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Stress Analysis of Axial Flow Fan

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 Adv. Theor. Appl. Mech., Vol. 5, 2012, no. 6, 263 - 275

Stress Analysis of Axial Flow Fan

Oday I. Abdullah

Laser and System Technologies (AmP)

Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, Germany
oday.abdullah@tu-harburg.de

Josef Schlattmann

Laser and System Technologies (AmP)

Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, Germany
j.schlattmann@tu-harburg.de

Abstract

In this paper the finite element method has been used to determine the stresses
and deformations of an axial fan blade. Three dimensional, finite element programs
have been developed using eight-node superparametric shell element as a
discretization element for the blade structure. All the formulations and computations
are coded in Fortran-77. This work was achieved by modeling the fan blade as a
rotating shell. The investigation covers the effect of centrifugal forces on stresses and
deformations of rotating fan blades. Extensive analysis has been done for various
values, speed of rotation, thickness, skew angle, and the effect of the curvature on the
stress and deformation. The numerical results have shown a good agreement
compared with the available investigations using other methods.

Keywords: Axial flow fan, FEM, Stresses and deformations, Rotating blade.

1 Introduction

Axial fans are widely used in ventilation, cooling, and compression. Different
Types of fans such as free ducted and diaphragms mounted are employed to satisfy
the various needs and conditions. Parameters like speed of rotation, skew angle and
264 O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann

the aerodynamic effects are taken into consideration in the design of fan blades.
Knowledge of the steady state behavior of axial fans is consider essential for design
purposes, because of that the results from this analysis will illustrate the values of
maximum stresses and deformations and their locations. The failures of rotating blade
are quite often due to the fatigue, thus the increasing requirements on the quality,
durability, reliability and the life of blades directed the designers to have a clear
indication of the deformations and stresses induced in the rotating blades, in addition
to the knowledge of their steady-state characteristics. The centrifugal forces are of
considerable magnitude due to high speeds of rotation. They also “stiffen” the
structure and this has to be taken into account. Gross untwisting results from these
forces can cause changes in the velocity triangles of the fluid flow, for the leading
and trailing edges, also tip clearance can be changed drastically due to blade untwist;
and both effects cause degradation in machine performance. Therefore, the steady-
state analysis is important to both fluid and stress analysis; and vibratory stresses can
be considered after the evaluating of the steady-state stresses and deformations; since
at higher rotating speeds a new static equilibrium position will be generated. The
mechanical failures occur due to fatigue and creep are problems for rotating blades,
and when a turbomachine is started (at every running), the stresses due to rotation go
from low value to the peak value and so constitute one component of low-cycle
fatigue, provided that peak value is larger than the “fatigue limit”. While high cycle
fatigue is due to blade vibration. Low cycle fatigue affects at the tip and pitch of the
blade; while high cycle fatigue affects at the root. Creep occurs due to the effect of
centrifugal loading at high temperature. A limiting value of creep often used for
design is 0.2% strain. Most of the available literature deal with the determination of
natural frequencies and mode shapes of the rotating blades and only few papers exist
on the static behavior of the turbomachinery blades. This encourages the researchers
to work in this field, but most of the researchers neglect the effect of centrifugal and
geometric stiffness and assume the blade as beam such as Raylieh-Rits and Gulerkin
methods this may affect on the prediction of the stresses and deformation, this
assumption will lead the blade to failure before the expected lifetime for blade.
Carngie [1] was examined a static bending of pre-twist cantilever blading. The
blading is pre-twist linearly about the centered of its cross-section to a maximum
angle of (π/2) radius, and is considered as mounted fixed at the root. He applied
variation calculus, static equilibrium equations were derived from expressions for the
total energy of blades subjected to either concentrated or uniformly distributed
bending load.
Walker [2] studied the vibration of combined helicoidal fan blade, in his study a
conforming finite shell element suitable for the analysis of curved twisted fan blades
was developed and applied to a number of blade models. The thin shell element was
used in this study to predict the natural frequencies and mode shapes of a number of
Stress analysis of axial flow fan 265

