Calibration of an Axial Fan at Various Power Settings for Use on a Quarter Scale XC-8A Air Cushion Model

摘要

A method was developed to measure volume flow from electrically powered fans during model testing of a dynamically scaled, quarter-scale XC-8A air cushion model. To measure the volume flow during model operation, the static pressure at a point along the fan inlet duct was correlated with volume flow. Correlation of the fan inlet static pressure with volume flow was performed using one of the two fans used on the model and a fan calibration rig. The fan calibration rig is independent of the model and used the orifice plate method to measure volume flow. Correlation was performed at five different input voltage settings to the fan from 100 volts/200 cycles to the normal rated voltage input of 200 volts/400 cycles. Reduction of the normal rated voltage was investigated so that the volume flow could be controlled during model operation to more accurately simulate the XC-8A fan performance maps. The results of this work are five sets of graphical data illustrating the fan output static pressure and inlet static pressure versus volume flow. This data will be a key to future research using the quarter-scale XC-8A air cushion model for development of air chushion technology.