Fan blade with curved planform and high-lift airfoil having bulbous leading edge

摘要

A blade for a vehicle engine-cooling fan assembly having a curved planform and a high-lift airfoil. The planform has a first region adjacent the root of the blade with forward curvature, a second region adjacent the tip of the blade with backward curvature, and an intermediate region disposed between the first region and the second region with substantially straight curvature. The airfoil has a leading edge; a rounded, bulbous nose section adjacent the leading edge; a trailing edge; a curved pressure surface extending smoothly and without discontinuity from the nose section to the trailing edge; a curved suction surface extending smoothly and without discontinuity from the nose section to the trailing edge; and a thin, highly cambered aft section formed adjacent the trailing edge and between the pressure surface and the suction surface. The nose section has a thickness which is greater than the thickness of the airfoil between the pressure surface and the suction surface and the nose section blends smoothly into the pressure surface and the suction surface.