FANPAL™

CAE Software for Radial Fans

A meanline approach is used to design axial, radial, and mixed-flow fans, both for single and for multiple stages. Use FANPAL™ to design the stage, analyze the performance, refine parameters with data reduction, and model the machine according to several performance models. FANPAL’s unique Design Wizard leads the user through all the steps necessary for design, analysis, and data reduction. The meanline fan design from FANPAL can easily migrate into the AxCent® program for further blade design and fluid dynamic analysis.

Components Supported by FANPAL:

  • Radial or axial inlet guide vanes
  • Open or closed impellers
  • 2D or 3D impellers
  • Front and rear seals (multiple)
  • Diffuser types, including…
    • Vaned
    • Vaneless
    • Wedge/channel
    • Cascade
    • Conical
    • 90/180 degree bends
    • Foil
  • Exit elements, including…
    • Collector
    • Volute
    • Return channel
  • Various leakage paths
  • Multistage fans

Modeling

Radial fans and blowers in FANPAL are supported by the two-elements-in-series (TEIS) rotor diffusion model using a two-zone approach. Axial designs are modeled using the famous Koch-Smith method to calculate loss and deviation. Other models are implemented to calculate disk friction, exit mixing, radial and axial stator diffusion/losses, volutes, stall, thrust, and other fundamental fluid dynamic aspects of fan performance.

Integrated Performance Map Plotting

Review design performance, analysis, and test data with performance maps that are flexibly plotted and updated automatically with each geometric change.

Easy Editing

View the fan or blower stage in an active, true-scale meridional view. Edit the parameters by double clicking on the component in the meridional view. Also edit parameters using a single text input/output file, a feature especially useful for optimization.

Tabular View of Results

View the results in a flexible, spreadsheet-like table, customizable through separate filters. Create any number of filters, select what to display, and customize the labels as well.

Axial View with Velocity Triangles

View blades and velocity triangles at the impeller inlet and exit in a window view.

OLE Automation Support

Control FANPAL from an external program through industry-standard Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation. OLE automation supports full control of data entry, program execution, and result retrieval. External programs can be written in Visual Basic, C++, FORTRAN, or any other language that supports the Microsoft® OLE standard.

Text Input / Output

Edit key parameter variables using a single text input/output file. This feature is especially useful for optimization.

Multistage Capability

FANPAL supports multistage analysis and data reduction and provides a variety of multistage performance maps.

Preliminary Mechanical Analysis

FANPAL provides the user with an initial calculation of the design’s mechanical properties. It also rapidly estimates stress, vibration, and fatigue limit, and accesses a large database of customizable material properties.

A Real Fluid Program

FANPAL calculates Real Fluid properties using optional DB Robinson Real Fluid Properties, NIST, or ASME Steam routines. Users can also incorporate their own proprietary fluid properties.

Direct Integration with AxCent®

Start AxCent automatically from FANPAL, with the initial geometry transferred automatically to AxCent. Changes in AxCent that affect the meanline analysis will cause the meanline analysis to be rerun and all performance maps to be regenerated.

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Software Highlights

2020 Release Features

Components Supported by FANPAL

  • Radial or axial inlet guide vanes
  • Open or closed impellers
  • 2D or 3D impellers
  • Front and rear seals (multiple)
  • Diffuser types, including…
    • Vaned
    • Vaneless
    • Wedge/channel
    • Cascade
    • Conical
    • 90/180 degree bends
    • Foil
  • Exit elements, including…
    • Collector
    • Volute
    • Return channel
  • Various leakage paths
  • Multistage fans

Modeling

Radial fans and blowers in FANPAL are supported by the two-elements-in-series (TEIS) rotor diffusion model using a two-zone approach. Axial designs are modeled using the famous Koch-Smith method to calculate loss and deviation. Other models are implemented to calculate disk friction, exit mixing, radial and axial stator diffusion/losses, volutes, stall, thrust, and other fundamental fluid dynamic aspects of fan performance.

Integrated Performance Map Plotting

Review design performance, analysis, and test data with performance maps that are flexibly plotted and updated automatically with each geometric change.

Easy Editing

View the fan or blower stage in an active, true-scale meridional view. Edit the parameters by double clicking on the component in the meridional view. Also edit parameters using a single text input/output file, a feature especially useful for optimization.

Tabular View of Results

View the results in a flexible, spreadsheet-like table, customizable through separate filters. Create any number of filters, select what to display, and customize the labels as well.

Axial View with Velocity Triangles

View blades and velocity triangles at the impeller inlet and exit in a window view.

OLE Automation Support

Control FANPAL from an external program through industry-standard Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) automation. OLE automation supports full control of data entry, program execution, and result retrieval. External programs can be written in Visual Basic, C++, FORTRAN, or any other language that supports the Microsoft® OLE standard.

Text Input / Output

Edit key parameter variables using a single text input/output file. This feature is especially useful for optimization.

Multistage Capability

FANPAL supports multistage analysis and data reduction and provides a variety of multistage performance maps.

Preliminary Mechanical Analysis

FANPAL provides the user with an initial calculation of the design’s mechanical properties. It also rapidly estimates stress, vibration, and fatigue limit, and accesses a large database of customizable material properties.

A Real Fluid Program

FANPAL calculates Real Fluid properties using optional DB Robinson Real Fluid Properties, NIST, or ASME Steam routines. Users can also incorporate their own proprietary fluid properties.

Direct Integration with AxCent®

Start AxCent automatically from FANPAL, with the initial geometry transferred automatically to AxCent. Changes in AxCent that affect the meanline analysis will cause the meanline analysis to be rerun and all performance maps to be regenerated.

Product Support

Customer-driven Improvement
AxCent has been continuously improved with annual releases since 1983. Nearly two hundred licenses shared by nearly four hundred users worldwide make AxCent the most mature and robust turbomachinery design software available today. Each year, the most requested features from Concepts NREC’s formal ballot process are incorporated into the new AxCent release.
Technical Support
Our support staff in North America, Europe, and the Far East includes experienced turbomachinery designers. Our software maintenance plan, Agile Products Support (APS), features traditional software upgrades, a help line, and regular design reviews conducted by our engineering staff, who also teaches our renowned turbomachinery courses.
Documentation
Documentation features make AxCent easy to use and include comprehensive HTML HELP plus step-by-step tutorials. User guides for designing radial and axial machines include Designing Axial Machines With AxCent and Designing Radial Machines With AxCent. Both guides are available in print or in searchable PDF format.

FANPAL Brochure

Perform meanline design optimization for axial, centrifugal, and mixed-flow fans with single or multiple stages. FANPAL is used to design the fan stage, analyze the performance, refine parameters with data reduction, and model the machine according to several performance models.

Download Brochure
FANPAL

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I came to the realization that we needed some objective insight.

We were working well with the OEM but even with our combined efforts, we were struggling to get a critical compressor to pass performance on their test stand. Although I'd never directly done business with Concepts NREC I was familiar with them and their capability so I chose to contact them when I came to the realization that we needed some objective insight. Concepts NREC fielded my cold call and immediately engaged their expertise in a complex problem that was also challenged by schedule constraints. They provided increased understanding of an already complex CFD which resulted in increased confidence that the proposed solution would succeed on the next test stand attempt (which it did!). We are pleased to have had the help of Concepts NREC and now have a well-performing compressor in our process.”

Bryan Barrington

Senior Advisor - Machinery Engineering

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