Bladegen Toturials

ANSYS CFX-BladeGen
Tutorials
Part One
November 2010
1
ANSYS BladeGen User's Guide Contents ..................................... 3
Introduction ....................................................................................... 4
What is BladeGen? .................................................................... 4
What's New? .............................................................................. 5
System Requirements ................................................................ 5
Special Typefaces Used in This Guide ....................................... 5
Using On-Line Help .................................................................... 6
Hover Help ................................................................................. 6
Getting Technical Help ............................................................... 7
Program Overview............................................................................. 8
User Interface Description .......................................................... 9
Operating Modes and Associated Views .................................. 10
Blade Overview ........................................................................ 12
Layer Overview ........................................................................ 13
Curve Overview........................................................................ 14
User/Data Interaction Summary ............................................... 15
General Usage Guidelines ....................................................... 17
Getting Started ................................................................................ 18
Installing the Software .............................................................. 19
Executing BladeGen ................................................................ 20
Creating a New Blade Model .................................................... 22
Opening a BladeGen File ......................................................... 27
Saving a Blade Model .............................................................. 29
Tutorials .......................................................................................... 30
Creating a Low Pressure Ratio Compressor Impeller ............... 31
Creating an Axial Fan Blade ..................................................... 42
Creating a Radial Pump Impeller .............................................. 52
Creating an Axial Turbine Blade ............................................... 58
Creating a Compressor Impeller with a Splitter Vane ............... 67
View Descriptions ............................................................................ 75
Common Mouse Functions ...................................................... 76
View Layout Control ................................................................. 77
Common Views ........................................................................ 78
Angle/Thickness Mode Specific Views ..................................... 80
Pressure/Suction Mode Specific View ...................................... 83
ANSYS BladeGen User's Guide Contents
This is the user's guide for ANSYS BladeGen, which contains the following chapters.
Introduction
Program Overview
Getting Started
Tutorials
View Descriptions
Program Details
Evaluating the Design
Data Import/Export
Batch Processing
Vista CCD
Vista CPD
Vista RTD
Vista AFD
Glossary
Definitions
Additional help topics include:

Context-Sensitive Help
File Format Help
UserIO Help.
3
Introduction
This section provides an overview of the BladeGen software and User's Guide. The following
topics are covered:
What is BladeGen?
What's New?
System Requirements
Special Typefaces Used in This Guide
Using On-Line Help
Getting Help
What is BladeGen?
BladeGen is a component of ANSYS BladeModeler. The BladeModeler software is a
specialized, easy-to-use tool for the rapid 3-D design of rotating machinery components.
Incorporating ANSYS, Incs extensive turbomachinery expertise into a user-friendly graphical
environment, the software can be used to design axial, mixed-flow and radial blade components
in applications such as pumps, compressors, fans, blowers, turbines, expanders, turbochargers,
inducers and others.
BladeModeler provides the essential link between blade design and advanced simulation
including computational fluid dynamics and stress analyses. BladeModeler contains a rich set of
tools and functions for designing a turbomachinery blade from scratch, using industry-specific
tools, workflow, and language that the blade designer expects.
With BladeGen, the user can re-design existing blades to achieve new design goals or create
completely new blade designs from scratch. When either re-designing or evaluating an existing
blade design, BladeGen facilitates the import of blade geometry interactively or through user
supplied files. BladeGen allows sculpted or ruled element blades with linear or compound lean
leading or trailing edges. Over/Under-Filing can be applied and leading and trailing edge shapes
are easily specified as a full radius, an ellipse ratio, or a simple cutoff.
BladeModeler represents a pivotal link between blade design, advanced analysis and
manufacturing. Used in combination with ANSYS analysis software, users can rapidly evaluate
the performance of a component. BladeGen model files can be imported into DesignModeler
using the BladeEditor feature. BladeEditor provides a seamless path to both structural and fluid
analysis, which enables the user to efficiently transition from preliminary blade design, to full 3-D
viscous flow analysis, and finally to the users native CAD system.
4
What's New?
BladeGen 12.0 incorporates the following new features:
Vista RTD - a program for radial inflow turbine design. For details, see Vista RTD.
Vista AFD - a program for axial fan design. For details, see Vista AFD.
System Requirements
BladeGen is a component of ANSYS Workbench. Please check the ANSYS Workbench help on
system requirements for more details.
Special Typefaces Used in This Guide

This help file uses a set of fonts to highlight menu commands, keyboard keycaps, and dialog box
buttons. These fonts are detailed below:
Menu Item This typeface represents a menu command.

For example, "Select the File | Save menu command to
save your work".
KeyCap This typeface represents a particular key on the keyboard.
For example, "Press Del to erase the character".
Button This typeface represents a dialog or screen button.
For example, "Press the OK button to continue".
Key Word This typeface represents a key word.
For example, "The Blade is a splitter".
5
Using On-Line Help
Context-specific help is available on-line.
Help can be obtained by pressing the F1 key or Help | Help Topics menu command.
Context-specific help on a menu command is available by pressing Shift-F1 and selecting
the menu item.
Context-specific help on a dialog box control is available by:
Pressing the "Whats This?" ( ) button in the upper left corner of the dialog box
and then selecting a control.
Right mouse clicking on a control (for most controls).
Pressing the Help button.
Hover Help
Hover help is provided in most views for additional information on the data being displayed. The
bubble is displayed when the user holds the mouse cursor stationary (hovers) over a data point.
The bubble is removed when the user clicks a mouse button or moves the mouse over the
bubble.
The bubble displays various data depending on the view and data. As a minimum, the bubble
displays the horizontal and vertical coordinates of the point. Additional information is available in
the Graph Views. The table below describes the information which can be displayed.
Symbol Description Views

X Horizontal Position All but Contour
Y Vertical Position All but Contour
Z Axial Position Graph, Contour
R Radial Position Graph, Contour
T Angular Position (Theta) Graph
Thk Thickness Graph
B Blade Angle, Axial (Beta) Graph
S Meridional Length Fraction Graph
M Meridional Location Graph
M' M-Prime Location Graph
C Camber Location Graph
T' Theta-Prime Location Graph
L Blade Lean Angle Graph
V Value Contour
6
Getting Technical Help
If you have any questions or difficulties concerning our products, please contact your ANSYS
Support Provider. Visit the ANSYS Customer Service page on the ANSYS Website at
www.ansys.com/services/ss-customer.asp
If you have problems contacting any of the CFX offices, please contact
cfx-support-can@ansys.com or call +1 (519) 886 8435. Please have your name, company name,
product and platform information, and other information ready to help us respond quickly to your
question.
The ANSYS Customer Portal is available from the ANSYS Website at

www1.ansys.com/customer/
The CFX Community Site address is www.ansys.com/customer-portals.htm.
7
Program Overview
BladeGen breaks the complex, 3-dimensional (3D) geometry of a blade into two or three
2-dimensional (2D) views. The data from these views is used to create the model, one blade's
layer at a time. These views, plus an auxiliary view, are simultaneously displayed in the
BladeGen window and all views use the same set of zoom and pan keyboard shortcuts and
mouse actions.
User Interface Description

