An Experimental Evaluation of the Internal Flow Field of an Automotive Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning System

Abstract

A diagnostic study of the internal flow field of a typical automotive heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) was conducted. This study consisted of four primary experiments designed to provide a fairly complete description of the governing flow mechanisms. These efforts were aimed at determining the flow paths and sources of inefficiency within the ductwork, as well as identifying possible flow-induced noise sources. Because the root of system inefficiency and noise is the Forward Curved (FC) centrifugal blower, emphasis was placed on determining the blade passage and volute flow of this unit. The goal of this thesis is to present information which may aid in the future design of automotive HVAC systems. Keywords: Automotive vehicles; Air conditioning equipment; Heating; Ventilation.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA227435

Entities

People

  • G. C. Lauchle
  • G. R. Denger
  • M. W. Mcbride

Organizations

  • Pennsylvania State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundary Layer
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Data Acquisition
  • Energy Transfer
  • Flow Fields
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Flow
  • Geometry
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Image Processing
  • Mass Production
  • Measurement
  • Pressure Distribution
  • Pressure Gradients
  • Secondary Flow
  • Turbulent Mixing

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerodynamics.
  • Nuclear Civil Defense.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.