fabricated fan blade structures and the results were compared with the experimental
results.
Ramamurti and sreenivasamurthy [3] studied the dynamic stress analysis of
rotating twisted and tapered blades. The finite element method was used to determine
the stresses and deformations.three-dimensional, twenty-node isoparametric elements
have been used for the analysis. Extensive analysis has been done for various pre-
twist angles, skew angles, breadth to length ratios, and breadth to thickness ratios of
the blades. Experiments were carried out to determine the stresses for the verification
of the numerical results.
Omprakash and Ramamurti [4] carried out the steady state dynamic stress and
deformation analysis of high pressure stage turbomachinery bladed disks taking into
account all the geometric complexities involved and included the contributions due to
initial stress and membrane behavior. They used a triangular shell element with six
degrees of freedom per node.
Yoo et al. [5] studied the vibration analysis of rotating pre-twisted blade with a
concentrated mass. The blade has an arbitrary orientation with respect to the rigid hub
to which it is fixed .the equation of motion are derived based on a modeling method
that employs hybrid deformation variables. The resulting equation for the vibration
analysis is transformed into a dimension less parameters on the model characteristics
of the rotating blade are investigated through numerical analysis.

2 Finite element analyses

Analysis has been done for curvature and flat blades with skew angles (0°, 15°,
30°, 45°, 60°, 75°) and it has been assumed a homogeneous and isotropic material. A
superparametric 768 elements three- dimensional is used in the analysis. The stresses
and deformations are computed for different mesh, a mesh sensitivity study was done
to choose the optimum mesh from computational accuracy point of view. It is very
well established by zienkiewicz [6] that the superparametric three-dimensional
element is more convenient and suitable for the present finite element analysis than
the triangular or rectangular flat elements usually used in shell problems, because the
shell structure can be modeled truly in the analysis with very good accuracy for
results. The equations of stress strain and transverse shear strain components are [6]:

⎛1⎞
εx = ⎜ [ ]
⎟ σ x − υ (σ y − σ z ) (1)
⎝E⎠

εy =⎜
⎛1⎞
[
⎟ σ y − υ (σ x − σ z ) ] (2)
⎝E⎠
266 O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann

εz = ⎜
⎛1⎞
[ ]
⎟ σ z − υ (σ x + σ y ) (3)
⎝E⎠

⎛2⎞
γ xy = ⎜ [
⎟ τ xyυ (1 + υ ) ] (4)
⎝E⎠

⎛2⎞
γ xz = ⎜⎟ [τ xzυ (1 + υ )] (5)
⎝E⎠

⎛2⎞
γ yz = ⎜ [
⎟ τ yzυ (1 + υ ) ] (6)
⎝E⎠

3 Verification test
The current results that are exhibited in Table 1 & 2 compared with the
numerical study in reference [3]. Table. 1 shows the maximum dimensionless tip
deflection for different pre-twist angle and thickness to width ratio. And Table. 2
demonstrates the maximum dimensionless radial stresses for three aspect ratios at
different pre-twist angles (0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°). In both tables the maximum error
not exceeds 1.69%.

4 Case study
The aim of this study is to fill in the gap by furnishing the information about the
behavior of axial fan blades regarding deformations and stresses having different
skew angles and thickness due to centrifugal loading. Analysis has been done for flat
and curvature blades, the geometry of fan blade as shown in Fig. 1.a. Fig. 2.b shows
the 768 elements (plane view) for the blades. The material properties are: E=69 G pa,
υ=0. 33.

5 Numerical studies
a- Effect of the speed of rotation:
The variation of stresses and deformations with speed of rotation (150, 450, 750,
1050, 1350, and 1850 r.p.m) for different radius of the disc (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3m) are
Stress analysis of axial flow fan 267

investigated. Fig. 2 shows the variation of v-deflection with speed of rotation. Figs. 3,
4 & 5 show the variation of xx-stresses, yy-stresses, xy-stresses with speed of
rotation. It can be noted from this figure, when the speed of rotation increases all
stresses and deformations increases too. Also we presented the compared between the
curvature and flat blade, the variation of xx-stresses, yy-stresses, and xy-stresses with
the speed of rotation are shows in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Fig. 6 shows the variation of v-
deflection with the speed of rotation.

b- Effect of skew angle:

The stresses and deformations computed for the curvature blade have different
combinations of skew angles (0,15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75°) for different speed of
rotations (500, 750, and 1000 r.p.m). Fig. 10 exhibits the variation of v-deflections
with skew angle. It can be seen from this figure, when skew angle enlarges the v-
deformation increases and then decreases. Figs. 11, 12 & 13 display the variations of
xx-stresses, yy-stresses, and xy-stresses respectively with skew angle. Fig. 14 shows
the plot of v-deflection for the curvature and flat blade with skew angle. The xx-
stresses, yy-stresses, and xy-stresses are plots with the skew angle as shown in the
Figs. 15, 16 & 17 respectively.

