- #1
TJ_Laser
- 8
- 0
I am using Solidworks to model the pressure distribution of air around a large fan. The fan is 10' in diameter and moves 94,000 CFM. I need to know the effect adding a large duct around the inlet of the fan would have on the pressure. If the duct causes a huge pressure drop then we can't use it.
The duct would completely enclose the inlet and extend 18'. After modeling the air flow Solidworks tells me the lowest-pressure point in the entire duct would be only 0.4 psi below atmospheric pressure. It seems to me that a fan of this size pulling air through 18' of duct would cause much lower pressure than that.
I have added some pictures of the model and results. Air enters through the rectangular inlet shown in the two pictures of the model. It exists through the opening, which I have modeled as a red disk. As you can see the pressure inside the duct is barely below atmospheric pressure. Intuitively it seems like it should be much lower. As a new engineer with little experience my intuitive frame of reference may not be realistic. Any thoughts?
The length units in the attached pictures are in inches.
The duct would completely enclose the inlet and extend 18'. After modeling the air flow Solidworks tells me the lowest-pressure point in the entire duct would be only 0.4 psi below atmospheric pressure. It seems to me that a fan of this size pulling air through 18' of duct would cause much lower pressure than that.
I have added some pictures of the model and results. Air enters through the rectangular inlet shown in the two pictures of the model. It exists through the opening, which I have modeled as a red disk. As you can see the pressure inside the duct is barely below atmospheric pressure. Intuitively it seems like it should be much lower. As a new engineer with little experience my intuitive frame of reference may not be realistic. Any thoughts?
The length units in the attached pictures are in inches.