Operating Modes and Associated Views
Blade Overview
Layer Overview
Curve Overview
User/Data Interaction Summary
General Usage Guidelines
8
User Interface Description
The Annotated BladeGen Window Layout displays a typical layout of views used by BladeGen.
These views will automatically update whenever a change is made. Each element of the user
interface is identified in the Annotated BladeGen Window Layout.
Related Topics
View Descriptions
9
Operating Modes and Associated Views
BladeGen has two distinct modes of operation, the Angle/Thickness (Ang/Thk) Mode and the
Pressure Side/Suction Side (Prs/Sct) Mode. These two modes provide the design environment
for radial and axial blades, respectively.
Both modes use a set of Common Views, a Meridional View and an Auxiliary View, which are
positioned side by side at the top of the window. The Meridional View is used to define the
blade in radial vs. axial space. From this definition, the streamlines are generated which are
required for all of the other views. The Auxiliary View provides the user with the display of a
Blade-to-Blade View, 3D View, Meridional Contour View and several graphs of various blade
parameters.
Common Views for Both Modes

The Ang/Thk Mode uses two views at the bottom of the window; an Angle View for the angular
distribution of the blade, and a Thickness View for the thickness distribution of the blade. These
views define the blade at discrete streamlines (layers). The data from these two views must be
combined with the streamline data to generate the blade's shape on a layer.
Angle/Thickness Mode Views

The Prs/Sct Mode adds a single larger Prs/Sct View of the blade at the bottom of the window.
This view allows the user to manipulate the pressure and suction sides of the blade to achieve
the desired blade shape.
10
Pressure/Suction Mode View
Although the sides of a blade are usually identified as the pressure side and suction side,
BladeGen cannot distinguish between these names. BladeGen uses the terminology "Side1"
and "Side2" to identify the sides of the blade in increasing theta order (right-hand rule).
Related Topics:
View Descriptions
Common Views
Angle/Thickness Views
Pressure/Suction View
11
Blade Overview
BladeGen allows one or more blades to be defined, where the first blade is the "Main Blade" and
subsequent blades are called splitters. Only one blade is active at any one time, but the output
always includes all blades. The blades can be defined independently or the splitters can rely on
the angle and/or thickness definition of the Main Blade.
Related Topics:
Blade Settings
12
Layer Overview
A layer (or streamline) is defined as a meridional curve visible in the Meridional View that
represents surface of revolution. Most layer types, shown below, represent curves that are
automatically created and updated as the Meridional Envelope (hub and shroud curves, leading
and trailing edge curves) are modified.
Layers serve two key purposes:

1) Layers are referenced by the working views (Angle, Thickness, and Prs/Sct Views) to
provide the meridional location of the view's data sets.
2) Layers specify where streamline data sets are to be constructed for export.
Layer Types
Layer Type Description
Span Layer Curve is defined by a constant spanwise position, as
specified by a single span fraction.
Hub Gap Layer Curve is defined by a normal offset from the hub at a
distance specified by a linear interpolation between a
leading edge and a trailing edge value.
Shroud Gap Layer Curve is defined by a normal offset from the shroud
at a distance specified by a linear interpolation
between a leading edge and a trailing edge value.
Data Layer Curve is initially positioned by a span fraction value,
but the user can interactively modify the curve in the
Meridional View. This layer type is also used when
importing meanline data, as the data may not lie
exactly on a streamline.
Hub Offset Layer Curve is defined by a Meridional offset (z, r) of the
hub curve.
Shroud Offset Layer Curve is defined by a Meridional offset (z, r) of the
shroud curve.
Related Topics:
Layer Details
13
Curve Overview
The curves used in BladeGen are made up of one or more segments (sub-curves). Each
segment can consist of a different curve type. By allowing different segment types to be
combined into a single curve, BladeGen provides the user with more control over the overall
curve shape than would be provided with a single-curve-type restriction.
Related Topics:
Curve Details
14
User/Data Interaction Summary
In the previous sections, the user has been exposed to the concepts of views, blades, layers and
curves. The diagram shown below describes the relationships between the user and the model
data for the Ang/Thk Mode. The data structure for the Prs/Sct Mode is similar, but the Ang/Thk
components are replaced by the Prs/Sct equivalents.
User/Data Interaction Diagram (Ang/Thk Mode)

The Model represents the blade system in 3 dimensions. The Model contains the following
data:
1. A Design Meridional Profile consisting of a set of curves and a list of Layers (curves that
represent streamlines).
2. An optional Trim Meridional Profile with its own set of curves and layers.
3. One or more Blades. Each Blade consists of an Angle and Thickness definition.
The Angle and Thickness Definitions are made up of Curves that the user can modify.
A single Curve in a definition references a single Layer from the Design Meridional
Profiles layer list. The collection of these curves makes up each definition.
The users access to the Model Data is provided through the working views (Meridional, Angle,
and Thickness). In the Meridional View, the user controls the shape of the layer curves. In
the Angle and Thickness Views, the user can modify the definition curve that references the
active Layer.
15
Output is created one Layer at a time. A streamline contains Z, R, M, & M' a meanline adds q,
Tn, & b.
a) The Design Meridional Profile is used to generate the streamline data for the requested
Layer (which may come from either the Design or Trim Meridional Profile).
b) The Blade's cut-off (or extension) curves are used to trim the streamline curve.
c) The angle and thickness data is added to the streamline to create a meanline curve.
d) Over/Under-Filing is applied to the meanline in the Z vs. R*q coordinate system.
e) Leading/Trailing edges are applied to the meanline in the Z vs. R*q coordinate system.
16
General Usage Guidelines
These guidelines are included to help users maximize the benefits
from using BladeGen.
1. Users should first define the meridional profile before defining the Ang/Thk or Prs/Sct
views, since these views are dependent on the path length of the meridional profile's
layers.
2. The Angle, Thickness, and Pressure/Suction Views define parameters on a layer (a
streamline in the meridional view). The first layer must be the hub and the second must
be the shroud, with additional layers inserted at a user-specified fraction of the span. If
only one layer is defined, it applies to the entire span between hub and shroud. The
Pressure/Suction view requires that both the hub and shroud layers be defined.
3. All views display the same layer and blade. If a view doesn't have a definition for a
particular layer that is being displayed, the calculated values at that layer are displayed.
4. The mode (Ang/Thk or Prs/Sct) is determined, initially, by the type of component created
or the mode of the model when it was saved. However, the mode can be changed using
the Model | Mode | Ang/Thk Mode... or Model | Mode | Prs/Sct Mode... menu
commands.
17
Getting Started
This section provides basic information on how to get BladeGen
running on a computer.
Installing BladeGen
Executing BladeGen
Creating a New Blade Model
Opening a BladeGen File
Saving a Blade Model
18
Installing the Software
Executing the AutoRun Menu
To install the software, insert the CD-ROM into the drive. If the program doesn't automatically
start, execute the "AutoRun.exe" file in the root of the CD-ROM.
License Manager
BladeGen now uses the ANSYS License Manager to configure and maintain the software license.
If you have not installed this software before, or are using an older version, it can be installed by
pressing the Install Licensing button on the AutoRun menu and follow the instructions to
complete the installation process. Please see the on-line documentation for the License
Manager for further information on the operation of the License Manager.
BladeModeler/BladeGen
To install or upgrade BladeGen, press the Install BladeModeler button on the AutoRun menu
and follow the instructions to complete the installation process.
19
Executing BladeGen
To execute BladeGen, perform one of the following. However, certain options will not be
available until a license key is obtained.
From the Start Menu, start ANSYS Workbench, then choose the Blade Geometry icon from
the Workbench Start Page.
From the Explorer or Desktop
Double-click the desired *.bgd file.
Drag-and-drop a file into an open BladeGen window.
20
User Preferences
BladeGen allows the user to customize the modeling environment by setting up default
preferences. This is done with the User Preferences Dialog shown below. This dialog can be
displayed using the File | Preferences... menu command. It allows the user to set up
parameters such as window size, data definitions, viewing options, initial layer definitions and
default data directories.
These settings are saved between sessions, allowing users to initiate BladeGen with their
preferred environment and create new models using the specified settings. Existing models
store the settings internally, and will be unaffected by changes to the user preferences.
User Preferences Dialog
21
Creating a New Blade Model
A new blade can be created in a number of ways. The easiest is to start from scratch.
Importing a file from a preliminary design program is also simple. It is a little more difficult to
import meanline data, if the import tool has to be created first. The most difficult to import CAD
data, because it has to be converted to meanline data to be used in BladeGen.
Creating a Blade from Scratch