c- Effect of thickness:
In order to investigate the thickness of the curvature blade it was selected five
different thickness’ (1.5, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5 mm). Fig. 18 shows the variation of v-
deflection with thickness. It can be recognized, that when the thickness increases, the
v-deflection decreases. Figs 19, 20 & 21 demonstrate the variations of xx-stresses,
yy-stresses, and xy-stresses respectively with thickness.

6 Discussions

The numerical results of the selected problems are discussed in this section.
Using the standard finite element procedure, the stresses and deformations are
computed for axial fan blade. The study has covered the effect of the speed of
rotation, skew angle, thickness, and curvature effects on the performance of fan
blade. It has been found that the xx- stress is predominant among normal stress
components and shear stresses in xy plane compared to the other components of the
stresses. But in the flat blade the stress in y-direction is predominant at all cases.
When computed the stresses and deformations at various skew angles for curvature
blade (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75°), It can be notes, when the skew angle is 45° the
yy-stresses, xy-stresses and deformations are maximum except the xx-stresses is
268 O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann

maximum at 30°, but if the skew angle greater than or little than 45° the yy-stresses,
xy-stresses and deformations decreases. The xx-stresses decrease for the skew angle
increases or decreases about 30°. The same behavior for the flat blade with variation
skew angles, but the stresses and deformations on flat blade are lower than stresses
and deformations on the curvature blade. Hence, the skew angle must be kept to a
minimum, bearing in mind fluid dynamic requirement of the skew angle to achieve
maximum efficiency and minimum stress level.

It can be recognized that when the thickness increases the stresses and
deformations decreases, this effect is due to the reduction in structural stiffness, and
thus a large deflection and higher stresses are generated due to the reduction in the
blade thickness. Also it can be observed the speed of rotation and radius of the disc
are effect of a large part of results, which the stresses and deformations are
proportional to the speed of rotation and disc radius.

7 Conclusions
The conclusions obtained from the present analysis can be summarized as
follows:
1. Generally for all types of axial flow fan blades, it can be concluded when the speed
of rotation increases to twice, the von-misses stresses is increases by 300%.
2. The increases of the blade thickness leads to decrease in the stresses and
deformations, (i. e. thin blades give greater stresses and deformations than the thick
blades) and that is due to the higher reduction in structural stiffness.
3. The dominant stress is the stress in the lengthwise direction (xx-stresses) for both
types of fan blades.
4. The increases in the disc radius result in higher stresses and deformations. This
problem should be taken into consideration especially for thin blades having large
aspect ratio.
5. The stresses and deformations in the curvature blade larger than the flat blade
under the same conditions except the xy-stresses at skew angle greater than 45º.
6. The maximum effect of skew angle occurs when the skew angle is 45° for the yy-
stresses, xy-stresses, and deformations, but the maximum xx-stresses occurs at skew
angle 30°.
Stress analysis of axial flow fan 269

Table.1 verification test for tip deformation parameter in y-direction for rotating
rectangular Blade, L/b=5, with different thickness ratios and twist angles (ρ=7850
Kg/m³, Ω=260 rad/sec, b=0.2, E=200 Gpa)

Cases v-deformation/(ρΩ²b³/E)

Present work
t/b=0.12 Ref. [3] % Difference
1200 d.o.f 1600 d.o.f
α =30˚ 44.52 44.47 44.09 0.86
α =45˚ 47.77 47.67 47.08 1.25
t/b=0.05
α =0˚ 41.4 41.3 40.94 0.87
α =45˚ 68.16 67.88 66.8 1.61

Table.2 verification test for predominant stress parameter near root for rotating rectangular
blade for different aspect ratios and pre-twist angles, t/b=0.05
(ρ=7850 Kg/m³, Ω=260 rad/sec, b=0.2, E=200 Gpa)

Cases yy-stresses/(ρ Ω² b²)

