Computer fan performance enhancement via acoustic perturbations

A novel technique for increasing computer fan effectiveness, based on introducing acoustic perturbations onto the fan blades to control boundary layer separation, was assessed. Experiments were conducted in a specially designed facility that simultaneously allowed characterization of fan performance and introduction of the perturbations. A parametric study was conducted to determine the optimum control parameters, namely those that deliver the largest increase in fan pressure for a given flowrate. The optimum reduced frequencies corresponded with those identified on stationary airfoils and it was thus concluded that the exploitation of Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities, commonly observed on airfoils, was responsible for the fan blade performance improvements. The optimum control inputs, such as acoustic frequency and sound pressure level, showed some variation with different fan flowrates. With the near-optimum control conditions identified, the full operational envelope of the fan, when subjected to acoustic perturbations, was assessed. The peak pressure and peak flowrate were increased by up to 40% and 15% respectively. The peak fan efficiency increased with acoustic perturbations but the overall system efficiency was reduced when the speaker input power was accounted for.

► Computer fan effectiveness was increased by introducing acoustic perturbations.
► Acoustic perturbations controlled blade boundary layer separation.
► Optimum frequencies corresponded with airfoils studies.
► Exploitation of flow instabilities was responsible for performance improvements.
► Peak pressure and peak flowrate were increased by 40% and 15% respectively.