Louver Design for High-Efficiency Air Intake: Enhancing Diesel Generator Inlet Performance Using Sinusoidal Tubercle Model
Öz
This study aims to numerically investigate the effect of the Tubercle phenomenon, inspired by humpback whale flippers, on the aerodynamic performance of ventilation louvers located in the intake compartments of diesel generator enclosures. In industrial generator cabins, air inlet louvers used in high-flow applications often experience flow separation and excessive pressure drop issues in conventional designs. These problems naturally lead to challenges in cabin climate control and acoustics. Therefore, this study seeks to provide an innovative solution to the high-pressure loss and flow separation problems caused by traditional straight-edged louvers.
A sinusoidal design applied to the leading edges of the louvers was developed, where the amplitude and wavelength of the protrusions vary in a correlated manner. The aerodynamic performance, pressure drop, and flow uniformity of this biomimetic Tubercle-based model, which has been widely discussed in academic literature, were evaluated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
Flow analyses were conducted under identical design and boundary conditions for each configuration, including velocity contours, turbulence intensity, and pressure loss distributions. The results demonstrated that the Tubercle geometry delays flow separation, enhances airflow uniformity in the diesel generator intake section, and reduces pressure drop compared to conventional straight louver designs. Among the three configurations, the M3 model exhibited the most balanced aerodynamic performance.
This study indicates potential power savings in the generator cooling fan and improvements in the acoustic performance of the cabin, offering a novel and innovative perspective for optimizing both internal cooling and flow organization in diesel generator enclosures.
Anahtar Kelimeler
- Tubercle effect
- Diesel generator
- Louver design
- Aerodynamic performance
- Computer fluid dynamics (CFD)
Destekleyen Kurum
Etik Beyan
Teşekkür
Kaynakça
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- [2] Sallem, Arslan; K, Man-Hoe. Airside thermal performance of louvered fin flat-tube heat exchangers with different redirection louvers. Energies, 2022, 15.16: 5904.
- [3] Parra, Jordi, et al. Thermal performance of ventilated double skin façades with venetian blinds. Energies, 2015, 8.6: 4882-4898.
- [4] Manideep, J. S. S., et al. Effects of Leading-edge Tubercles and Dimples on a Cambered Airfoil and its Performance. 2022.
- [5] Moreau.A, Antoine; G, Sébastien; S, Rainer. Optimization of Trailing-Edge Serrations to Reduce Open-Rotor Tonal Interaction Noise.
- [6] C.P., et al. Aerofoil broadband noise reductions through double-wavelength leading-edge serrations: A new control concept. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2018, 855: 131-151.
- [7] Xing, Yudi, et al. Effect of wavy leading edges on airfoil trailing-edge bluntness noise. Aerospace, 2023, 10.4: 353.
- [8] A, Yasir; C, Tze Pei; S, Oksana. Leading edge blowing to mimic and enhance the serration effects for aerofoil. Applied Sciences, 2021, 11.6: 2593.
Ayrıntılar
Birincil Dil
İngilizce
Konular
Makine Mühendisliği (Diğer)
Bölüm
Araştırma Makalesi
Yayımlanma Tarihi
1 Temmuz 2026
Gönderilme Tarihi
3 Kasım 2025
Kabul Tarihi
23 Mart 2026
Yayımlandığı Sayı
Yıl 2026 Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1