Numerical and Experimental Characterization of a Coanda-Type Industrial Air Amplifier

The performance of an industrial air amplifier is assessed through experimental and numerical characterization, with a focus on examining the influence of various operating conditions (isolated, “blowing,” and “suction” modes) and direct geometric scaling of the device within the specified range of...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miguel Chávez-Módena, Alejandro Martinez-Cava, Sergio Marín-Coca, Leo González
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-02-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/4/1524
Description
Summary:The performance of an industrial air amplifier is assessed through experimental and numerical characterization, with a focus on examining the influence of various operating conditions (isolated, “blowing,” and “suction” modes) and direct geometric scaling of the device within the specified range of the injection gap (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>δ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and the inlet pressure characteristic values. The findings underscore the presence of a linear trend of the entrained mass flow and a nonlinear decay of the amplification factor, both with notable sensitivity to the gap width. Numerical RANS simulations validate the experimental data, characterize the asymmetric flow downstream from the device, and facilitate the exploration of more complex scenarios. In this regard, scaling the device’s dimensions reveals an optimal aspect ratio between the minimum diameter (<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>m</mi></msub></semantics></math></inline-formula>) and <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>δ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula> to maximize the entrained mass flow. This research provides valuable insights into the behavior of air amplifiers, offering guidance for their design and application across various industrial contexts.
ISSN:2076-3417