Irregular-pitch regenerative blower and optimization design method for same

Abstract

Provided is a regenerative blower. According to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the regenerative blower comprises an impeller comprising a plurality of blades disposed spaced apart in the circumferential direction, wherein, in the plurality of blades, each blade gap is arranged at an incremental angle (ΔΘi).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a regenerative blower and a design optimization method for the same.

BACKGROUND ART

Regenerative blowers are generally used for transferring gas at a relatively low flow-rate and in a relatively high pressure, as in an industrial high-pressure blower (or a ring blower). Recently, the application range thereof is expanding to an air supply of a fuel cell system, a hydrogen recirculation system, and the like.

Such regenerative blowers are divided into an open channel type used as an air supply blower of a system requiring a low flow-rate and a high head and a side channel type. In the regenerative blower, blades are located in the circumferential direction of a disk-shaped rotary impeller. When the regenerative blower operates, internal circulation occurs between the recesses between the blades and the channels of a casing, thereby increasing pressure.

The regenerative blower must have a plurality of blades to raise the head. This consequently forms blade-passing frequencies (BPFs), i.e. high-frequency noise, and nose (overall noise). Although the noise of the regenerative blower can generally be reduced by reducing the number of revolutions by improving efficiency and relative performance, the noise reduction ability is limited.

In addition, when the regenerative blower is used for home and medical uses, a method of reducing noise using a muffler can be used. However, this method increases the cost and size of the regenerative blower and has a loss in flow rate of about 10% caused by the muffler.

Since the arrangement of the blades of the regenerative blower of the related art is controlled by a random number method, it is difficult to predict or adjust noise and efficiency based on the arrangement of the blades, which is problematic.

In addition, although the blades of the regenerative blower of the related art are arranged at unequal pitches by the random number method, the basis of the arrangement is insufficient and adjustment is difficult, which are problematic.

DISCLOSURE

Technical Problem

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a regenerative blower and a design optimization method for the same in which blades are arranged at unequal pitches, such that the noise and efficiency due to the arrangement of the blades can be predicted or adjusted.

Technical Solution

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a regenerative blower including an impeller including a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction to be spaced part from each other. The plurality of blades are arranged such that angles therebetween are incremental angles ΔΘi satisfying the formula:

$\Delta {\theta }_i=\left(\frac{360}{N}\right)+{\left(-1\right)}^i\times \mathrm{Am}\times \mathrm{Sin}\left(P_i\times \frac{360}{N}\times i\right)\times \mathrm{Cos}\left(P_2\times \frac{360}{N}\times i\right)$

Here, the N is a total number of the blades, where the N is a natural number greater than 2.

The Am is a distribution size of distances between the blades (equal angles), where 0°<Am<360°/N.

The i is a sequence of the blades, where the i=1, 2, 3, 4, . . . , and N.

The P1 and the P2 are factors having an effect on a period, where 0≤P1≤N, and 0≤P2≤N, the P1 and the P2 being real numbers.

In addition, the Am, the P1, and the P2 may satisfy both relationships 27≤η≤32 and 77 dB(A)≤SPL≤83.7 dB(A).

In this case, η=(P_out−P_in)Q/σω, and SPL=10 log₁₀(P/P_ref)².

Here, the η is efficiency, the SPL is a sound pressure level (SPL), the (P_out−P_in) is a total pressure, the Q is a volumetric flow, the σ is a torque, the ω is an angular velocity, the P is a sound pressure, and the P_ref is a reference pressure (2×10⁻⁵ Pa).

In addition, the Am may range from 1° to 8.23°.

Furthermore, the P1 may range from 1 to 38, and the P2 ranges from 0 to 39.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a design optimization method for the above-described regenerative blower. The design optimization method may include: a design variable and objective function selection step; a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; and a step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in a design area.

The design optimization method may further include a step of comparing whether or not the optimal solutions, obtained in the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area, are proper.

In the design variable and objective function selection step, the design variables may include the Am, indicating the distribution size of the distances between the blades, and the P1 and the P2, indicating the factors having an effect on the period, and the objective functions may include the η, indicating the efficiency, and the SPL, indicating the sound pressure level.

In addition, in the design area setting step of determining the upper and lower limits of the design variables, the Am may range from 1 to 8.23, the P1 may range from 1 to 38, and the P2 may range from 0 to 39.

Furthermore, the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area may include: determining a plurality of test points by Latin hypercube sampling in the design area; and obtaining the objective functions at the plurality of test points by aerodynamic performance test and noise test.

In addition, the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area may include obtaining response surfaces, on which the optimal solutions are to be calculated, using a response surface method.

