ANSYS BladeModeler

ANSYS BladeModeler can take existing blade geometry designs created in other tools, and prepare the design data for rapid or detailed simulation and analysis. Or the meanline sizing tools from PCA Engineers that are integrated in ANSYS BladeModeler can be used to provide initial blade geometry designs for subsequent analysis and optimization. In either case, an initial blade geometry design can be further modified and extended using the rich set of tools and functions for designing rotating machinery blades within ANSYS BladeModeler. All accomplished in a user environment tailored to rotating machinery, with an intuitive interface and using industry-specific language that blade designers expect.

Integration with ANSYS DesignModeler means that ANSYS BladeModeler provides much more than just blade geometry. All the features of ANSYS DesignModeler are also provided, giving users complete 3-D geometry modeling capabilities and allowing them to add any number of geometric features, such as hub metal, blade fillets, cut-offs and trims, or to combine blade designs with other non-bladed components, like housings, blade roots or complex 3-D tip regions. These non-bladed components can be created directly or imported using CAD connections to all major CAD vendors, setting no limits on the designs that can assembled and assessed.

ANSYS BladeModeler provides the essential link between blade design and advanced simulation including CFD, stress and modal analyses.

ANSYS BladeModeler is a truly interactive blade design tool. You see your design modifications immediately and clearly. The relevant design information is conveyed in a number of 2-D and 3-D views, as well as via quantitative information such as; blade angles, sweep angles, throat area and so on. A meridional view is used to define flow paths, and two modes are available for defining blade shapes: an angle/thickness mode to specify blade wrap (blade angle) and thickness distribution, as is typically used in radial machine design; or a pressure side/suction side mode to independently describe the blade pressure side and suction side curves, as is common in axial machine design.

Intuitive and easy-to-use interfaces in ANSYS BladeModeler allow easy definition of virtually any blade geometries

A selection of meanline design tools from PCA Engineers is included with ANSYS BladeModeler: Vista CCD for centrifugal compressors, Vista RTD for radial turbines, Vista CPD for centrifugal pumps and Vista AFD for axial fans. Given the machine duty – mass flow, pressure ratio, etc. – and geometric constraints, the program will configure the blade geometry and provide essential non-dimensional performance parameters – specific speed, specific flow, etc. The blade geometry is output directly for use in ANSYS BladeModeler.

ANSYS BladeModeler includes initial sizing tools for various types of rotating machinery: compressors, turbines, pumps and fans

For rapid analysis the most basic blade sketch may be sufficient. However, whenever needed, ANSYS BladeModeler can be used to include detailed 3-D solid modeling geometry components, for maximum accuracy when assessing a particular design. The geometric level of detail is the user’s choice to make. Depending on the design process and need, the blade geometry can be analyzed for aerodynamic performance, or mechanical behaviour using state-of-the-art ANSYS fluid dynamics or ANSYS structural mechanics products, all inside the ANSYS Workbench environment.

Add geometric details beyond the basic hydro- or aerodynamic blade shape, or combine with CAD models of other features or components

ANSYS BladeModeler is fully integrated into the ANSYS Workbench platform to give users powerful options in defining their workflow and connecting different applications in their design process with simple drag-and-drop actions. For example, users can directly transfer their design to a throughflow analysis using ANSYS Vista TF or to mesh generation with ANSYS TurboGrid.

Blade geometry models can be easily transferred to other components in the ANSYS Workbench project schematic