3D MODELLING AND FLOW SIMULATION

OF ROOTS BLOWER IN SOLIDWORKS

A Project Report for Industrial Internship

Submitted by
Srijan Pramanik

In the partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of

B. Tech
In the

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

AMITY UNIVERSITY KOLKATA

At

Ardent Computech Pvt. Ltd.

 CERTIFICATE FROM SUPERVISOR

This is to certify that “Srijan Pramanik, A91005420012” have successfully

completed the project titled “3D Modelling and Flow Simulation of a Roots
Blower in SolidWorks” under my supervision during the period from “06.07.21”
to “30.08.21” which is in partial fulfilment of requirements for the award of the B.
Tech degree and submitted to the Department of “Mechanical Engineering” of
“Amity University Kolkata”.

Date: 28/08/20
Name of the Project Supervisor: Bijoy Naskar
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The achievement that is associated with the successful completion of any task
would be incomplete without mentioning the names of those people whose
endless cooperation made it possible. Their constant guidance and
encouragement made all our efforts successful.

We take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude towards our project
mentor, Bijoy Naskar for giving such valuable suggestions, guidance and
encouragement during the development of this project work.

Last but not the least we are grateful to all the faculty members of Ardent
Computech Pvt. Ltd. for their support.
 INDEX

PROJECT OBJECTIVE
ABOUT SOLIDWORKS
INTRODUCTION
ADVANTAGES OF ROOT BLOWER
DISADVANTAGES OF ROOT BLOWER
APPLICATIONS OF ROOT BLOWER
DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS
WORKING PRINCIPLE
DESIGN OF PARTS
ASSEMBLY
FLOW SIMULATION
CONCLUSION
 PROJECT OBJECTIVE

The objective of this project is to design a roots blower(compressor) by designing

the components first and then assembling them to create a model of a working
roots blower before finally testing it in flow simulation to see if it’s working
properly. The flow simulation also shows the detailed analysis of the roots blower
under various parameters like pressure, temperature, turbulence force. The
results of flow simulation are obtained as the net mass and volume flow rates,
torque of the system (in case of rotating parts), velocity of fluid flow at different
points and so on. We can also measure different forms of pressure such as total
pressure, static pressure, dynamic pressure and relative pressure. Through this we
also get a clear understanding about our knowledge in SolidWorks software and
which areas we need to work upon to gain more expertise in handling this
software.

In our training in SolidWorks, we learn how to create basic 3D drawings of solid

models in the SolidWorks software. The SolidWorks software is one of the most
sophisticated computer applications that we are likely to encounter. Therefore,
learning to use it can be challenging. But this training in SolidWorks provided me
with everything to handle these challenges and learn to use it without much
difficulty.

The Roots-type blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by

pumping a fluid with a pair of meshing lobes resembling a set of stretched gears.
Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side
to the exhaust.
 ABOUT SOLIDWORKS

SolidWorks is a solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided

engineering (CAE) computer program published by Dassault Systèmes, that runs
primarily on Microsoft Windows.

Building a model in SolidWorks usually starts with a 2D sketch (although 3D

sketches are available for power users). The sketch consists of geometry such as
points, lines, arcs, conics (except the hyperbola), and splines. Dimensions are
added to the sketch to define the size and location of the geometry. Relations are
used to define attributes such as tangency, parallelism, perpendicularity, and
concentricity. The parametric nature of SolidWorks means that the dimensions
and relations drive the geometry, not the other way around. The dimensions in
the sketch can be controlled independently, or by relationships to other
parameters inside or outside the sketch.

In an assembly, the analog to sketch relations are mates. Just as sketch relations
define conditions such as tangency, parallelism, and concentricity with respect to
sketch geometry, assembly mates define equivalent relations with respect to the
individual parts or components, allowing the easy construction of assemblies.
SolidWorks also includes additional advanced mating features such as gear and
cam follower mates, which allow modeled gear assemblies to accurately
reproduce the rotational movement of an actual gear train.

Finally, drawings can be created either from parts or assemblies. Views are
automatically generated from the solid model, and notes, dimensions and
tolerances can then be easily added to the drawing as needed. The drawing
module includes most paper sizes and standards
 INTRODUCTION

The Roots-type blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by

pumping a fluid with a pair of meshing lobes resembling a set of stretched gears.
Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side
to the exhaust. The most common application of the Roots-type blower has been
the induction device on two-stroke diesel engines, such as those produced by
Detroit Diesel and Electro-Motive Diesel. Roots-type blowers are also used to
supercharge Otto cycle engines, with the blower being driven from the engine's
crankshaft via a toothed or V-belt, a roller chain or a gear train.

