High speed stereoscopic PIV investigation of the statistical characteristics of the axially restricted turbulent swirl flow behind the axial fan in pipe

Investigation of the turbulent swirl flow in the piping system is one of the most complex investigations in the field of energetics and turbulence. Axial fans in a pipe, without guide vanes, are widely used in practice and the problem of their duty point and energy efficiency is still extensively discussed. Analysis of the interaction between axial fans energy and construction parameters is one of the main topics in defining the fans energy efficiency potential. On one side, there is a three-dimensional velocity field in the wall-bounded flow with regions of great turbulence intensity. On the other side, there is a complex blade geometry, which generates the turbulent swirl flow. This paper presents research on the turbulent swirl flow, Rankine type, in an axially restricted system, using high-speed stereo particle image velocimetry (HSS PIV). Axial fan impeller, with outer diameter 0.399 m and nine twisted blades is the flow generator. The Reynolds number Re = 176,529 is achieved in the pipe. Reynolds stresses, statistical moments of higher order, and invariant maps are calculated based on the three component velocity fields. Here, intensive changes of all statistical parameters occur in radial and axial direction. In the flow region, four flow regions can be identified. Interaction of all these four flow regions produces extremely complex turbulent swirl flow, which is generated behind the axial fans. Determined invariant maps reveal turbulence structure. It is shown that the state of turbulence on the pipe axis is three-component isotropic, which is contrary to the case of axially unrestricted turbulent swirl flows. In the rest of the space, in the region up to r / R = 0.52, the states of turbulence occur in the area in between the boundaries which designate axis-symmetric turbulence (contraction) and axis-symmetric turbulence (expansion), in the vicinity of the state of three-component isotropic turbulence.