Furthermore, when the response surface method is used, a response surface analysis (RSA) model of the objective functions may have function types: the η is −18.8659−17.9578Am−10.5773P1−21.7493P2+7.3846AmP1+17.3858AmP2−0.789P1P2+6.2258Am²+11.0769P1²+16.1141P2², and the SPL is 84.2304+4.2557Am−11.8326P1−6.4429P2+8.2626AmP1+4.8169AmP2+5.9802P1P2−4.2959Am²+4.7855P1²+1.2078P2².

In addition, after the step of obtaining the response surfaces, on which the optimal solutions are to be calculated, using the response surface method, the optimal solutions able to maximize the objective functions, based on the response surfaces of the objective functions obtained by the response surface method, may be obtained using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm.

Furthermore, after the optimal solutions able to maximize the objective functions are obtained, more improved values of the optimal solutions may be obtained by localized search for the objective functions, using sequential quadratic programming (SQP), which is a gradient-based search algorithm.

In addition, the step of comparing whether or not the optimal solutions are proper may include analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis on the response surfaces of the objective functions obtained by the response surface method.

Advantageous Effects

The regenerative blower and the design optimization method for the same according to embodiments of the present disclosure are designed by multi-objective optimization, thereby allowing efficiency and noise to be selectively adjusted.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a regenerative blower according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an impeller of the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the impeller of the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-section of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a design optimization method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the efficiencies of objective functions and sound pressure levels in the design optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating correlations of design variables in the design optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

MODE FOR INVENTION

Hereinafter, reference will be made to the present disclosure in detail, embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below, so that a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure relates could easily put the present disclosure into practice. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments but various changes in forms may be made. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and symbols will be used to designate the same or like components, and specific portions will be omitted for the sake of brevity.

Hereinafter, a regenerative blower and a design optimization method for the same according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a regenerative blower according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an impeller of the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes an impeller 70, a first casing 10, a second casing 30, and a motor 50.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the impeller 70 is rotatably disposed within a pair of casings, i.e. the first casing 10 and the second casing 30, which are divided to the right and left. Here, the impeller 70 is disposed on a rotary shaft (not shown) of the motor 50 to be rotated by the motor.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the impeller of the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-section of FIG. 3.

Hereinafter, the impeller of the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

Each of the impeller 70 of the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a disk 71 and a plurality of blades 73.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the disk 71 has a shaft fixing portion 71a provided on the central portion to be fixedly connected to the rotary shaft (not shown) of the regenerative blower 1. The plurality of blades may be arranged in the circumferential direction to be spaced apart from each other, on one side of the impeller as illustrated in FIG. 2 or on both sides of the impeller as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Hereinafter, the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure having a plurality of blades on one side of the disk will be described. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of blades may be disposed on both sides of the disk such that the blades are spaced apart from each other.

The shaft fixing portion 71a is fixedly connected to the rotary shaft of the regenerative blower 1, i.e. the rotary shaft of the motor, such that the disk 71 rotates along with the rotary shaft.

Flow recesses 75 are provided between the plurality of blades, with the cross-section thereof being semicircular or semi-elliptical. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Since the flow recesses 75 are formed between the plurality of blades, the plurality of flow recesses 75 are spaced apart from each other.

The plurality of blades 73 are arranged at unequal pitches instead of being arranged at equal pitches such that the angles Θi between the blades are unequal.

In the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the blades can be arranged at unequal pitches, due to the angles between the blades being set to incremental angles ΔΘi according to Formula 1.

$\begin{array}{cc}\Delta {\theta }_i=\left(\frac{360}{N}\right)+{\left(-1\right)}^i\times \mathrm{Am}\times \mathrm{Sin}\left(P_i\times \frac{360}{N}\times i\right)\times \mathrm{Cos}\left(P_2\times \frac{360}{N}\times i\right),& \left[\mathrm{Formula}1\right]\end{array}$

where N is the total number of the blades (N is a natural number greater than 2),

Am is a distribution size of the distances between the blades (equal angles) (0°<Am<360°/N),

i is a sequence of the blades (i=1, 2, 3, 4, . . . , and N), and

P1 and P2 are factors having an effect on the period (0≤P1≤N, and 0≤P2≤N, where P1 and P2 are real numbers).

Here, according to a reference shape, the blades of the impeller shall be arranged at equal pitches due to the same angles between the blades, and the sum of the incremental angles ΔΘi shall satisfy 360°.

Due to the incremental angles ΔΘi, the impeller 70 can satisfy an unequal pitch condition having the same structure even in the case in which the number of the blades 73 changes. In addition, since generated functions have the shape of an oscillation divergence function due to a term (−1)ⁱ, the average of the incremental angles can be set to be similar to an overall average.

In the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the time intervals of the blades 73 and the blades passing through the adjacent partitions are scattered. This consequently reduces high-frequency sound and disperses sound pressure throughout a plurality of frequency bands, thereby reducing blade-passing frequency (BPF) in the high-frequency region.

