<VV> Corvair Fan

[JVHRoberts at aol.com]

I think one needs to look beyond Corvair cooling blowers, and look to other  
air cooled engines that make more power, etc., and have fewer cooling 
problems. 
Corvair fans are centrifugal blowers, as you point out. Nothing wrong with  
that, but the Corvair blowers, ANY of them, don't represent the best of what  
there is, not by a LONG shot. 
Nor are centrifugal blowers the best for this application. Deutz air cooled  
diesels, Porsche 911s, etc., typically use axial blowers. These tend to to be  
more efficient, and can operate more linearly over a wider range of speeds.  
Meaning, they don't go ballistic on HP when driven to redline speeds. 
Hydraulic drives, etc., are interesting, but KISS is always better.  <G>
 
In a message dated 7/9/2005 1:41:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
dkdewald at pasty.net writes:

Hello  folks,

Based on my limited understanding of fluid flow, it is clear to  me that a 
standard automotive radiator fan operates somewhat differently  than the 
Corvair "fan."  The Corvair unit is a centrifugal blower,  and has more in 
common with the blower in, say, a forced warm air furnace  (which blows 
through ductwork--like the Corvair engine).  It is no  surprise to me that 
attempts to use electric radiator fans end in failure;  fans are not blowers.

I think that significant improvements could be  made in the efficiency of 
the Corvair blower, particularly the late  magnesium style.  In my mind the 
ideal blower would be modeled after  the early steel curved fin impeller but 
molded from fiber reinforced  plastic.  This would be the minimum starting 
point for making an  electric motor powered Corvair cooling system.

Has anyone considered  using a hydraulic fan/blower drive as done on heavy 
construction and  agricultural equipment?  Just a thought.

Dale Dewald
Hancock,  MI