Present work
Ref. [3] % Difference
L/b=5 1200 d.o.f 1600 d.o.f
α =0˚ 11.44 11.49 11.5 0.08
α =15˚ 12.8 12.86 13.0 1.07
α =30˚ 14.41 14.5 14.75 1.69
α =45˚ 17.0 17.14 17.25 0.63
L/b=4
α =0˚ 7.2 7.29 7.3 0.13
α =15˚ 7.72 8.05 8.15 1.22
α =30˚ 8.52 10.22 10.1 1.18
α =45˚ 10.36 12.1 12.05 0.41
L/b=3
α =0˚ 3.88 3.95 4.0 1.25
α =15˚ 4.89 4.94 5.0 1.2
α =30˚ 6.03 6.66 6.75 1.33
α =45˚ 7.3 7.7 7.8 1.28
 270
Hint: the maximum depth for the curvature is 16.6 mm in the side view.

70
106
(R 1200 Center point P)

26°
(R 370 Center point Q)
45

(R 830 Center point R)

65

φ 5 (Five Holes for

41

MRAK B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
COORDINATES A
0 0
X-direction -144 -74 -186 94 172 111 -94.3 -73.5 103.2 50.8 -45 -50.4 6

Y-direction 313 413 -48 -48 -355 -63 -134 -97.2 113.6 -12.3 20.6 89.9 43 87.7 168

Fig. 1 (a) The dimension of an axial flow fan blade (practical application).
O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann
Stress analysis of axial flow fan 271

Fig (1.b) Suitable mesh size for practical fan blade

50.00 300.00
R 0.1m R 0.1m
R 0.2m R 0.2m
R 0.3m R 0.3m
40.00
v-deformation (m) *10^-5

200.00
xx-stress (Mpa)

30.00

20.00

100.00

10.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00 0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00
speed of rotation (r.p.m) speed of rotation (r.p.m)
Fig.2 Variation of v-deformation with speed of rotation Fig.3 Variation of xx-stresses with speed of
(skew angle=0, thickness=1.5 mm) rotation (skew angle=0, thickness=1.5 mm)
300.00
R 0.1m R 0.1m

R 0.2m R 0.2m

R 0.3m R 0.3m
120.00
xy-shear stress (Mpa)

200.00
yy-stress (Mpa)

80.00

100.00
40.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00 0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00
speed of rotation (r.p.m) speed of rotation(r.p.m)

Fig.4 Variation of yy-stresses with speed of Fig.5 Variation of xy-stresses with speed of
rotation (Skew angle=0, thickness=1.5 mm ) rotation (Skew angle=0, thickness=1.5 mm )
272 O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann

250.00
flat blade
flat blade
curvature blade
curvature blade
30.00

200.00
v-deformation (m)*10^-5

xx-stress (Mpa)
150.00
20.00

100.00

10.00

50.00

0.00 0.00
0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00 0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00
speed of rotation (r.p.m) speed of rotation (r.p.m)

Fig.6 Variation of v-deformation with speed of Fig. 7 Variation of xx-stresses with speed
rotation (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm) of rotation (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm)
200.00 100.00
flat blade flat blade
curvature blade curvature blade

160.00 80.00
xy-shear stress (Mpa)
yy-stress (Mpa)

120.00 60.00

80.00 40.00

40.00 20.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00 0.00 400.00 800.00 1200.00 1600.00 2000.00
speed of rotation (r.p.m) speed of rotation (r.p.m)
Fig. 8 Variation of yy-stresses with speed Fig. 9 Variation of xy-stresses with speed of
of rotation (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm) rotation (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm)
50.00 300.00
500 r.p.m 500 r.p.m
750 r.p.m 750 r.p.m
1000 r.p.m
40.00 1000 r.p.m
v-deformation (m) *10^-5

200.00
xx-stress (Mpa)

30.00

20.00

100.00

10.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00
skew angle (degree) skew angle (degree)
Fig. 10 Variation of v-deformation with skew Fig.11 Variation of xx-stresses with skew
angle (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm) angle (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm)
Stress analysis of axial flow fan 273

500 r.p.mэ 500 r.p.m

750 r.p.m 750 r.p.m

300.00
1000 r.p.m 1000 r.p.m
120.00
yy-stress (Mpa)

xy-stress (Mpa)
200.00
80.00

100.00
40.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00
skew angle (degree) skew angle (degree)
Fig.12 Variation of yy-stresses with skew Fig.13 Variation of xy-stresses with skew
angle (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm) angle (R=0.18, thickness=1.5 mm)
50.00 300.00
flat blade flat blade
curvature blade curvature blade