For example, when the total number of blades is N=39, the average of the angles of the blades is 360°/39=9.2°.

To satisfy the conditions presented in the above formula, Am indicating the distribution size of the distances of the blades (equal angles), as well as the factors P1 and P2 having an effect on the period, are controlled. Since a pitch condition similar to a random pitch condition and a pitch condition having a predetermined distance can be generated by controlling the values Am, P1, and P2, it is possible to easily predict and adjust the arrangement of the blades.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a design optimization method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The design optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can adjust both the efficiency and noise of the regenerative blower by modifying the distances of the blades to unequal pitches using multi-objective optimization.

In the design optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, optimization refers to ability to adjust efficiency and noise as required, compared to the reference shape of the impeller having equal pitches. That is, it is possible to improve both efficiency and noise, improve efficiency alone, or improve noise alone. In this regard, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the design optimization method for the regenerative blower includes design variable and objective function selection step S10, design area setting step S20 of determining upper and lower limits of design variables, step S30 of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in a design area, and optimal solution comparison step S40.

The design optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure selects design variables for the regenerative blower 10 and optimizes objective functions within the design area.

First, in the design variable and objective function selection step S10, the objective functions are obtained by aerodynamic and noise performance test, and design variables for determining the unequal pitches of the blades are set in order to optimize the obtained objective functions.

According to the present embodiment, in the design variables Am, P1, and P2, Am is the distribution size of the distances of the blades (equal angles) (0°<Am<360/N°), while P1 and P2 are factors having an effect on the period (0<P1<N, and 0≤P2≤N, where P1 and P2 are real numbers).

The geometric parameters Am, P1, and P2 related to the unequal pitches of the blades 73 can be used as design values to optimize both efficiency η and a sound pressure level SPL in the regenerative blower 1. In this case, it is important to determine a formed movable design space by establishing the ranges of the design variables.

In addition, since the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is intended to optimize both efficiency and noise by optimizing the shape of the unequal pitches of the blades, the objective functions can be set using the efficiency η and the sound pressure level SPL.

Afterwards, in the design area setting step S20 of determining upper and lower limits of design variables, the ranges of the design variables are defined for the realization of design optimization, thereby setting a proper design range.

The upper and lower limits of the design variables to be changed during the process of design optimization can be determined by the minimum thickness of a drill or a blade used for the fabrication of the impeller. When the design variables set by the inventors of the present disclosure are applied to Formula 1, the upper and lower limits are obtained as in Table 1.

TABLE 1
Variables	Minimum	Maximum
Am	1 degree	8.23 degrees
P1	1	38
P2	0	39

According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the design variable Am ranges from 1° to 8.23°, the design variable P1 ranges from 1 to 38, and the design variable P2 ranges from 0 to 39.

Afterwards, in the test step S30, values of the object function are determined, for example, at 30 test points by performing a test in the set design area.

Here, the 30 test points can be determined by Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) available for sampling specific test points in the design area having a multidimensional distribution. The objective functions η and SPL at 30 test points can be obtained by aerodynamic performance test and noise test.

In the optimal solution comparison step S40 of obtaining optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area based on the test result, response surfaces on which optimal points will be calculated can be formed using a response surface method, namely, a type of surrogate model.

Various types of hydrodynamic performance of the regenerative blower 10 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be improved by multi-objective optimization of the regenerative blower 10. The object of optimization is to optimize both the efficiency η and sound pressure level SPL of the regenerative blower. Here, η and SPL, objective functions for the design optimization of the regenerative blower, can be defined as follows:

$\begin{array}{cc}\eta =\frac{\left(P_{\mathrm{out}}-P_{\mathrm{in}}\right)·Q_v}{\sigma ·\omega }& \left[\mathrm{Formula}2\right]\\ \mathrm{SPL}=10{{\log }_{10}\left(p/p_{\mathrm{ref}}\right)}^2& \left[\mathrm{Formula}3\right]\end{array}$

Here, η is efficiency, SPL is a sound pressure level, (P_out−P_in) is a total pressure, Q is a volumetric flow, σ is a torque, ω is an angular velocity, P is a sound pressure, and P_ref is a reference pressure (2×10⁻⁵ Pa).

The response surface method is a mathematical/statistical method of modeling an actual response function into an approximate polynomial function by using results obtained from physical tests or numerical calculations.

The response surface method can reduce the number of tests by modeling responses in a space using a limited number of tests. Response surfaces defined by a secondary polynomial used herein can be expressed as follows:

$\begin{array}{cc}f\left(x\right)=C_0+\sum _{j=1}^n{C}_j{\chi }_j+\sum _{j=1}^n{C}_{\mathrm{ji}}{\chi }_j^2+\sum \sum _{i+j}^n{C}_{\mathrm{ij}}{\chi }_i{\chi }_j& \left[\mathrm{Formula}4\right]\end{array}$

Here, C indicates a regression coefficient, n indicates the number of design variables, and x indicates design variables.