The simplest form of a Roots blower has cycloidal rotors, constructed of

alternating tangential sections of hypocycloidal and epicycloidal curves. For a two-
lobed rotor, the smaller generating circles are one-quarter the diameter of the
larger. Real Roots blowers may have more complex profiles for increased
efficiency. The lobes on one rotor will not drive the other rotor with minimal free
play in all positions, so that a separate pair of gears provide the phasing of the
lobes.

Because rotary lobe pumps need to maintain a clearance between the lobes, a
single stage Roots blower can pump gas across only a limited pressure differential.
If the pump is used beyond its specification, the compression of the gas generates
enough heat so that the lobes expand to the point that they jam, damaging the
pump.

Roots pumps are capable of pumping large volumes but, as they only achieve
moderate compression, it is not uncommon to see multiple Roots blower stages,
frequently with heat exchangers (intercoolers) in between to cool the gas. The
lack of oil on the pumping surfaces allows the pumps to work in environments
where contamination control is important. The high pumping rate for
hydrocarbons allows the Roots pump to provide an effective isolation between
oiled pumps, such as rotary compression pumps, and the vacuum chamber.
The Roots-type blower may achieve an efficiency of approximately 70% while
achieving a maximum pressure ratio of two. Higher pressure ratios are achievable
but at decreasing efficiency. Because a Roots-type blower pumps air in discrete
pulses (unlike a screw compressor), pulsation noise and turbulence may be
transmitted downstream.

For any given Roots blower running under given conditions, a single point will fall
on the map. This point will rise with increasing boost and will move to the right
with increasing blower speed. It can be seen that, at moderate speed and low
boost, the efficiency can be over 90%. This is the area in which Roots blowers
were originally intended to operate, and they are very good at it.

Boost is given in terms of pressure ratio, which is the ratio of absolute air pressure
before the blower to the absolute air pressure after compression by the blower. If
no boost is present, the pressure ratio will be 1.0 (meaning 1:1), as the outlet
pressure equals the inlet pressure. 15psi boost is marked for reference (slightly
above a pressure ratio of 2.0 compared to atmospheric pressure). At 15 psi
(100 kPa) boost, Roots blowers hover between 50% and 58%. Replacing a smaller
blower with a larger blower moves the point to the left. In most cases, as the map
shows, this will move it into higher efficiency areas on the left as the smaller
blower likely will have been running fast on the right of the chart. Usually, using a
larger blower and running it slower to achieve the same boost will give an
increase in compressor efficiency.
The volumetric efficiency of the Roots-type blower is very good, usually staying
above 90% at all but the lowest blower speeds. Because of that, a blower running
at low efficiency will still mechanically deliver the intended volume of air to the
engine, but that air will be hotter. In drag racing applications, where large
volumes of fuel are injected with that hot air, vaporizing the fuel absorbs the
heat. That functions as a kind of liquid aftercooler system and goes a long way to
negating the inefficiency of the Roots design in that application.
 ADVANTAGES OF ROOT BLOWER

Root blowers has some advantages over another type of

compressor, they are as follows, 

 It has only two moving parts (i.e two rotors) which are
identical in shape and size.
 Its operation is entirely rotary.
 As the rotors are symmetric about their center of
rotation, the operation is dynamical balanced.
 Discharge of the compressed gas is complete and there
is no clearance volume.
 DISADVANTAGES OF ROOT BLOWER

 In the range of partial load, the conveying speed is higher, i.E.

