One of the main design decisions in the development of low-speed axial fans is the right choice of the blade loading versus rotational speed, since a target pressure rise could either be achieved with a slow spinning fan and high blade loading or a fast spinning fan with less flow turning in the blade passages. Both the blade loading and the fan speed have an influence on the fan performance and the fan acoustics and there is a need to find the optimum choice in order to maximize efficiency while minimizing noise emissions. The present paper addresses this problem by investigating five different fans with the same pressure rise but different rotational speeds in the design point. In the first part of the numerical study, the fan design is described and steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are conducted in order to identify the performance of the fans in the design point and in off-design conditions. The investigations show the existence of an optimum in rotational speed regarding fan efficiency and identify a flow separation on the hub causing a deflection of the outflow in radial direction as the main loss source for slow spinning fans with high blade loadings. Subsequently, Large Eddy Simulations (LES) along with the acoustic analogy of Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW-H) are performed in the design point to identify the main noise sources and to determine the far-field acoustics. The identification of the noise sources within the fans in the near-field is performed with the help of the power spectral density of the pressure. In the far-field, the sound power level is computed using different parts of the fan surface as FW-H sources. Both methods show the same trends regarding noise emissions and allow for a localization of the noise sources. The flow separation on the hub is one of the main noise sources along with the tip vortex with an increase in its strength towards lower rotational speeds and higher loading. Furthermore, a horseshoe vortex detaching from the rotor leading edge and impinging on the pressure side as well as the turbulent boundary layer on the suction side represent significant noise sources. In the present investigation, the maximum in efficiency coincides with the minimum in ndise emissions.
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