In this case, the regression coefficient is represented by Formula 5:(C₀,C₁,etc)=(n+1)×(n+2)/2  [Formula 5]

Here, the function type of an response surface analysis (RSA) model of the objective functions according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can be expressed, with respect to normalized design variables, as follows:η=−1838659−19.9878Am−10.5773P1−21.7493P2+7.3846Am·P1+17.3858Am·P2−0.789P1·P2+6.2258Am²+11.0769P1²+16.1141P2²  [Formula 6]SPL=84.2304+4.2557Am−11.8326P1−6.4429P2+8.2626Am·P1+4.8169Am·P2+5.9802P1·P2−4.2959Am²+4.7855P1²+1.2078P2²  [Formula 7]

Afterwards, η and SPL satisfying Formulae 6 and 7 are obtained.

In addition, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to optimize both η and SPL, a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm able to maximize the objective functions, based on the response surfaces of the objective functions obtained by the response surface method, can be used.

The multi-objective evolutionary algorithm may be implemented as real-coded NSGA-II developed by Deb. Here, the term “real coded” means that crossing and variation are performed in the actual design space to form the response of NSGA-II.

The optimal points obtained by the multi-objective evolutionary algorithm are referred to as a Pareto optimal solution, i.e. an assembly of non-dominant solutions. The Pareto optimal solution allows intended optimal solutions to be selected according to the intention of the objective to be used.

Since the multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is well-known in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In addition, optimal points can be found by evaluating values of objective functions for test points, obtained by Latin hypercube sampling (LHS), and using sequential quadratic programming (SQP) based on the evaluated objective functions.

More improved optimal solutions for the objective functions can be obtained by localized search for objective functions from solutions predicted by initial NSGA-II, using sequential quadratic programming (SQP), i.e. a gradient-based search algorithm.

Here, SQP is a well-known method for optimizing nonlinear objective functions under nonlinear constraints, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Consequently, Pareto optimal solutions, i.e. an assembly of non-dominant solutions, can be obtained by discarding dominant solutions from the optimal solutions improved as above ant then removing overlapping solutions. A group of units categorized among the Pareto optimal solutions will be referred to as a cluster.

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating the efficiencies of Pareto optimal solutions (clustered optimal solutions (COSs)) and sound pressure levels, derived from the multi-objective numerical optimization method for the regenerative blower according to the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 6, Pareto optimal solutions can have an S-shaped profile due to the optimization of objective functions regarding efficiency and noise. A trade-off analysis shows the correlation between two objective functions.

Thus, in the regenerative blower 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a higher efficiency can be obtained at a higher noise level, and in contrast, a lower efficiency can be obtained at a lower noise level.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, Am, P1, and P2 can satisfy both relationships 2732 and 77 dB(A)≤SPL≤83.7 dB(A). Am, P1, and P2 values satisfying these relationships, corresponding to the graph of the Pareto optimal solutions illustrated in FIG. 6, are represented in Table 2.