Wear on the conveyor pipe and breakage of the conveying
material will be greater.
 A conveying speed once chosen can only be altered with
considerable expenditure.
 Due to the low-frequency noises (pulsating conveying
airflow), expensive noise dampening equipment will be
necessary.
 In order not to exceed the operating pressures, a control
device must be installed; on account of the narrow piston
clearance.
 The roots-blower is sensitive to foreign matter, i.E., Filter
cleaning of the conveying air is required.
 APPLICATIONS OF ROOT BLOWER

The Roots-type blower is simple and widely used. It can be more effective than
alternative superchargers at developing positive intake manifold pressure (i.e.,
above atmospheric pressure) at low engine speeds, making it a popular choice for
passenger automobile applications. Peak torque can be achieved by about 2000
rpm. Unlike the basic illustration, most modern Roots-type superchargers
incorporate three-lobe or four-lobe rotors; this allows the lobes to have a slight
twist along the rotor axes, which reduces pulsing in the input and output.
Accumulated heat is an important consideration in the operation of a compressor
in an internal combustion engine. Of the three basic supercharger types, the
Roots design historically possessed the worst thermal efficiency, especially at high
pressure ratios.[3][4] In accordance with the ideal gas law, a compression operation
will raise the temperature of the compressed output. Additionally, the operation
of the compressor itself requires energy input, which is converted to heat and can
be transferred to the gas through the compressor housing, heating it more.
Although intercoolers are more commonly known for their use on turbochargers,
superchargers may also benefit from the use of an intercooler. Internal
combustion is based upon a thermodynamic cycle, and a lower temperature of
the intake charge results in a greater thermodynamic expansion and vice versa. A
hot intake charge provokes detonation in a petrol engine, and can melt the
pistons in a diesel, while an intercooling stage adds complexity but can improve
the power output by increasing the amount of the input charge, exactly as if the
engine were of higher capacity. An intercooler reduces the thermodynamic
efficiency by losing the heat (power) introduced by compression, but increases
the power available because of the increased working mass for each cycle. Above
about 5 psi (35 kPa) the intercooling improvement can become dramatic.[citation
needed]
With a Roots-type supercharger, one method successfully employed is the
addition of a thin heat exchanger placed between the blower and the engine.
Water is circulated through it to a second unit placed near the front of the vehicle
where a fan and the ambient air-stream can dissipate the collected heat.
Roots blowers are typically used in applications where a large volume of air must
be moved across a relatively small pressure differential. This includes low vacuum
applications, with the Roots blower acting alone, or in combination with other
pumps as part of a high vacuum system. One very common industrial application
is in pneumatic conveying systems,[5] the blower delivering a high volume of air
for the movement of bulk solids through pipes.

Applications of Root Blowers: -

1. Scavenging and supercharging of I.C. Engines.

2. Delivery capacity: 0.14 m3/min to 1400 m3/min.
Pressure ratio: 2:1 for a single-stage and 3:1 for a two-stage.
3. Electrolytic Tank – Deliver air into the electrolytic tank so as to
circulate the electrolyte for achieving better plating quality.
4. Paper Feeding for Printer – For paper segregation, paper
handling, and paper feeding.
5. Cleaning the Piping – To blow out dust or metal from the piping,
so as to keep the piping clean.
6. Drying the Conveyer Belt – For drying small conveyor belts.
7. Wastewater Treatment – Stirring the sediment, or purification of
a water treatment plant.
 DESCRIPTION OF COMPONENTS

1. Housing - To hold the subassembly, this part is used with the help
of bearing. There are two types of housings in a blower assembly
viz. BB housing and RB housing. BB housing supports ball bearing
and RB housing supports roller bearing. Housing forms airtight
assembly.
2. Cover plate – To enclose the housing, this part is used as case to
cover the front portion (head portion of roots blower).
3. Impeller – Lobes (technically known as impeller) are manufacture
such that they should rotate in opposite direction to entrap air by
fixed volume.
4. Shaft - Shafts are manufactured to give motion to lobes. Input
power is transmitted from engine to shaft through belt pulley.
5. Gears – Pre-available in the Solidworks Design Library two spur
gears which are operated at synchronized condition are
manufacture to give input power to drive shaft.
 WORKING PRINCIPLE

 The two-lobe type roots blower is shown in Fig. One of the rotors is
connected to an external drive and the second rotor is driven from the
first.
 The lobes of the rotors are of cycloid or involute form giving correct
mating to seal the delivery side from the inlet side.
 The high-pressure delivery side is sealed from the low-pressure
suction side at all angular positions and this sealing continues until
delivery commences.
 To reduce wear, a small clearance (i.e 0.01 cm to 0.02 cm) is provided
between the lobes and casing.
 The clearance however forms a leakage path and has an increasingly
adverse effect on efficiency as the pressure ratio increases.
 During rotation, the volume of air ‘V’ at atmospheric pressure ‘P’ is
trapped between the left-hand rotor and the casing, and this air is
positively displaced at constant pressure without a change in volume
until the space opens to high-pressure region.
 Theoretically, there should be no pressure rise; because the flow area
does not decrease from inlet to exit.
  But when the outlet port opens, the high-pressure air in the receiver
offers resistance to the delivery of blower discharge causing in
instantaneous irreversible pressure rise.
 The air in space ‘A’ and ‘C’ is at atmospheric pressure P1 and the air in
the space B increases in pressure to the value of receiver pressure P2.
 The irreversible pressure rise from P1 to  P2 at constant volume is
shown in the P-V diagram.