Importing a Blade Model
22
Creating a Blade from Scratch
BladeGen allows the user to create a blade system from scratch, using one of six standard initial
configuration types. The following section describes this process.
1. Select the File | New | BladeGen Model menu command or toolbar button, which
will display the Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog (shown below).
2. Select the tab with the configuration closest to the desired component.
3. Enter the parameters for the given configuration type.
4. Press Enter or select the OK button to display the dialog box below.
Radial Impeller Configuration

Related Topics
Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog
23
Initial Angle/Thickness Parameters
If a radial component was selected in the Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog, the Initial
Angle/Thickness Dialog, shown below, will be displayed and the model will be created using the
Angle/Thickness mode. To complete the process:
1. Enter the nominal wrap angle, thickness and number of blades using the dialogs input
fields. Normally, BladeGen sets the leading edge theta to zero. If the Data Direction is
set to TE to LE in the User Preferences Dialog, then the trailing edge theta is set to zero.
2. Press Enter or select the OK button to display the BladeGen Window.
Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog
Related Topics
Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog
24
Initial Prs/Sct Blade Parameters
If an axial component was selected in the Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog, the Initial
Pressure/Suction Dialog, shown below, will be displayed and the model will be created using the
Pressure/Suction Mode. To complete the process:
1. Enter the required parameters using the input fields of the Standard tab. These
parameters control the shape of the Bezier curves that define the blade.
2. Select the Advanced tab to enter the advanced parameters, if desired. These
parameters control the distances between points on the Bezier curve and the length of an
optional linear segment.
3. Enter the initial number of blades and layers.
Initial Pressure/Suction Dialog, Standard Tab
Related Topics
Initial Pressure/Suction Dialog
25
Importing a Blade Model
BladeGen provides various methods to import geometry. See the Data Import/Export section for
further details.
1. Some preliminary design codes export a BladeGen file (BGI) which allows the geometry
to be imported. This makes the import seamless. See the Batch Input File section for
further details.
2. If the data is meanline data (r,t,z,Tn), it can be read (and written) using a User
Input/Output (UserIO) routine. A few UserIO routines for various file formats are shipped
with BladeGen. Users are encouraged to use these as examples and tailor the source
code to fit their needs. See the UserIO section for further details.
3. The most difficult type of data to import is the generic CAD data, which describes the hub,
shroud, and blade surface (as a surface or a curve set). This type of data can be
imported using the Data Import Wizard. The following file types are supported:
TurboGrid File Sets (*.curve), IGES 5.3 File (*.iges or *.igs), PRO/ENGINEER ibl File
(*.ibl), or General Data File (*.dat). See the Data Import Wizard section for further
details.
26
Native BladeGen Data files are saved with a '.bgd' file extension and a Batch Input File is saved
with a 'bgi' file extension. Additionally, files supported by UserIO routines are opened as native
files. All of these files can be opened in the following ways:
1. Use the File | Open... menu command or the toolbar button to open a data file. A
browse window will appear, allowing the user to select a file. Examples of several blade
configurations can be found in the "Example" directory (See the section titled Opening an
Example File for more detail.)
2. Dragging a file from Windows Explorer, and dropping it onto BladeGen's main window or
an icon on the Desktop.
3. Double-clicking on a file in the Windows Explorer.
Related Topics:
Opening an Example File
27
Opening an Example File
The BladeGen installation includes a number of example files that can be used to provide insight
into some of BladeGens modeling techniques. Some of these files, which are included in the
"Examples" sub-directory, are shown below.
These files can be opened in one of two ways:
1. Pressing the File | Open... menu command or pressing the toolbar button and then
navigating to the "C:\Program Files\ANSYS
Inc\v120\AISOL\BladeModeler\BladeGen\Examples" sub-directory.
2. Using Windows Explorer, browse to the example directory and double-click the desired
file.
The examples that are available may differ from those shown below.
Axial Fan Axial Inducer Axial Stator De-Swirl Vane Radial Turbine
Centrifugal Blower Centrifugal Centrifugal Pump Barske Impeller Wicket Gate

Compressor with
Splitter
28
Upon exiting BladeGen, the blade model is automatically saved to a file associated with the
Workbench project. You must save the project before closing it in order to retain the project files.
You can save the project from the Workbench interface as usual. You will be prompted for a
project name if you have not previously saved the project. The File | Save menu command (Save
toolbar button) can function as an alternative way to save the project, depending on a
condition described shortly.
The first blade model to exist in BladeGen, whether by opening a bgd file or by creating a blade
from scratch, becomes associated with the Blade Design cell from which that instance of
BladeGen was started. Any other blade models that are subsequently opened in the same
instance of BladeGen (in separate "windows", selectable from the Window menu) are not
associated with the cell (or even the project).
When the active window in BladeGen is the one containing the model associated with the Blade
Design cell:
The File | Save menu command (Save toolbar button) in BladeGen saves the (entire)
Workbench project. As in Workbench, you will be prompted for a project name if you have not
previously saved the project. This command is unavailable if there are no unsaved changes in
the model in the active window in BladeGen, even if there is an unsaved change elsewhere in
the project.
The File | Save As menu command (Save As toolbar button) is unavailable.
When the active window in BladeGen is not the one containing the model associated with the
Blade Design cell:
The File | Save menu command (Save toolbar button) acts to save only the .bgd file for the
model in the active window.
The File | Save As menu command (Save As toolbar button) acts to save only the .bgd
file for the model in the active window, and prompts you for the new file name and location.
When operating in Demo Mode (without a license), you are prevented from either saving or
exporting data. If the software had a valid floating license and lost it because of a network or
other failure, BladeGen notifies you that the license has been lost. In this condition, BladeGen
allows you to save your data only once.
29
Tutorials
Welcome to the BladeGen Tutorial Guide. The purpose of this guide is to introduce the new
user to the main features of BladeGen in a practical, hands-on manner. This manual includes 5
different tutorials, each highlighting a different approach to blade design in BladeGen.
Creating a Low Pressure Ratio Compressor Impeller

