Performance Evaluation of a Forward Curved Blower for Thermal Applications

Abubakar A. Bukar^1, , M. Ben Oumarou², Fasiu A Oluwole² and Sahabo Abubakar¹

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

²Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

Cite this paper:
Abubakar A. Bukar, M. Ben Oumarou, Fasiu A Oluwole and Sahabo Abubakar. Performance Evaluation of a Forward Curved Blower for Thermal Applications. American Journal of Mechanical Engineering. 2018; 6(3):114-126. doi: 10.12691/ajme-6-3-4

Abstract

This paper presents the performance evaluation of a forward curved blower, for air supply at high temperature thermal applications such as incineration and biomass gasification. For such an application to be successful, and work as intended, the blower and system must be compatible both structurally as well as from a performance standpoint. Tests were carried out in order to determine the performance of the designed blower under actual working conditions. Agricultural wastes such as: groundnut shell, rice husk and bagasse were used to carry out these tests in an existing incinerator. A constant mass of 20 kg each was measured for the variables and fed into the incinerator. The blower was operated at rotational speeds and air velocities of 3203 rpm, 3111rpm, 3078 rpm and 24.4m/s, 23.8m/s, 21.3m/s as measured using a tachometer and anemometer respectively. Temperatures were recorded using two digital thermocouples at 300 seconds intervals. The obtained data were varied at nine levels and laid in randomized complete design (RCD) which was replicated three times for a total of 243 experimental treatments. The Design Expert software version 7.0 was used to analyze and interpret the experimental data. A peak temperature of 891°C was recorded at 3111 rpm and an air velocity of 23.8 m/s. Major characteristics of the blower such as the power output and mechanical efficiency were obtained as 0.56 kW and 62% respectively. The designed blower is suitable for gasification operations which require temperatures of about 750°C.

Keywords:
forward curved power output volumetric flow rate mechanical efficiency gas velocity

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