40.00
v-deformation (m)*10^-5

200.00
xx-stress (Mpa)

30.00

20.00

100.00

10.00

0.00 0.00
0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00
skew angle (degree) skew angle (degree)

Fig.14 Variation of v-deformation with skew Fig.15 Variation of xx-stresses with skew
angle (R=0.18, Thickness=1.5 mm, speed of angle (R=0.18, Thickness=1.5 mm, speed of
rotation =1000 r.p.m) rotation =1000 r.p.m)

300.00
flat blade flat blade

curvature blade curvature blade

120.00
xy-shear stress (Mpa)

200.00
yy-stress (Mpa)

80.00

100.00
40.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 80.00
skew angle (degree) skew angle (degree)

Fig.16 Variation of yy-stresses with skew Fig.17 Variation of xy-stresses with skew
angle (R=0.18, Thickness=1.5 mm, speed of angle (R=0.18, Thickness=1.5 mm, speed of
rotation =1000 r.p.m) rotation =1000 r.p.m)
274 O. I. Abdullah and J. Schlattmann

16.00 120.00
R 0.1m R 0.1m
R 0.2m R 0.2m

R 0.3m R 0.3m

12.00
v-deformation (m)*10^-5

80.00

xx-stress (Mpa)
8.00

40.00

4.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00

thickness (mm) thickness (mm)

Fig.18 Variation of v-deformation with blade Fig.19 Variation of xx-stresses with blade
thickness (speed of rotation=1000 r.p.m, skew thickness (speed of rotation=1000 r.p.m, skew
angle=0) angle=0)

100.00 50.00
R 0.1m R 0 .1m
R 0.2m R 0.2m
R 0.3m R 0.3m
80.00 40.00
xy-shear stress (Mpa)
yy-stress (Mpa)

60.00 30.00

40.00 20.00

20.00 10.00

0.00 0.00

0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00

thickness (mm) thickness (mm)

Fig.20 Variation of yy-stresses with blade Fig.21 Variation of xy-stresses with blade
thickness (speed of rotation=1000 r.p.m, skew thickness (speed of rotation=1000 r.p.m, skew
angle=0) angle=0)
 Stress analysis of axial flow fan 275

Nomenclature
ρ Density of material, [Kg/m³] σx The normal stress in the x-
direction, [N/m²]
Ω Speed of rotation, [rad/s] σy The normal stress in the y-
direction, [N/m²]
b The width of the blade, [m] σz The normal stress in the z-
direction, [N/m²]
E Young’s modulus, [N/m²] τ xy The shear stress in the xy-plane,
[N/m²]
L length of the blade, [m] τ xz The shear stress in the xz-plane,
[N/m²]
t Thickness of blade, [m] τ yz The shear stress in the yz-plane,
[N/m²]
R Disc radius, [m] ε x ,ε y ,ε z The strain in the x, y, and z
directions
v-
deformati
The displacement in the y-
direction, [m]
γxy,γxz,γ yz Transverse shear strain
components in the Cartesians
on coordinate system
xx-stress The normal stress in the x-
direction, [N/m²]
yy-stress The normal stress in the y-
direction, [N/m²]

References
[1] W. Carnegie. ,” Static bending of pre-twisted cantilevers blading”. 1957, J. of
procedings of the institute of mechanical engineering, vol.171, pp.873-890
[2] K.P.Walker. ,” Vibrations of cambered helicaidal fan blades”, 1978. J. of sound
and vibration, vol.59, No.1, pp.35-57.
[3] V.Ramamurti and S.Sreenivasamurthy,”Dynamic stress analysis of rotating
twisted and tapered blades”.1980, J.strain analysis, vol. 15, No.3, pp.117-126.
[4] V.Omprakash and V.Ramamurti. ,”Dynamic stress analysis of rotating turbo-
machinery bladed-disc system’1989, J.computer and structure, vol. 32, No.2, pp.477-488.
[5] H.H.Yoo, J.K.Lee, and J.Chung.,”Vibration analysis of rotating pre-twisted blades
a concentrated mass”2001, J. sound and vibration, vol.240, No.5, pp.891-908.
[6] William Weaver and Paul R.Johnston, (finite elements for structural analysis),
standford university, Prentice-Hall, N, J.198.

Received: May, 2012

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