Creating an Axial Fan Blade
Creating a Radial Pump Impeller
Creating an Axial Turbine Blade
Creating a Compressor Impeller with a Splitter Vane
Before You Begin

Before you begin these tutorials, please refer to Getting Started for an introduction to the
BladeGen concepts, naming conventions and installation instructions.
A list of special typefaces is available in Special Typefaces Used in This Guide.
Further Reading
The rest of the ANSYS BladeGen User's Guide has more detailed information on the commands
used in this manual.
30
Creating a Low Pressure Ratio Compressor Impeller
The following procedure can be followed as an example of using BladeGen to create a Low
Pressure Ratio Compressor Impeller from start to finish.
Please note that a significant advantage of BladeGen is in the flexibility of its operations. This
example will guide the user through a simple example utilizing Angle/Thickness mode and is not
to be taken as the only way to use BladeGen.
31
Initial Design Parameters - Compressor Impeller
Figure 1 - Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog

configuration types. For this example, a Radial Turbine is used.
1. Select the File | New | BladeGen Model menu command or toolbar button which will
display the Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog (shown in Figure 1).
2. Select the Radial Impeller tab.
3. Enter the parameters for the initial blade layout as shown in Figure 1.
4. Be sure to select Ang/Thk mode in the bottom right corner
5. Press Enter or select the OK button to continue.
32
Figure 2 - Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog

Using Figure 2, the initial blade parameters are completed:
1. Enter the nominal wrap angle of 45 degrees, thickness of 2.5 and 13 blades. Normally,
BladeGen sets the leading edge theta to zero. If the Data Direction is set to TE to LE in
the User Preferences Dialog, then the trailing edge theta is set to zero.
33
BladeGen Layout
Figure 3 BladeGen Layout

After the initial parameters have been specified, the typical BladeGen layout will be opened.
The two views in the top row are the Meridional View and Auxiliary View. The bottom row has
the Angle View and the Thickness View. A more detailed description of the BladeGen layout is
included here.
In general, it is suggested that users first define the meridional profile before defining the Ang/Thk
or Prs/Sct views, since these views are dependent on the path length of the meridional profile.
34
Common Mouse Functions
BladeGen uses a common set of mouse functions to manipulate the views. These functions are
described in Table 1.
Table 1 - Common Mouse Functions

Mouse Action Applies To Description
Click with Left Working Views only If a point or segment is within selection distance, it is selected.
Drag with Left Working Views only If a point is selected or within selection distance, the point is
selected and dragged with the mouse pointer.
Releasing the mouse button updates the view.
Scroll wheel or All Views Zooms the view in and out.
Drag with Both
Click with Right All Views Displays the context-sensitive popup menu.
Drag with Right All Views Pans the view. The view moves with the mouse pointer.
Optimizing the Meridional View
Figure 4 Annotated Meridional View

The most critical operation in the meridional view is to define the shape of the hub and shroud
curve. The endpoints for these curves were specified when Initial Design Parameters were
entered. The location of a point can be easily visualized by utilizing the hover help. The bubble
is displayed when the user holds the mouse cursor stationary (hovers) over a data point. When
required, the location of a point can be changed in two ways:
Moving Points by Clicking and Dragging

To interactively move a point:
1. Left-Click on the desired point and hold the mouse button down
2. Move the mouse until the point is at the desired location
3. Release the left mouse button
35
Moving Points by Entering New Coordinate values
Figure 5 - Point Location Dialog

1. Double click the left mouse button on the desired point. The Point Location Dialog will open
as shown in Figure 5.
2. Enter the desired co-ordinate values.
3. Click OK.
Define the Hub and Shroud Profiles in the Meridional View

The hub and shroud profile for this case are well defined automatically. In this case, there is no
need for any additional modifications.
Adjust the Blade Angles at the Hub in the Angle View

The meridional profile is now defined and the Blade angles can be set. In the Angle View, the
active layer is indicated by a red dot in the layer column on the right-hand side. By default, the
hub layer is active. Once the Hub angles are set, the Shroud layer can be activated by
left-clicking the black dot at the top of the layer column.
Adjusting the Blade Angles

The blade angles can now be defined as follows;
1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Adjust Blade Angles.
2. In the Leading Edge tab, enter 47for the Tangential Beta value, the Beta value will
automatically be updated as 90minus Tang. Beta. Leave all the other values at zero.
3. In the Trailing Edge tab, enter a Theta angle of 32.2and enter 30for the Beta value.
The Tangential Beta value will be automatically updated as 60. All other values can
remain as zero.
4. Close the Blade Angle Dialog by selecting OK.
36
Set the Beta/Theta Definition
Figure 6 Blade Angle Definition

There are 4 ways to set the angle definitions. In this example, the End Angle Definition will be
used. Right-click in the Angle view and select End Angle Definition as shown in Figure 6.
This option applies the End-Angle definition described above, with an additional restriction that
sets the slope of the Beta curve to zero at the leading and trailing edges.
Adjust the Blade Angles at the Shroud in the Angle View

Make the Shroud layer active by selecting the black dot at the top of the layer column. It will turn
red and the Shroud is now active.
Adjusting the Blade Angles

1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Adjust Blade Angles
2. In the Leading Edge tab, enter 27.5for the Tangential Beta value. Leave all the other values
at zero
3. In the Trailing Edge tab, enter a Theta angle of 28.9and 60for the Tangential Beta. The
Beta value will be automatically updated as 30. All other values can remain as zero.
4. Close the Blade Angle Dialog by selecting OK
37
Set the Beta/Theta Definition
Right-click in the Angle view and select End Angle Definition as shown in Figure 6. The angle
view should now look like the view shown in Figure 7. Note that the new blade shape is
automatically updated in the Auxiliary view.
Figure 7 - Shroud Angle Definition
38
Define the Blade Thickness Profile
At this time, the Blade thickness can be defined in the Thickness view. For this example, a
constant thickness of 2.5 will be used and no modifications are required. When modifications to
this curve are required, the curve and point modification procedures as described earlier can be
applied.
Prescribe the Leading/Trailing Edge Ellipse
Figure 8 - LE/TE Ellipse Settings
Select Blade | Properties menu commands or the toolbar button located on the left hand
side of the BladeGen window to set the blade properties. Set the Leading Edge/Trailing Edge
Ellipse tab; adjust the values as shown in Figure 8. All other values can remain unchanged.
39
Viewing the Design in the Auxiliary View
Thus far, the Auxiliary view has been showing the Blade-to-Blade view. It is also helpful to
display the 3D shape of the blade. To do so, use the View | Auxiliary View Content | 3D View
menu command or the toolbar button located on the right side toolbar. Use the left mouse
button to rotate the view, right mouse to pan and the wheel on a wheel mouse to zoom in and out.
Table 2 - 3D View Display Options
Option Button Description
Wireframe Shows the curves that define the
edges of the surfaces.
Meshed Shows the surface mesh from
which the shaded surfaces and
volume mesh will be defined.
Shaded Shows opaque surfaces defined
by the surface mesh.
Table 3 - 3D View Replication Options

Menu Command Button Description
Original Only Shows a single blade (and any splitters). This is the
model stored in BladeGen and used for flow
calculations.
One Replica Shows two side-by-side blades. Useful to see how the
individual blade models fit together.
All Replicates Shows the entire blade system.
The toolbar at the bottom-left of the BladeGen window has various display and replication options
as described in Table 2 and Table 3.
Other data sets describing the model can be displayed in the Auxiliary view. These features are
fully documented in Auxiliary View Details.
40
Saving Your Model
toolbar button) can function as an alternative way to save the project; see Saving a Blade
Model for details.
41
Creating an Axial Fan Blade
The following procedure can be followed as an example of using BladeGen to create an Axial Fan
blade from start to finish.
42
Initial Design Parameters - Axial Fan Blade

configuration types. For this example, a Normal Axial template is used.
2. Select the Normal Axial tab
5. Press Enter or select the OK button to continue
43
Define the Inlet and Outlet Sections
The hub and shroud definitions up and downstream of the blade can be defined when the user
will be performing CFD analysis on the proposed design. At this point, it is not necessary to
modify these point locations and profiles. A detailed example of modifying the inlet and outlet
sections is included in the next tutorial. For additional information, please refer to Define the
Inlet and Outlet Sections in Creating an Axial Turbine Blade.