TABLE 2
Design Variable	Objective Function
Am	P1	P2	Efficiency (η)	Noise (SPL · dB(A))
X1	Y1	Z1	31.139	83.6854983
X2	Y2	Z2	31.139	83.685049
X3	Y3	Z3	31.082	83.6160881
X4	Y4	Z4	31.078	83.6160881
X5	Y5	Z5	31.078	83.614491
X6	Y6	Z6	31.031	83.6011141
X7	Y7	Z7	31.009	83.5965554
X8	Y8	Z8	30.877	83.5760955
X9	Y9	Z9	30.85	83.5727465
X10	Y10	Z10	30.818	83.5689124
X11	Y11	Z11	30.812	83.5689124
X12	Y12	Z12	30.812	83.5682137
X13	Y13	Z13	30.723	83.5586193
X14	Y14	Z14	30.708	83.5586193
X15	Y15	Z15	30.708	83.5571499
X16	Y16	Z16	30.656	83.5519518
X17	Y17	Z17	30.656	83.5519518
X18	Y18	Z18	30.656	83.5519497
X19	Y19	Z19	30.63	83.5494975
X20	Y20	Z20	30.63	83.5494974
X21	Y21	Z21	30.63	83.549457
X22	Y22	Z22	30.551	83.500479
X23	Y23	Z23	30.542	83.4892842
X24	Y24	Z24	30.513	83.4502087
X25	Y25	Z25	30.508	83.4434578
X26	Y26	Z26	30.489	83.4152326
X27	Y27	Z27	30.484	83.4152326
X28	Y28	Z28	30.484	83.4082556
X29	Y29	Z29	30.422	83.3067451
X30	Y30	Z30	30.409	83.3067451
X31	Y31	Z31	30.409	83.2855466
X32	Y32	Z32	30.384	83.2389053
X33	Y33	Z33	30.38	83.2324381
X34	Y34	Z34	30.357	83.1882198
X35	Y35	Z35	30.311	83.1882198
X36	Y36	Z36	30.311	83.0936043
X37	Y37	Z37	30.303	83.0771505
X38	Y38	Z38	30.301	83.0771505
X39	Y39	Z39	30.301	83.0730728
X40	Y40	Z40	30.277	83.0206437
X41	Y41	Z41	30.271	83.0065799
X42	Y42	Z42	30.267	82.999347
X43	Y43	Z43	30.236	82.9278265
X44	Y44	Z44	30.231	82.9161717
X45	Y45	Z45	30.211	82.9161716
X46	Y46	Z46	30.211	82.8669657
X47	Y47	Z47	30.193	82.8231613
X48	Y48	Z48	30.188	82.8231613
X49	Y49	Z49	30.188	82.8103652
X50	Y50	Z50	30.182	82.7949826
X51	Y51	Z51	30.172	82.7949826
X52	Y52	Z52	30.172	82.7704206
X53	Y53	Z53	30.154	82.7221752
X54	Y54	Z54	30.145	82.6989278
X55	Y55	Z55	30.109	82.6004421
X56	Y56	Z56	30.109	82.6004421
X57	Y57	Z57	30.109	82.5998025
X58	Y58	Z58	30.081	82.5215336
X59	Y59	Z59	30.08	82.5215336
X60	Y60	Z60	30.08	82.5204012
X61	Y61	Z61	30.047	82.4223153
X62	Y62	Z62	30.037	82.4223152
X63	Y63	Z63	30.037	82.3926777
X64	Y64	Z64	30.029	82.3707481
X65	Y65	Z65	30.014	82.3707481
X66	Y66	Z66	30.014	82.3225576
X67	Y67	Z67	30.007	82.3027607
X68	Y68	Z68	30.005	82.3027607
X69	Y69	Z69	30.005	82.2954184
X70	Y70	Z70	29.997	82.2712994
X71	Y71	Z71	29.993	82.2712994
X72	Y72	Z72	29.993	82.258459
X73	Y73	Z73	29.96	82.1528175
X74	Y74	Z74	29.958	82.1528175
X75	Y75	Z75	29.958	82.1480858
X76	Y76	Z76	29.952	82.1266986
X77	Y77	Z77	29.942	82.1266986
X78	Y78	Z78	29.942	82.0935959
X79	Y79	Z79	29.923	82.0300972
X80	Y80	Z80	29.915	82.0057523
X81	Y81	Z81	29.915	82.0051106
X82	Y82	Z82	29.901	82.0051106
X83	Y83	Z83	29.901	81.9565135
X84	Y84	Z84	29.89	81.9182115
X85	Y85	Z85	29.885	81.9182115
X86	Y86	Z86	29.885	81.9001068
X87	Y87	Z87	29.858	81.8058797
X88	Y88	Z88	29.855	81.8058797
X89	Y89	Z89	29.855	81.7946998
X90	Y90	Z90	29.844	81.757571
X91	Y91	Z91	29.834	81.757571
X92	Y92	Z92	29.834	81.720742
X93	Y93	Z93	29.828	81.698315
X94	Y94	Z94	29.823	81.698315
X95	Y95	Z95	29.823	81.6791706
X96	Y96	Z96	29.812	81.6394203
X97	Y97	Z97	29.812	81.6394202
X98	Y98	Z98	29.812	81.6387048
X99	Y99	Z99	29.772	81.4904461
X100	Y100	Z100	29.77	81.4815631
X101	Y101	Z101	29.752	81.4119061
X102	Y102	Z102	29.751	81.4119061
X103	Y103	Z103	29.751	81.4090656
X104	Y104	Z104	29.732	81.3337476
X105	Y105	Z105	29.73	81.3337476
X106	Y106	Z106	29.73	81.3273069
X107	Y107	Z107	29.718	81.2791408
X108	Y108	Z108	29.717	81.276571
X109	Y109	Z109	29.695	81.1898352
X110	Y110	Z110	29.692	81.1898352
X111	Y111	Z111	29.692	81.1774201
X112	Y112	Z112	29.668	81.0786783
X113	Y113	Z113	29.66	81.0786783
X114	Y114	Z114	29.66	81.046998
X115	Y115	Z115	29.647	80.9929066
X116	Y116	Z116	29.646	80.9929064
X117	Y117	Z117	29.646	80.9891169
X118	Y118	Z118	29.621	80.8821232
X119	Y119	Z119	29.615	80.8821231
X120	Y120	Z120	29.615	80.8578277
X121	Y121	Z121	29.613	80.847616
X122	Y122	Z122	29.602	80.847616
X123	Y123	Z123	29.602	80.7998398
X124	Y124	Z124	29.587	80.7337917
X125	Y125	Z125	29.584	80.7240269
X126	Y126	Z126	29.561	80.6193814
X127	Y127	Z127	29.557	80.6034128
X128	Y128	Z128	29.545	80.5483062
X129	Y129	Z129	29.541	80.5483062
X130	Y130	Z130	29.541	80.532873
X131	Y131	Z131	29.525	80.4615232
X132	Y132	Z132	29.523	80.4615232
X133	Y133	Z133	29.523	80.4527967
X134	Y134	Z134	29.515	80.4137528
X135	Y135	Z135	29.514	80.4137528
X136	Y136	Z136	29.514	80.4088387