Roots efficiency is defined as the ratio of isentropic work done to actual work done
and it is given by,

Root blower compressor efficiency

This equation shows that the efficiency of the root decreases with the increase in
pressure ratio.
 DESIGN OF PARTS

With the help of Drafting tool of SolidWorks, we get the different

views and measurements of the parts or assembly, designed in
SolidWorks on a 2D sheet. This is done so that the technicians
handling the manufacturing process of the parts clearly understand the
specifications of the parts and how they need to build them.
The screenshots of the different views of the component parts of the
Roots Blower are given below:

1. Housing

Fig: Housing
 Fig: Drawing

Fig: Front view, Side view

 Fig: Top and Bottom Views

2. Cover plate

Fig: Cover Plate(front)

 Fig: Cover Plate(back)

Fig: Drawing View

3. Impeller
 Fig: Impeller

Fig: Front Drawing View

4. Shaft
 Fig: Shaft

Fig: Drawing View1

 Fig: Drawing View2

Pre-Designed parts: -

1. Gears

Fig: Spur Gears

2. Nuts(Screws)

Fig: Hex Flange Head (Screw)

 ASSEMBLY
The designed parts are now assembled together by mate relations to form the
Roots Blower. The different views of the assembly are given below: -

Fig: Full Assembly

Fig: Exploded view Roots Blower (Front)

Fig: Exploded view Roots Blower (Back)

Fig: Cross Sectional View of Roots Blower

Fig: Sectional View of Roots Blower

 FLOW SIMULATION
Input Data
Computational Domain
Size
X min -154.051 mm

X max 243.741 mm

Y min -89.579 mm

Y max 149.738 mm

Z min 9.840 mm

Z max 170.160 mm

X size 397.792 mm

Y size 239.317 mm

Z size 160.320 mm

Physical Features
Heat conduction in solids: Off

Time dependent: Off

Gravitational effects: Off

Rotation: Local region(s) (Averaging)

Flow type: Laminar and turbulent

High Mach number flow: Off

Humidity: Off

Free surface: Off

Default roughness: 0 micrometer

Default wall conditions: Adiabatic wall

Initial Conditions
Thermodynamic parameters Static Pressure: 101325.00 Pa

Temperature: 293.20 K

Velocity parameters Velocity vector

Velocity in X direction: 0 m/s

Velocity in Y direction: 0 m/s

Velocity in Z direction: 0 m/s

Turbulence parameters Turbulence intensity and length

Intensity: 2.00 %

Length: 0.002 m

Material Settings
Fluids
Air

Boundary Conditions
Inlet Volume Flow 1

Type Inlet Volume Flow

Faces LID37-1/Imported1//Face
LID28-1/Imported1//Face

Coordinate system Global Coordinate System

Reference axis X

Flow parameters Flow vectors direction: Normal to face

Volume flow rate: 5.0000 m^3/s

Relative to rotating frame: No

Fully developed flow: No

Inlet profile: 0

Thermodynamic parameters Approximate pressure: 101325.00 Pa

Temperature type: Temperature of initial

components
 Temperature: 293.20 K

Turbulence parameters Turbulence intensity and length

Intensity: 2.00 %

Length: 0.002 m

Boundary layer parameters Boundary layer type: Turbulent

Environment Pressure 2

Type Environment Pressure

Faces LID54-1/Imported1//Face

Coordinate system Face Coordinate System

Reference axis X

Thermodynamic parameters Environment pressure: 101325.00 Pa

Temperature type: Temperature of initial

components

Temperature: 293.20 K

Turbulence parameters Turbulence intensity and length

Intensity: 2.00 %

Length: 0.002 m

Boundary layer parameters Boundary layer type: Turbulent

Goals
Global Goals
GG Volume Flow Rate 1

Type Global Goal

Goal type Volume Flow Rate

Coordinate system Global Coordinate System

Use in convergence On
SOLIDWORKS® Flow Simulation is an intuitive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
solution embedded within SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD that enables you to quickly and
easily simulate liquid and gas flows through and around your designs to calculate
product performance and capabilities.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses
numerical analysis and data structures to analyze and solve problems that involve
fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate
the free-stream flow of the fluid, and the interaction of the fluid (liquids and
gases) with surfaces defined by boundary conditions.

