Experimental and numerical investigations on the eccentric vortex of the cross flow fan

• Eccentric vortex of CFF is discussed by experiment and CFD.
• The CFF includes through-flow region and eccentric vortex region.
• The eccentric vortex region is an independent region.
• The energy of eccentric vortex is transferred by vortex shedding.
• The efficiency of CFF with IGVs can be decreased 4.6% by reducing the flow separation.

The effects of an eccentric vortex on the performance of a cross flow fan for air-conditioning is evaluated experimentally and numerically. Based on the two-dimensional computational analysis using commercial CFD software, and experimental measurements, a new design is proposed for the inlet guide vanes. The new design reduces vortex shedding from the fan blades, thereby reducing the size of the eccentric vortex, which results in improved fan efficiency. The new design improves the performance of the cross flow fan marginally by 4.6% at a maximum volumetric flow rate of 10.5 m3 min−1.