X137	Y137	Z137	29.493	80.316339
X138	Y138	Z138	29.493	80.316339
X139	Y139	Z139	29.493	80.312363
X140	Y140	Z140	29.484	80.2720951
X141	Y141	Z141	29.484	80.2720951
X142	Y142	Z142	29.484	80.270587
X143	Y143	Z143	29.465	80.183932
X144	Y144	Z144	29.464	80.183932
X145	Y145	Z145	29.464	80.1814693
X146	Y146	Z146	29.46	80.1602507
X147	Y147	Z147	29.459	80.1602507
X148	Y148	Z148	29.459	80.1572512
X149	Y149	Z149	29.441	80.0724229
X150	Y150	Z150	29.441	80.0724229
X151	Y151	Z151	29.441	80.0681446
X152	Y152	Z152	29.42	79.969017
X153	Y153	Z153	29.416	79.9522104
X154	Y154	Z154	29.403	79.8887543
X155	Y155	Z155	29.398	79.8887543
X156	Y156	Z156	29.398	79.8619606
X157	Y157	Z157	29.385	79.7984225
X158	Y158	Z158	29.37	79.7243407
X159	Y159	Z159	29.367	79.7114422
X160	Y160	Z160	29.356	79.6572799
X161	Y161	Z161	29.351	79.6305195
X162	Y162	Z162	29.349	79.6305195
X163	Y163	Z163	29.349	79.6196693
X164	Y164	Z164	29.333	79.5376174
X165	Y165	Z165	29.327	79.5376174
X166	Y166	Z166	29.327	79.5109327
X167	Y167	Z167	29.292	79.3289859
X168	Y168	Z168	29.29	79.3221988
X169	Y169	Z169	29.278	79.2594319
X170	Y170	Z170	29.277	79.2594319
X171	Y171	Z171	29.277	79.2533121
X172	Y172	Z172	29.227	78.9867782
X173	Y173	Z173	29.227	78.986778
X174	Y174	Z174	29.227	78.9865995
X175	Y175	Z175	29.204	78.8663784
X176	Y176	Z176	29.203	78.8612056
X177	Y177	Z177	29.183	78.7519735
X178	Y178	Z178	29.182	78.7458862
X179	Y179	Z179	29.175	78.7088752
X180	Y180	Z180	29.167	78.6610085
X181	Y181	Z181	29.167	78.6606544
X182	Y182	Z182	29.157	78.6606544
X183	Y183	Z183	29.157	78.6053284
X184	Y184	Z184	29.136	78.493905
X185	Y185	Z185	29.134	78.493905
X186	Y186	Z186	29.134	78.4773519
X187	Y187	Z187	29.131	78.4626734
X188	Y188	Z188	29.13	78.4561662
X189	Y189	Z189	29.112	78.3558916
X190	Y190	Z190	29.111	78.3518051
X191	Y191	Z191	29.108	78.3360681
X192	Y192	Z192	29.1	78.2894346
X193	Y193	Z193	29.09	78.230936
X194	Y194	Z194	29.088	78.2177256
X195	Y195	Z195	29.07	78.1170001
X196	Y196	Z196	29.069	78.1169998
X197	Y197	Z197	29.069	78.1133521
X198	Y198	Z198	29.059	78.0505559
X199	Y199	Z199	29.049	77.9971649
X200	Y200	Z200	29.015	77.7966686
X201	Y201	Z201	29.014	77.7922567
X202	Y202	Z202	28.998	77.6952289
X203	Y203	Z203	28.997	77.6952288
X204	Y204	Z204	28.997	77.6892224
X205	Y205	Z205	28.989	77.6398967
X206	Y206	Z206	28.988	77.639896
X207	Y207	Z207	28.988	77.6371251
X208	Y208	Z208	28.964	77.550832
X209	Y209	Z209	28.94	77.5029929
X210	Y210	Z210	28.915	77.4679489
X211	Y211	Z211	28.907	77.459104
X212	Y212	Z212	28.849	77.4048382
X213	Y213	Z213	28.845	77.4016137
X214	Y214	Z214	28.842	77.3993036
X215	Y215	Z215	28.833	77.3930941
X216	Y216	Z216	28.787	77.3647676
X217	Y217	Z217	28.742	77.342861
X218	Y218	Z218	28.711	77.3299637
X219	Y219	Z219	28.708	77.3286827
X220	Y220	Z220	28.656	77.3109567
X221	Y221	Z221	28.648	77.3109567
X222	Y222	Z222	28.648	77.3085502
X223	Y223	Z223	28.554	77.2855233
X224	Y224	Z224	28.553	77.2852977
X225	Y225	Z225	28.495	77.2750232
X226	Y226	Z226	28.483	77.2750232
X227	Y227	Z227	28.483	77.2731263
X228	Y228	Z228	28.473	77.2716347
X229	Y229	Z229	28.388	77.2615579
X230	Y230	Z230	28.344	77.2575197
X231	Y231	Z231	28.298	77.2575197
X232	Y232	Z232	28.298	77.2539949
X233	Y233	Z233	28.216	77.2485304
X234	Y234	Z234	28.183	77.2485304
X235	Y235	Z235	28.183	77.246576
X236	Y236	Z236	28.146	77.2444507
X237	Y237	Z237	28.131	77.2444507
X238	Y238	Z238	28.131	77.2436537
X239	Y239	Z239	28.102	77.2420587
X240	Y240	Z240	28.086	77.2420587
X241	Y241	Z241	28.086	77.2412236
X242	Y242	Z242	28.006	77.237066
X243	Y243	Z243	28.006	77.237066
X244	Y244	Z244	28.006	77.2370655
X245	Y245	Z245	27.921	77.2328987
X246	Y246	Z246	27.891	77.2328987
X247	Y247	Z247	27.891	77.2314741
X248	Y248	Z248	27.755	77.2251261
X249	Y249	Z249	27.755	77.2251261
X250	Y250	Z250	27.755	77.2251185
X251	Y251	Z251	27.67	77.2212663
X252	Y252	Z252	27.641	77.2212663
X253	Y253	Z253	27.641	77.2199893
X254	Y254	Z254	27.598	77.2180905
X255	Y255	Z255	27.587	77.2180905
X256	Y256	Z256	27.587	77.2175869
X257	Y257	Z257	27.434	77.2109748
X258	Y258	Z258	27.433	77.2109748
X259	Y259	Z259	27.433	77.2109123
X260	Y260	Z260	27.327	77.2064116
X261	Y261	Z261	27.327	77.2064116
X262	Y262	Z262	27.327	77.2064116
X263	Y263	Z263	27.31	77.2060668
X264	Y264	Z264	27.31	77.2060668

