in order to measure the power input as Energy meter
constant = 1600 imp. /kW-hr.
5. Valve – It is used to control the flow rate of the blower (at the end of the discharge
pipe).

PROCEDURES:

1. Fill both manometers with clean water up to 20 cm in height or 200mmWC in the

manometer.
2. Install any chosen impeller correctly in the casing. Notice how the impeller rotates
freely in the casing after being clamped.
3. To begin, completely open the valve at the end of the piping.
4. Set the blower to 'on'. Check that the impeller rotates in the correct direction. (That is,
when viewed from the motor's rare end, the motor shaft should rotate anticlockwise).
(Note): Replace any two phases in the supply line if the motor turns in the other
direction. Check that the blower is completely turned off before pressing the 'ON'
button.
 5. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes after commencing the experiment, until the impeller has
reached a steady speed.
6. Take note of the speed (from the motor's rare end), orifice meter manometer
differential, blower pressure, and time required for 10 energy meter impulses.
7. Change the location of the gate valve and record all of the readings.
8. Repeat the process for each impeller.

TOOLS/EQUIPMENT:

 Tachometer
 Clock (Timer)

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Do not close the gate valve fully.

2. Do not close the suction duct.
3. Properly fit the impeller and its suction duct in the centrifugal blower.

DATA:

 g=9.8 m/s 2
 Pa=1.21 kg /m3
 Pw=1000 kg/m3
 Cv=0.64
 Nmotor=0.8
 D=0.159 m
 A=0.019846 m2
TABLE:

Trial Type of Opening DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller (%) Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
1 Radial 100 70 2180 58 81 10 46.65

2 2159 58 82 10 46.80

3 2229 59 85 10 46.74

AVE. 2189 58 83 10 46.73

TABLE 1

Trial Type of Opening DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller (%) Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
1 Radial 50 70 2155 55 52 10 45.29

2 2170 58 53 10 45.12

3 2202 58 54 10 45.30

AVE. 2175 57 53 10 45.24

TABLE 2

Table 1 and 2 represents the data from the impeller “Radial”. It shows above the data
of trials from two opening, also each opening 100% and 50% has 3 trials.

Trial Type of Opening DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller (%) Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
1 Forward 100 70 2274 75 108 10 34.12
 2 2302 77 111 10 33.36

3 2275 75 108 10 34.40

AVE. 2284 76 109 10 33.96

TABLE 3

Trial Type of Opening DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller (%) Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
1 Forward 50 70 2265 74 91 10 36.06

2 2237 73 89 10 35.96

3 2252 75 92 10 35.57

AVE. 2251 74 91 10 35.86

TABLE 4

Table 3 and 4 represents the data from the impeller “Forward”. It shows above the
data of trials from two opening, also each opening 100% and 50% has 3 trials.

Trial Type of Openin DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller g Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(%) (h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
1 Backward 100 70 2264 73 98 10 41.76

2 2260 70 96 10 41.74

3 2251 72 96 10 41.95

AVE. 2258 72 97 10 41.82

TABLE 5

Trial Type of Openin DC RPM Suction Delivery Energy Time

NO. Impeller g Drive (N) head head Impulse(imp) (tp)
(%) (h11- (h21- seconds
h12)m h22)m
 1 Backward 50 70 2251 71 60 10 44.35

2 2287 74 59 10 43.20

3 2262 73 60 10 44.09

AVE. 2267 73 60 10 43.88

TABLE 6

Table 5 and 6 represents the data from the impeller “Backward”. It shows above the
data of trials from two opening, also each opening 100% and 50% has 3 trials.