1. Enter the nominal wrap angle of 35 degrees, thickness of 2.5 and 9 blades.
44
entered. In this example, we will set the leading edge profile as well as adjust the hub and
should positions for both the inlet and outlet.

will be performing CFD analysis on the proposed design or to simply have the BladeGen hub and
shroud geometry more completely represent the final design. To set the position of the inlet and
outlet points:
1. Double click the shroud inlet point at the top left of the meridional view
2. The Point Location Dialog will open. The Horizontal value is the Axial location (Z
co-ordinate) and the Vertical value represents the Radius
3. Enter -47.5 and 132 for the horizontal and vertical values. Click OK.
4. Double click the hub inlet point (bottom left corner) and enter -47.5 and 30 for the
horizontal and vertical values. Click OK.
5. Double click the hub outlet point (bottom right corner) and enter 70 and 52.8 for the
6. Double click the shroud outlet point (top right corner) and enter 70 and 132 for the
45
Adjust the Inlet Hub Curve
After adjusting the inlet and outlet points, the hub upstream of the blade is a piece-wise linear
curve at an abrupt angle. To improve the profile of the hub, this curve will be converted to a
more smoothly contoured shape.
Figure 11 - Meridional View with Smooth Hub Profile

1. Left-click the hub curve in the inlet section
2. Right-click the mouse and select Convert Points to.. Spline Curve Points
3. In the Point Count Dialog, enter 3 points and select OK.
4. Left-click and drag the resulting control point to make a smooth hub profile. Your
Meridional view should now look as shown in Figure 11.
5. If you would like more practice, repeat this procedure on the Hub curve at the base of the
blade.
46
Define the Hub-Shroud Profile at the Leading Edge
At this point, the leading and trailing edges are also piecewise linear curves. Convert the
leading edge to a 3 point spline curve and apply a slightly curved profile. Refer to Adjust the
Inlet Hub Curve if you need to be reminded of the exact procedure to perform this operation.
Place the middle control point at an approximate horizontal and vertical value of 1.5 and 98 (you
can double-click the control point to enter specific values if you wish).
Adjust the Blade Angles at the Shroud in the Angle View

active layer is indicated by a red dot in the layer column on the right-hand side. Make the
Shroud layer active by selecting the black dot at the top of the layer column. It will turn red and
the Shroud is now active.
Adjusting the Shroud Blade Angles

In this example, we will define the Beta profile at the hub and shroud and also at a new layer
located at span=0.6. First, the shroud will be adjusted. The blade angles can now be defined
as follows;
1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Beta Definition
2. Right-click the mouse a second time in the Angle view and select Convert Points to.. Spline
Curve Points
3. In the Point Count Dialog, enter 2 points and select OK. This procedure has converted
the Beta definition line (coloured cyan) to a linear segment
4. Double-click the beta curve at the leading edge (left-hand side) and enter a vertical
Dimension of 83 degrees. Select OK
5. Double-click the beta curve at the trailing edge (right-hand side) and enter a vertical
Dimension of 61 degrees. Select OK
You can also move the points graphically by clicking and dragging a point with the left mouse
button.
Adjusting Blade Profiles at Mid-span Locations

It is often desirable to control the blade shape at more than just the hub and shroud locations.
To control the blade profiles at more locations, additional layers can be generated. In this
example, an additional layer will be generated at a span location of 0.6.
47
Creating an Additional Layer
Figure 12 Layer Control Dialog

1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Layer Control..
2. In the Layer Control Dialog, select Create.
3. In the Layer Dialog, enter a span value of 0.6 and select OK.
4. The Layer Control Dialog will now look like Figure 12. Note that the Span 0.6 layer is
checked, that indicates that the Angle information can be adjusted at this layer. Click OK.
Set the Beta Definition at the New Layer

Make the new layer active by select the new black dot at the mid-span location of the layer
column. After you have selected it, the dot will turn red. Repeat the procedure described
earlier using a leading edge Beta value of 80and a trailing edge value of 57.
Adjusting the Hub Blade Angles

Make the Hub layer active by selecting the black dot at the bottom of the layer column. After you
have selected it, the dot will turn red. Repeat the procedure in Adjusting the Shroud Blade
Angles using a leading edge Beta value of 67and a trailing edge value of 42.
48
Figure 13 Inactive Layer Warning

By default, BladeGen assumes that the blade thickness profile is uniform from hub to shroud. If
you try to make some thickness modifications at any layer other than the hub a warning message
as shown in appears.
To change this setting and allow for control of the thickness profile at multiple layers, we need to
adjust the layer information;
1. Right-click in the Thickness view and select Layer Control
2. In the Layer Control Dialog, check the box beside the layer at Span: 1.000 and Span:
0.600.
3. Select OK.
Define the Blade Thickness at the Shroud

1. At the Shroud Layer, convert the curve to a 3 point spline. See Adjust the Inlet Hub Curve if
you need specific instructions.
2. Set the Leading edge thickness to 2mm by double-clicking the leading edge point and entering
a thickness of 2mm
3. Set the Trailing edge thickness to 0.875mm.
4. Adjust the middle point to make a nice arc between the leading and trailing edge points.
Define the Blade Thickness at Span 0.6

1. Click on the black dot in the middle of the Layer Column in the Thickness view to make the
span 0.6 layer active.
2. Convert the Thickness curve to a spline with 5 Control Points.
3. Set the Leading Edge to 3.0mm thickness and trailing edge to 0.875mm
4. Adjust the 3 internal control points on the curve to make a slight S shape as shown in Figure
14.
49
Figure 14 Span 0.6 Thickness Profile
Define the Blade Thickness at the Hub

1. Repeat the procedure outlined previously.
2. Set the Leading edge thickness to 4mm and the trailing edge thickness to 1.25mm.
Select Blade | Properties menu commands or the toolbar button located on the left hand side
of the BladeGen window to set the blade properties. Set the Leading Edge/Trailing Edge Ellipse
tab; adjust the values as shown in Figure 15 - LE/TE Ellipse Settings. All other values can
remain unchanged.
50
Saving Your Model
Model for details.
51
Creating a Radial Pump Impeller
The following procedure can be followed as an example of using BladeGen to create a Radial
Pump Impeller from start to finish.
Initial Design Parameters - Radial Pump Impeller

configuration types. For this example, a Radial Turbine is used.
2. Select the Radial Impeller tab
52