Due to overlapping of two subsequent rotating regions as in the case of the two
rotating impellers, flow simulation of moving/rotating parts cannot be done (This
requires Ansys Software). Flow simulation has been initiated with the rotors in
stationary condition.

Mass flow at inlet is 0.18 kg/s and exit pressure is 40530 Pascal. The velocity
vector from inlet in the lobe pump chamber is uniform and exhibits high
magnitudes at the end of rotor positioned at 180 degrees. The flow at the inlet
also indicates quite strong turbulent vortices whose effect in the form of flow
recirculation can be visualized in Figure below
 Fig: Total pressure CFD Contour

The pressure plot in the form of contours are generated in the lobe pump middle
plane and its variation from inlet accelerates and becomes low pressure at the
rotor positioned at 0 degrees and then increases at its upper surface.
This implies that pump is attaining high pressure at the exit location.
FigureX shows the pressure variation in the middle plane of the blower the contours
of maximum pressure are observed at the outlet region whereas the inlet region has
lower pressure. The minimum pressure occurs in the clearance between drive lobe
and casing.
 FigureX
Other Contours: -

Fig: Temperature CFD Contour

Fig: Velocity CFD Contour

Fig: Density CFD Contour

 Summary of Results
Minimum Maximum
Goal Name Unit Value Averaged Value Value Value
SG Average Static Pressure 1 [Pa] 400030.8653 400037.9051 400030.8653 400050.2501
SG Average Total Pressure 2 [Pa] 400030.8653 400037.9051 400030.8653 400050.2501
SG Average Dynamic Pressure 3 [Pa] 1.33279E-06 1.33277E-06 1.33273E-06 1.33279E-06
SG Average Temperature (Fluid) 4 [K] 292.8 292.8 292.8 292.8
SG Average Density (Fluid) 5 [kg/m^3] 4.758722521 4.758810729 4.758722521 4.758949728
SG Average Velocity 6 [m/s] 0.000748429 0.000748415 0.000748394 0.000748429
SG Average Static Pressure 7 [Pa] 400031.3486 400039.7736 400031.3486 400055.6844
SG Average Total Pressure 8 [Pa] 400031.3486 400039.7736 400031.3486 400055.6844
SG Average Dynamic Pressure 9 [Pa] 1.33279E-06 1.33276E-06 1.3327E-06 1.33279E-06
SG Average Temperature (Fluid) 10 [K] 292.8 292.8 292.8 292.8
SG Average Density (Fluid) 11 [kg/m^3] 4.758728154 4.758836512 4.758728154 4.759055818
SG Average Velocity 12 [m/s] 0.000748428 0.000748411 0.000748377 0.000748428
SG Average Static Pressure 13 [Pa] 400023.8474 400022.6188 400020.3856 400023.8474
SG Average Total Pressure 14 [Pa] 400028.0097 400031.3796 400028.0097 400035.7469
SG Average Dynamic Pressure 15 [Pa] 4.162296103 8.760750649 4.162296103 15.36124987
SG Average Temperature (Fluid) 16 [K] 304.1511166 304.1493312 304.1415084 304.1719741
SG Average Density (Fluid) 17 [kg/m^3] 4.581031651 4.581046605 4.5806966 4.581164033
SG Mass Flow Rate 18 [kg/s] -2.5294E-05 -2.50903E-05 -3.14564E-05 -1.32534E-05
 CONCLUSION

CFD of Roots Blower was studied under differing conditions of

temperature, pressure and mass flow rate. Density of fluid and
its velocity remain constant although in reality velocity of fluid
is maximum at the gap between the two rotors. In this
scenario, however, we have considered boundary conditions to
be stationary due to inability of SolidWorks Software to carry
out the Simulation in the presence of two simultaneously
overlapping rotating regions. Also, under stationary conditions
there is no tip leakage of flow from the Roots Blower.