Here, Table 3 represents optimal design variations Am, P1, and P2 for clusters A, B, C, D, and E, i.e. groups in which both efficiency and nose are optimized. In this case, the reference shape has an efficiency η of 27.25 and an SPL of 79 dB(A).

	TABLE 3
	Design Variables
	Design	Am	P1	P2
	Reference Shape	0.000	0.000	0.000
	Cluster A	1	23.96992	37.72269
	Cluster B	1	20.31293	26.94253
	Cluster C	1.975457	18.18757	23.56059
	Cluster D	3.27427	15.95297	18.60822
	Cluster E	6.793103	12.29705	1.858063

Referring to Table 3, a design variable Am increases while design variables P1 and P2 decrease from an optimal point A to an optimal point E. Here, the decreasing gradient of P2 is greater than the decreasing gradient of P1. It can be appreciated from the trade-off analysis that, among the three design variables, Am has a proportional relationship, while each of P1 and P2 has an inverse proportional relationship.

Here, referring to the reference shape, Am, P1, and P2 are 0 (points designated with triangles in FIG. 6), since the inter-blade pitches thereof are equal. Referring to Cluster A, Am is 1, P1 is 23.96992, and P2 is 37.72269. Referring to Cluster B, Am is 1, P1 is 20.31293, and P2 is 26.94253. Referring to Cluster C, Am is 1.975457, P1 is 18.18757, and P2 is 23.56059. Referring to Cluster D, Am is 3.27427, P1 is 15.95297, and P2 is 18.60822. Referring to Cluster E, Am is 6.793103, P1 is 12.29705, and P2 is 1.858063.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the three optimal design variables can significantly change compared to the values of the reference shape, and the efficiency and noise are significantly improved at all of the optimal points. It is therefore possible to select a value of efficiency and a sound pressure level.

Therefore, it can be understood that the noise and efficiency increase from the optimal point A to optimal point E, the optimal point (COSs) A indicates the lowest noise level and efficiency, and the optimal point (COSs) E indicates the highest noise level and efficiency.

In the optimal solution comparison step S40 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is examined whether or not the obtained optimal points are reliable by performing analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis on the response surfaces of the objective functions formed by the response surface method.

Table 4 represents the results of analysis of variance and regression analysis.

