Parameters justification and highly economical fan installations creation for air cooling devices
Authors:   Ural  State Mining University, MAKAROV Nikolay , MAKAROV Vladimir ,   Ural  State Mining University, UGOLNIKOV Alexander ,   Ural  State Mining University, NOSYREV Mikhail ,   Ural  State Mining University
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Sustainable development of regions with high subsoil use demands performance improvement in gas cooling at compressor stations of main gas pipelines and environmental safety. Low energy prices specified the design parameters of gas transmission units throughout the boost of the gas industry. Therefore, the crucial task is to enhance the economic efficiency of main gas pipelines. One of the most energy-intensive units here is the cooling system of transported gas, which enables the reduction in operating costs. Gas air-cooling units used for cooling transported gas flow have spread significantly being notable for their increased energy output. Simulation methods of fan system parameters in gas air cooling units are assuming great importance in a rapidly globalizing world depending on their specific speed. Research objective. This study aims to develop a simulation model and guidelines on the construction of fans with high specific speed comparable cost-effectively to industrial fans. To support business objectives it is essential to specify the principles of cost-efficiency variation from that of specific speed, the influence of geometric and kinematic parameters, to conduct an experimental investigation to verify the results. Materials and methods. The research was based on a hypothesis for the consistency of the ratio between the pressure loss in a fan and the specific energy of transferrable air. Aerodynamic efficiency was accepted as a criterion for a fan local efficiency in order to determine the dependency of fan cost-effectiveness against its specific speed. Basic equations of fluid mechanics and theory of optimization were used as research mathematical tools. Results and discussion. In this study, we have established the influence pattern of the structural elements of a fan air duct and its geometrical parameters on the efficiency over a wide range of alterations of specific speed. We have obtained a mathematical model of correlation between geometrical and kinematic parameters of fans and their cost-effectiveness in a function of specific speed and residual flow swirl. The study has proved that it is essential to improve the aerodynamic quality of impeller airfoils and reduce the aerodynamic drag of air duct elements with the increase in specific speed of fans to extend their cost-effectiveness. Conclusion. The research described in this paper confirms the commercial importance of utilizing fans in air-cooling units according to aerodynamic configurations with a single wheel “K” and high specific speed ny ≥400, as far as they provide the highest possible aerodynamic efficiency at minimum weight dimension characteristics. The paper shows the capability of designing aerodynamic configurations of fan units of high specific speed ny ≥ 400 with the efficiency ≥ 0,85 where ԑy ≤ 0,2 achieves aerodynamic efficiency of impeller sections К ≥ 25. It has been established that the optimal region of theoretical pressure coefficient of fan units with a specific speed 380≤ny≤450 is located in the range 0,02<ΨТ <0,08. We have determined that when the aerodynamic drag coefficient of an air duct of a fan unit is equal to ԑy ≥ 1,2, its efficiency declines by more than 25 percent relative to ԑy ≤ 0,1. The authors have designed an aerodynamic scheme and produced an industrial prototype of a fan unit OGM VU 2.7-1.2 K3 with OV- 121TOH airfoils.