1. Enter the nominal wrap angle of 140 degrees, thickness of 5 and 7 blades. Normally,
BladeGen sets the leading edge theta to zero.

entered in the Initial Meridional configuration dialog.
Define the Blade Shape at the Hub and Shroud in the Meridional
View
The hub and shroud profile for this case are well defined automatically. In this case, there is no
need for any additional modifications.
53
will be performing CFD analysis on the proposed design. It is also nice to set the inlet and outlet
sections to reasonable values to make the BladeGen model represent the final design. To set
the position of the inlet and outlet points;
1. Double click the shroud inlet point at the top left of the meridional view.
co-ordinate) and the Vertical value represents the Radius.
3. Enter -10 and 110 for the horizontal and vertical values. Click OK.
4. Double click the hub inlet point (bottom left corner) and enter -10 and 25 for the horizontal
and vertical values. Click OK.
5. Double click the hub outlet point (top right corner) and enter 91 and 250 for the horizontal
6. Double click the shroud outlet point (top left corner) and enter 63 and 250 for the horizontal
Adjust the Blade Angles at the Hub in the Angle View


3. In the Trailing edge tab, enter a Theta angle of 137.5and enter 22.5for the Beta value.
The Tangential Beta value will be automatically updated as 67.5. All other values can
remain as zero.
5. The Theta curve will be automatically switched to a Bezier segment with 6 control points.
54
Left-click the black dot located at the top of the layer column to activate the Shroud layer. The
blade angles can now be defined as follows;
2. In the Leading Edge tab, enter 13.5for the Tangential Beta value, the Beta value will
3. In the Trailing edge tab, enter a Theta angle of 138.5and enter 22.5for the Beta value.
The Tangential Beta value will be automatically updated as 67.5. All other values can
remain as zero.
5. The Theta curve will be automatically switched to a Bezier segment with 6 control points.
Figure 18 Blade Thickness Profile

parabolic style will be applied as shown in Figure 18. Since it is easier to control fewer
numbers of points, we can start by making the profile curve a spline with 3 control points and add
further details after we have obtained the basic shape.
1. Make the Hub layer active in the Thickness view by left-clicking the black dot at the bottom
of the layer column.
4. Double click the leading edge point and enter a thickness value of 4.9mm.
5. Double-click the trailing edge point and enter a thickness value of 4.8mm
6. Double-click the middle control point and enter a thickness value of 7.0mm
7. Right-click the mouse and select Zoom Fit
Now that the basic shape is defined, we can add points, split curves and refine the profile to
achieve the desired shape. In this case, we will simply increase the number of control points to
achieve the desired profile;
55
3. Adjust the curve point locations more closely resemble the image in Figure 18, dont worry
about getting it exact at this point, more control points will still be added.
6.Adjust the curve point locations more closely resemble the image in Figure 18, at this point,
you should be able to achieve the desire profile.
Starting at 3 control points, setting the profile and gradually increasing the number of control
points makes creating the desired profile easier to achieve than simply adding 8 points from the
very beginning.
tab, adjust the values as shown in Figure 19. All other values can remain unchanged.
56
Utilizing the Information in the Auxiliary View
The most common use of the auxiliary view is to display the rendered 3D view as shown in the
first tutorial included in this manual. There are many other functions available for this view. At
this point, you may wish to review the Auxiliary View Details and experiment with the different
Auxiliary View options.
Saving Your Model

Model for details.
57
Creating an Axial Turbine Blade
The following procedure can be followed as an example of using BladeGen to create an Axial
Turbine blade from start to finish.
Initial Design Parameters - Axial Turbine Blade

configuration types. For this example, a Normal Axial template is used.

2. Select the Normal Axial tab
58

1. Enter the nominal wrap angle of 5 degrees, thickness of 5 and 83 blades.
Setting Model Properties

Set the model properties as follows:
1. Select Model | Properties from the main menu.

2. Set Component Type to Turbine.
3. Set Configuration Type to Axial.
4. Set Model Units to MM.
5. Click OK.

entered.
59
Defining the Inlet and Outlet Sections
will be performing CFD analysis on the proposed design. It is also nice to set the inlet and outlet
sections to reasonable values to make the BladeGen model represent the final design. To set
the position of the inlet and outlet points;
1. Double click the shroud inlet point at the top left of the meridional view
co-ordinate) and the Vertical value represents the Radius
3. Enter 40 and 360 for the horizontal and vertical values. Click OK.
4. Double click the hub inlet point (bottom left corner) and enter 40 and 254 for the horizontal
5. Double click the hub outlet point (bottom right corner) and enter 110 and 254 for the
6. Double click the shroud outlet point (top right corner) and enter 110 and 360 for the
Adjusting Blade Hub and Shroud Curve

By default, BladeGen creates the blades hub and shroud curves as curves with 5 control points.
For this example, a single straight edge is required. Therefore, we can convert this curve to two
control points.
1. Left-click the blades hub curve.
4. Repeat this procedure for the blades shroud curve.
Adjusting the Blade Angles at the Shroud in the Angle View

active layer is indicated by a red dot in the layer column on the right-hand side. Make the
Shroud layer active by selecting the black dot at the top of the layer column. It will turn red and
the Shroud is now active.

2. In the Leading Edge tab, enter a Beta value of -4.65. The Tang. Beta value will be
updated automatically to a value of 90minus Beta.
3. Enter a Theta value of -2.5.
4. In the Trailing edge tab, enter a Beta value of 70.10. The Tangential Beta value will be
updated automatically to a value of 19.90.
5. Enter a Theta value of 2.15
6. Leave all other values set to zero.
60
Adjusting the Shroud Beta Profile
Setting the blade angles did not create a suitable profile. Modify the Beta curve as follows:
Figure 22 Shroud Beta Profile

1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Beta Definition
2. Right-click the mouse a second time in the Angle view and select Convert Points to.. Spline
Curve Points
4. Modify the control points by dragging them with the left mouse button so that the beta
curve looks similar to Figure 22.
Adjusting Blade Profiles at Mid-span Locations

It is often desirable to control the blade shape at more than just the hub and shroud locations.
To control the blade profiles at more locations, additional Layers can be activated or generated.
In this example, the layer generated at a span location of 0.5 will be used.
Activating an Additional Layer

1. Right-click in the Angle view and select Layer Control..
2. Click the empty box to the left of Span 0.500 to select the layer.
3. Select OK.
61
Set the Beta Definition at the New Layer
Figure 23 Span=0.5 Beta Profile