TABLE 4
Objective			Root-Mean-	Cross Verification
Function	R2	R2adj	Square Error	Error
η	0.977	0.948	4.73 × 10−1	7.50 × 10−1
SPL	0.898	0.933	5.49 × 10−1	9.40 × 10−1

Here, an R² value may indicate a correlation coefficient in least square surface fitting, while a R²_adj value may indicate an adjusted correlation coefficient in least square surface fitting. In this case, Ginuta explained that the R²_adj value ranges from 0.9 to 1 when a response model based on the response surface method is accurately predicted.

The root-mean-square error indicates a root-mean-square value of errors occurring in experiment or observation, while the cross verification error is a method of calculating predicted errors.

The R²_adj values of the efficiency and noise, i.e. the objective functions calculated in the optimal solution comparison step S40 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, are 0.948 and 0.933, respectively. It can therefore be judged that the response surface is reliable.

In the regenerative blower and the design optimization method for the same according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the blades are arranged at unequal pitches by multi-objective optimization, thereby allowing efficiency and noise to be selectively adjusted.

Although the specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, the scope of the present disclosure is limited by no means to the foregoing embodiments of the present disclosure. A person skilled in the art could easily make many other embodiments by adding, modifying, omitting, supplementing elements without departing from the principle of the present disclosure.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The regenerative blower and the design optimization method for the same according to embodiments of the present disclosure are designed by multi-objective optimization, thereby allowing efficiency and noise to be selectively adjusted.

Claims

1. A regenerative blower comprising an impeller including a plurality of blades arranged in a circumferential direction to be spaced part from each other, wherein the plurality of blades are arranged such that angles therebetween are incremental angles ΔΘi satisfying the formula:

2. The regenerative blower according to claim 1, wherein Am ranges from 1° to 8.23°.

3. The regenerative blower according to claim 1, wherein P1 ranges from 1 to 38, and P2 ranges from 0 to 39.

4. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 1, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area,wherein the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area comprises:determining a plurality of test points by Latin hypercube sampling in the design area; andobtaining the objective functions at the plurality of test points by an aerodynamic performance test and a noise test.

5. The design optimization method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of determining whether or not the optimal solutions, obtained in the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area, are proper.

6. The design optimization method according to claim 4, wherein, in the design variable and objective function selection step, the design variables include Am, indicating the distribution size of the distances between the blades, and P1 and P2, indicating the factors having the effect on the period, andthe objective functions include η, indicating the efficiency, and SPL, indicating the sound pressure level.

7. The design optimization method according to claim 4, wherein, in the design area setting step of determining the upper and lower limits of the design variables, Am ranges from 1 to 8.23, P1 ranges from 1 to 38, and P2 ranges from 0 to 39.

8. The design optimization method according to claim 4, wherein the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area comprises obtaining response surfaces, on which the optimal solutions are to be calculated, using a response surface method.

9. The design optimization method according to claim 8, wherein, when the response surface method is used, a response surface analysis (RSA) model of the objective functions has function types as follows: η is −18.8659−17.9578Am−10.5773P1−21.7493P2+7.3846AmP1+17.3858AmP2−0.789P1P2+6.2258Am2+11.0769P12+16.1141P22, andSPL is 84.2304+4.2557Am−11.8326P1−6.4429P2+8.2626AmP1+4.8169AmP2+5.9802P1P2−4.2959Am2+4.7855P12+1.2078P22.

10. The design optimization method according to claim 9, wherein, after the step of obtaining the response surfaces, on which the optimal solutions are to be calculated, using the response surface method, the optimal solutions are able to maximize the objective functions, based on the response surfaces of the objective functions obtained by the response surface method, and are obtained using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm.

11. The design optimization method according to claim 10, wherein, after the optimal solutions able to maximize the objective functions are obtained, more improved values of the optimal solutions are obtained by localized search for the objective functions, using sequential quadratic programming (SQP), which is a gradient-based search algorithm.

12. The design optimization method according to claim 5, wherein the step of determining whether or not the optimal solutions are proper comprises analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis on response surfaces of the objective functions obtained by a response surface method.

13. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 1, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area.

14. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 2, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area.

15. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 3, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area.

16. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 2, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area,wherein the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area comprises:determining a plurality of test points by Latin hypercube sampling in the design area; andobtaining the objective functions at the plurality of test points by an aerodynamic performance test and a noise test.

17. A design optimization method for the regenerative blower as claimed in claim 3, the design optimization method comprising: a design variable and objective function selection step;a design area setting step of determining upper and lower limits of design variables; anda step of obtaining optimal solutions for objective functions in the design area,wherein the step of obtaining the optimal solutions for the objective functions in the design area comprises:determining a plurality of test points by Latin hypercube sampling in the design area; andobtaining the objective functions at the plurality of test points by an aerodynamic performance test and a noise test.