[Catthan]

Dear all,

recently I have undertaken a project where I need to model an automotive axial cooling fan.

The papers I've read use a 2D airfoil model as a first stage approach and then a 3D model. My understanding is that they use a moving reference for both 2D and 3D models.

At the moment I have set up the 2D where I have the blade profile and I have specified a translational fluid zone with the blade walls having a relative velocity equal to 0.

Inlet is vel. inlet and outlet is press. outlet with targeting mass-flow.

I am essentially trying to recreate the fan curve with some approximation at least and then move on to 3D, do fan curve and then acoustics..

I am not entirely convinced however that I can use a 2D airfoil model for any of this..

Is flow over 2D airfoil studied over a stationary airfoil?
Is there any point of trying to predict any fan performance out of this or is it just for looking at flow over an airfloil, lift, drag, separation etc?

Furthermore I have convergence trouble with continuity (can't get it under 10^-3). I am using Spal. - Almrs model

Can you please point me into the right direction as to how should I set up my model and whether a 2D airfoil model is applicable at all?

Is there any sort of turbomachinery guide about what do we use different types of model for? (other than the CFD-wiki)

My CFD experience has only been on Stirling Engines and I am now struggling with this set up..

I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks,