Experimental investigation of axial fan erosion and performance degradation

Abstract

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effects of sand ingestion on an axial fan with an upstream guide vane (contra-whirl). The experimental work was divided into two types of testing. Firstly, local injection tests were carried out to generate qualitative erosion patterns in order to validate a trajectory code. Secondly, global sand injection tests were carried out in order to assess the geometry deterioration and the subsequent degradation in the axial fan aerodynamic characteristics. Two types of particle were used; a narrow size bandwidth sand (150–300 μm) and MIL-E5007E sand (0–1000 μm). In all sand injection tests the fan operated near design point at a constant speed of rotation.