Make the new layer active by select the new black dot at the mid-span location of the layer
column. After you have selected it, the dot will turn red. Repeat the procedure defined earlier
using Figure 23 as a guide. For the Blade Angles:
1. In the Leading Edge tab, enter a Beta value of -40.7and a Theta value of -1.5.
2. In the Trailing edge tab, enter a Beta value of 66.88and a Theta value of 2.74.
62
Make the Hub layer active by selecting the black dot at the bottom of the layer column. After you
have selected it, the dot will turn red. Repeat the procedure described earlier using a leading
edge Beta value of -67, a leading edge Theta value of 0.5, a trailing edge Beta value of 42, and
a trailing edge Theta value of 3.33..
Defining the Blade Thickness Profile
Figure 24 Inactive Layer Warning
By default, BladeGen assumes that the blade thickness profile is uniform from hub to shroud. If
you try to make some thickness modifications at any layer other than the hub a warning message
as shown in Figure 24 appears.
If the blade thickness is to be non-uniform from hub to shroud, additional layers must be activated
as follows:
1. Right-click in the Thickness view and select Layer Control
2. In the Layer Control Dialog, check the box beside the layer at Span: 1.000 and Span:
0.500.
3. Select OK.
63
Defining the Blade Thickness at the Shroud
Define the Blade Thickness at the Shroud
1. Click on the black dot at the top of the Layer Column in the Thickness view to make the
shroud layer active.
2. Convert the thickness curve to a 3-point spline. Right-click the mouse in the Thickness
view and select Convert Points to.. Spline Curve Points
4. Set the Leading edge thickness to 1.25mm by double-clicking the leading edge point and
entering a thickness of 1.25mm
5. Set the Trailing edge thickness to 0.50mm.
6. Double-click the middle point and set the thickness to 3.25. Also adjust the Meridional
position by setting the M value to 9.
Now, extra control points can be added to create the profile as shown in Figure 25:
Figure 25 Shroud Thickness Profile

1. Right-click the mouse in the Thickness view and select Segment Operations.. Insert Many
Points
2. Click the left mouse button near each of the locations indicated by the black arrows in
Figure 25.
3. After you have added all 4 points, Right-click the mouse and select Segment Operations..
Insert Many Points again to finish adding points.
4. Click and drag the newly-added points to the locations indicated by the arrows in Figure
25.
64
Defining the Blade Thickness at Span 0.5
1. Click on the black dot in the middle of the Layer Column in the Thickness view to make the
span 0.5 layer active.
3. Set the Leading Edge to 1.1mm thickness, trailing edge to 0.5mm and the middle control point
to a thickness of 5.5 at a Meridional distance of 9.0
4. Create 4 extra control points as described earlier to create a similar profile as shown in Figure
25.
Defining the Blade Thickness at the Hub

1. Click on the black dot at the bottom of the Layer Column in the Thickness view to make the
hub layer active.
3. Set the Leading Edge to 1.0mm thickness, trailing edge to 0.5mm and the middle control point
to a thickness of 6.5 at a Meridional distance of 18.
4. Create 4 extra control points as described earlier to create a similar profile as shown in Figure
25.
Prescribing the Leading/Trailing Edge Ellipse
tab; adjust the values as shown in Figure 26. All other values can remain unchanged.
65
Adding Custom Output Layers
A layer (streamline) is defined as a meridional curve that represents surface of revolution. So far,
layers have been used to control the blade angles and thickness profiles. Layers are also used
for controlling the output from BladeGen. For more detailed information, see Layer Details.
Creating Additional Output Layers at Constant Span Locations

1. Right-click the mouse in the Angle View and select Layer Control from the pop-up menu.
2. Select the Output tab and click the Create button.
3. In the Layer Dialog, enter a span value of 0.05 and click OK.
4. Repeat this procedure for span values of 0.1 and 0.125.
5. Click OK to close the Layer Control Dialog.
Creating an Additional Output Layer at a Variable Span Location

Layers can also be generated at variable span locations as follows;
Figure 27 - Layers at Non-Uniform Span Locations

1. Right-click the mouse in the Angle View and select Layer Control from the pop-up menu.
2. Select the Output tab and click the Create button.
3. In the Layer Dialog, click the Shr Gap tab and enter LE gap of 90.125 and a TE gap of
86.95 as shown in Figure 27. Click OK.
4. Click OK to close the Layer Control Dialog.
Saving Your Model

Model for details.
66
Creating a Compressor Impeller with a Splitter Vane
The following procedure can be followed as an example of using BladeGen to create a
Compressor Impeller with a splitter vane from start to finish.
Initial Design Parameters - Splitter Vane
configuration types. For this example, a Radial Impeller is used.
display the Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog (shown in Figure 28)
2. Select the Radial Impeller tab
67
Using Figure 29 the initial blade parameters are completed:

1. Enter the nominal wrap angle of 85 degrees, thickness of 3 and 6 blades.

entered in the Initial Meridional configuration dialog.
68
Defining the Blade Shape at the Hub and Shroud in the
Meridional View
Figure 30 Meridional Profile
The hub and shroud profile for this case are reasonably well defined automatically, but some
modifications are helpful to smooth out the corner radius. This is done most easily by converting
the curves to Bezier Segments.
1. Left-click the Hub curve
2. Right-click the mouse and select Convert Points to.. Bezier Control Points from the
pop-up menu.
4. Align the new control points as in Figure 30.
5. Repeat this procedure for the Shroud curve.
69
Adjusting the Blade Angles at the Hub in the Angle View

3. In the Trailing edge tab, the Theta angle should be 85. Enter 30for the Beta value.
The Tangential Beta value will be automatically updated as 60. All other values can
remain as zero.
5. The Theta curve will be automatically switched to a spline curve with 5 control points.

Left-click the black dot located at the top of the layer column to activate the Shroud layer. The
blade angles can now be defined as follows;
2. In the Leading Edge tab, enter 27.5for the Tangential Beta value, the Beta value will
3. In the Trailing edge tab, enter a Theta angle of 84and enter 30for the Beta value. The
Tangential Beta value will be automatically updated as 60. All other values can remain
as zero.
5. The Theta curve will be automatically switched to a spline curve with 5 control points.
Defining the Blade Thickness Profile

constant thickness of 3mm will be used and no modifications are required.
70
Prescribing the Leading/Trailing Edge Ellipse
tab; adjust the values as shown in Figure 31. All other values can remain unchanged.
71
Adding a Splitter Blade
Now that the main blade is defined, a splitter blade can be added. For more detailed information
on splitter blades, refer to Blade Settings.
Splitter blades can be dependent on the main blade for their angular and thickness definitions or
have their own, independent, definitions. For this example, the splitter blade will be made
dependant on the main blade. Create the Splitter Blade as follows;
Figure 32 Splitter Blade Properties
1. Choose the Blade | Add Splitter menu command or the toolbar button. The Blade
Property Dialog will open (Figure 32).
2. The default values in the Location/Definition tab will be used. This will place the splitter
blade at main blades mid-pitch and set the angular and thickness definition as dependant
upon the main blade.
3. Select the Leading Edge/Trailing Edge Ellipse tab, set the Leading Edge Elliptic ratio to 4.0
for both hub and shroud.
4. In the LE/TE Cut-Off, Enable the Leading edge option and enter 0.35 for the hub and 0.4
for the shroud. Click OK.
72
Figure 33 Graphical Layout after adding the Splitter Blade
After the splitter has been added, there are some new features in the GUI to note, as annotated
in Figure 33.
73
Saving Your Model
Model for details.
74
View Descriptions
A typical BladeGen Window contains a combination of Working Views and Auxiliary Views. The
Working Views are views where all blade-modification tasks are performed. The Auxiliary Views
are used for data display only and provide a variety of formats for reviewing the blade design.
The operating mode determines which working views are active. The Annotated Window Layout,
show below, describes the components of the window.
Each view has a unique set of functions and operations that can be accessed using
context-sensitive popup menus. These menus are displayed by positioning the cursor in the
relevant view and depressing the right mouse button. Some of the functions in these popup
menus are accessible from the main menu, but many are unique to the popup menus. See the
Menu List in the context-sensitive help for a complete listing of menus.
Related Topics:
View Layout Control
Common Views
Angle/Thickness Mode Specific Views
Pressure/Suction Mode Specific View
75
BladeGen uses a common set of mouse functions to manipulate the views. These functions are
described in the following table.

