Centrifugal fan assembly and methods of assembling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10036400-B2
Application number	US-201414268648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Jul 31, 2018
Grant date	Jul 31, 2018

Abstract

A centrifugal fan assembly having an axis of rotation includes an inlet ring, a back plate, and a plurality of blades coupled between the inlet ring and the back plate. At least one blade of the plurality of blades includes a radially inner edge, a radially outer edge, and at least one flow channel extending obliquely therebetween. The at least one flow channel includes an inlet defined on the radially inner edge and an outlet defined on the radially outer edge, wherein the inlet and the outlet are positioned at different axial locations along a length of the blade.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal fan assembly including an axis of rotation, said assembly comprising:
an inlet ring including a first diameter, wherein said first diameter comprises an outermost diameter of said inlet ring;
a back plate including a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, wherein said second diameter comprises an outermost diameter of said back plate; and
a plurality of blades coupled between said inlet ring and said back plate, wherein at least one blade of said plurality of blades includes a radially inner edge, a radially outer edge, and at least one flow channel extending obliquely therebetween, wherein said flow channel defines a maximum camber extending obliquely between said radially inner edge and said radially outer edge, a first maximum camber location is spaced a first radial distance from the axis of rotation and a first axial distance from said back plate, a second maximum camber location is spaced a second radial distance from the axis of rotation and a second axial distance from said back plate, wherein said second radial distance greater than said first radial distance and said first axial distance greater than said second axial distance, wherein said flow channel includes an inlet defined on said radially inner edge that defines an inlet maximum camber and an outlet defined on said radially outer edge that defines an outlet maximum camber, said inlet and said outlet positioned at different axial locations along a length of said each blade;
wherein said inlet is defined proximate said inlet ring and said outlet is defined proximate said back plate.

2. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said flow channel defines a slope that is linear between said inlet and said outlet.

3. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said flow channel defines a width that is uniform between said inlet and said outlet.

4. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein each blade of said plurality of blades includes a top edge adjacent said inlet ring, a bottom edge adjacent said back plate, and a chord line that is parallel to said axis of rotation extending between said top edge and said bottom edge, wherein said flow channel defines the maximum camber between said chord line and said blade.

5. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the first diameter and the second diameter form a taper angle oriented obliquely with respect to the axis of rotation.

6. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said inlet ring includes a radially outer tip portion that is curled towards said plurality of blades such that said inlet ring includes a substantially S-shaped cross-sectional profile.

7. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said back plate includes a radially outer tip portion that is curled away from said plurality of blades such that said back plate includes a substantially S-shaped cross-sectional profile.

8. A fan blade for use with a centrifugal fan assembly having an axis of rotation, said blade comprising:
a radially inner edge;
a radially outer edge;
at least one flow channel extending obliquely between said radially inner edge and said radially outer edge, wherein said flow channel includes an inlet defined on said radially inner edge that defines an inlet maximum camber and an outlet defined on said radially outer edge that defines an outlet maximum camber, said inlet and said outlet positioned at different axial locations along a length of said each blade, wherein said flow channel is configured to discharge an airflow from said outlet in an oblique direction with respect to the axis of rotation, and wherein a maximum camber of said fan blade is defined along said flow channel between said radially inner edge and said radially outer edge, a first maximum camber location is spaced a first radial distance from the axis of rotation and a first axial distance from said back plate, a second maximum camber location is spaced a second radial distance from the axis of rotation and a second axial distance from said back plate, wherein said second radial distance greater than said first radial distance and said first axial distance greater than said second axial distance;
wherein said inlet is defined proximate said inlet ring and said outlet is defined proximate said back plate.

9. The fan blade in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said flow channel defines a width that is uniform between said inlet and said outlet.

10. The fan blade in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said flow channel defines a slope that is linear between said inlet and said outlet.

11. The fan blade in accordance with claim 8 , wherein at least one of said radially inner and said radially outer edges are S-shaped.

12. The fan blade in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a top edge, a bottom edge, and a chord line extending therebetween, wherein said flow channel defines the maximum camber between said chord line and a surface of the blade.

13. A method of forming a centrifugal fan assembly having an axis of rotation, said method comprising:
forming an inlet ring including a first diameter, wherein the first diameter includes an outermost diameter of the inlet ring;
forming a back plate including a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, wherein the second diameter includes an outermost diameter of the back plate;
forming a plurality of blades, wherein at least one blade of the plurality of blades includes a radially inner edge, a radially outer edge, and at least one flow channel extending obliquely therebetween, wherein the flow channel defines a maximum camber extending obliquely between the radially inner edge and the radially outer edge, a first maximum camber location is spaced a first radial distance from the axis of rotation and a first axial distance from the back plate, a second maximum camber location is spaced a second radial distance from the axis of rotation and a second axial distance from the back plate, wherein the second radial distance greater than the first radial distance and the first axial distance greater than the second axial distance, wherein the flow channel includes an inlet defined on the radially inner edge that defines an inlet maximum camber and an outlet defined on the radially outer edge that defines an outlet maximum camber, the inlet and the outlet positioned at different axial locations along a length of the each blade; and
coupling the plurality of blades between the inlet ring and the back plate;
wherein said forming a plurality of blades further comprises forming the plurality of blades such that the inlet is defined proximate the inlet ring and the outlet is defined proximate the back plate.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein forming a plurality of blades further comprises forming the plurality of blades such that the flow channel defines a slope that is linear between the inlet and the outlet.

15. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein forming a plurality of blades further comprises forming the plurality of blades such that the flow channel defines a width that is uniform between the inlet and the outlet.

16. The centrifugal fan assembly in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the first diameter and the second diameter form a taper angle oriented obliquely with respect to the axis of rotation.

17. The method in accordance with claim 13 , wherein forming an inlet ring further comprises forming an inlet ring that includes a first radially outer tip portion

Assignees

• Regal Beloit America Inc

Inventors

• Cocks Rachele B
• Stauffer Zachary
• Rohoza Rafal Pawel

Classifications

• F04D29/282 Primary

  the leading edge of each vane being substantially parallel to the rotation axis · CPC title

• Y10T29/4933

  Fluid coupling device · CPC title

• F05D2240/301

  Cross-sectional characteristics · CPC title

• F04D29/624

  especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F05D2240/305

  related to the pressure side of a rotor blade · CPC title