Noise characteristics of centrifugal blower with low solidity cascade diffuser (Noise reduction by means of small groove located at LSD blade leading tip)

Abstract

This paper deals with the effect of the blade tip-groove of the low solidity cascade diffuser (LSD) on the blower characteristic and the noise generated by the LSD. The small grooves were set up at the root and/or tip near the leading edge of the LSD blade. In order to clarify the mechanism of noise increase due to LSD and also to reduce the noise, the relationships between the noise increase based on the LSD, the LSD performance and the secondary flow formed additionally by the tip-groove were investigated experimentally as well as numerically, especially analyzing flow behaviors in the LSD in view points of flow separation on the suction surface of the LSD blade and the secondary flow on the side walls. By reducing the stagnation region smaller near the root and/or tip of the LSD blade leading edge, the secondary flow behavior changes remarkably around the LSD blade, as a result, the noise level and the blower characteristics vary. It can be concluded that, by means of a small tip-groove located only at the shroud side near the LSD blade leading edge, the noise generated by the LSD can be reduced without deteriorations of the LSD performance and the blower characteristics as well.