Mouse Action Applies To Description
Click with Left Working Views only If a point or segment is within selection distance, it
is selected.
Drag with Left Working Views only If a point is selected or within selection distance,
the point is selected and dragged with the mouse
pointer. Releasing the mouse button updates
the view.
Scroll wheel or All Views Zooms the view in and out.
Drag with Both
Click with Right All Views Displays the context-sensitive popup menu.
Drag with Right All Views Pans the view. The view moves with the mouse
pointer.
76
View Layout Control
Between each of the views in the BladeGen Window are view separators, as shown in the
Annotated Window Layout popup. These view separators can be dragged to resize windows by
positioning the mouse over a separator, pressing the left button, and dragging to the new location.
Pressing the toolbar buttons shown below can also control the layout of the views. By utilizing
these methods, the user can control the amount of space consumed by each view and can tailor
the display to match the current task.
Maximize the Top Left (Meridional) View

Maximize the Bottom Left (Angle or Prs/Sct) View
Maximize the Bottom Right (Thickness or Prs/Sct) View
Maximize the Top Right (Auxiliary) View
Restore View Layout, with all views the same size
77
Common Views
The Meridional and Auxiliary views are common to both the Angle/Thickness and
Pressure/Suction Modes. These views appear on the top half of the BladeGen window, as
shown below, and are described in more detail in the following sections:
Meridional View
Auxiliary View
Common Views
Meridional View
A typical Meridional View is shown below. The meridional view contains the description of the
blade in an axial-radial coordinate system. BladeGen allows the user to define the blade and the
inlet/outlet extensions required by CFD programs. See the Meridional View Popup Menu for
details of the options and functions available in this view.
Meridional View
78
Auxiliary View
The Auxiliary View is located in the upper-right corner of the BladeGen window, as shown in the
figure below. It is used to display various data sets describing the model. The Auxiliary View is
automatically updated when modifications are performed in a Working View.
The data set to be displayed is selected by the View | Auxiliary View Content menu commands
and the Auxiliary Toolbars (displayed by default on the right edge of the window). The user may
create additional auxiliary views by invoking the New Auxiliary View (B2B) menu command,
either from the View menu or from the popup menu in an Auxiliary View. This will create a new
Blade-to-Blade view which can then be changed to the desired type by using the Auxiliary View
Content menu command.
There are currently five Auxiliary View types. They are described in the Auxiliary View Details
section. See the View Menu or the popup menu for the view type for details of the options and
functions available in this view.
79
Angle/Thickness Mode Specific Views
The Angle/Thickness Mode Specific Views are used to define the angular location and thickness
of a blade, as a function of some location on the layer curve. This data indirectly specifies the
location of the two sides of a blade. Both views use a quantity derived from the meridional
distance along a layer as the independent axis.
The following sections describe these views in more detail:
Angle View
Thickness View
Angle/Thickness Mode Views
80
Angle View
The Angle View, shown below, describes the angular placement (Theta or ) and slope (Beta or )
of the blade on a layer. See the Angle View Popup Menu for details of the options and functions
available in this view.
The user can modify the data of the curve directly or use the Blade Angles Dialog to specify
common values which will be used to create a curve that satisfies the parameters.
Angle View
81
Thickness View
The Thickness View, shown below, describes the total normal or tangential thickness of the blade
along a streamline (called a layer). See the Thickness View Popup Menu for details of the
options and functions available in this view.
The user can modify the data of the curve directly or elect to specify a NACA Airfoil thickness
distribution which will be used to create a curve that satisfies the NACA parameters.
The data handled by this view has only a second order affect on the blade surfaces, making the
view seem very stable. This is the only view where the piecewise linear segment type is
recommended for use.
Thickness View
82
Pressure/Suction Mode Specific View
The Pressure/Suction View, shown below, is used to define the two sides of a blade directly.
Each side is defined by its own curve, which can be either manipulated directly or adjusted using
the Bezier Blade Dialog.
Pressure/Suction View
83

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ANSYS CFX-BladeGen

Additional help topics include:

Special Typefaces Used in This Guide

Menu Item This typeface represents a menu command.

Symbol Description Views

The ANSYS Customer Portal is available from the ANSYS Website at

The CFX Community Site address is www.ansys.com/customer-portals.htm.

User Interface Description

Common Views for Both Modes

Angle/Thickness Mode Views

Layers serve two key purposes:

User/Data Interaction Diagram (Ang/Thk Mode)

User Preferences Dialog

Creating a Blade from Scratch

Radial Impeller Configuration

Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog

Initial Pressure/Suction Dialog, Standard Tab

These files can be opened in one of two ways:

Centrifugal Blower Centrifugal Centrifugal Pump Barske Impeller Wicket Gate

The File | Save As menu command (Save As toolbar button) is unavailable.

Creating a Low Pressure Ratio Compressor Impeller

Before You Begin

A list of special typefaces is available in Special Typefaces Used in This Guide.

Figure 1 - Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog

Figure 2 - Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog

Figure 3 BladeGen Layout

Table 1 - Common Mouse Functions

Optimizing the Meridional View

Figure 4 Annotated Meridional View

Moving Points by Clicking and Dragging

Figure 5 - Point Location Dialog

Define the Hub and Shroud Profiles in the Meridional View

Adjust the Blade Angles at the Hub in the Angle View

Adjusting the Blade Angles

Figure 6 Blade Angle Definition

Adjust the Blade Angles at the Shroud in the Angle View

Adjusting the Blade Angles

Figure 7 - Shroud Angle Definition

Prescribe the Leading/Trailing Edge Ellipse

Figure 8 - LE/TE Ellipse Settings

Table 3 - 3D View Replication Options

Figure 9 - Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog

Initial Angle/Thickness Parameters

Figure 10 - Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog

Define the Inlet and Outlet Sections

Figure 11 - Meridional View with Smooth Hub Profile

Adjust the Blade Angles at the Shroud in the Angle View

Adjusting the Shroud Blade Angles

Adjusting Blade Profiles at Mid-span Locations

Figure 12 Layer Control Dialog

Set the Beta Definition at the New Layer

Adjusting the Hub Blade Angles

Figure 13 Inactive Layer Warning

Define the Blade Thickness at the Shroud

Define the Blade Thickness at Span 0.6

Define the Blade Thickness at the Hub

Prescribe the Leading/Trailing Edge Ellipse

Figure 15 - LE/TE Ellipse Settings

Initial Design Parameters - Radial Pump Impeller

Figure 16 - Initial Meridional Configuration Dialog

Figure 17 - Initial Angle/Thickness Dialog

Optimizing the Meridional View

Adjust the Blade Angles at the Hub in the Angle View