The Tip Leakage Flow Structure of an Axial Fan with Tip Clearance

Experiment and numerical simulation technique are used to investigate the tip leakage flow in an axial fan with tip clearance at the design condition. The flow field in the tip region of fan is measured using a PDA (Particle Dynamics Analysis) system. The flow is surveyed across the whole passage at fifteen axial locations (from the 100% axial chord in front of the leading edge to the 100% axial chord behind the trailing edge), mainly focusing on the outer 90% blade span. Both experiment measurement and numerical simulation indicates the leakage flow orig-inated from the tip clearance along the chord rolls-up into three-dimensional spiral structure to form leakage flow vortex. The interaction of leakage flow and main flow will produce the low velocity zone, and block the flow. The leakage flow almost occupies the most part of flow passage behind the trailing edge.