Vibration and aeroacoustic analysis of defective cooling fans: effects of blade faults on noise, turbulence, and performance efficiency

Abstract Studying cooling fans’ vibration, noise, and airflow characteristics is crucial for several practical and performance-related reasons, particularly in electronics, automotive, HVAC, and manufacturing industries. Therefore, the present study examines a cooling fan’s vibration, noise, and airflow characteristics subjected to artificial defects that usually might occur in practice, including holes, vertical, and horizontal cracks. Frequency-domain and time-domain analyses identified horizontal cracks as the most disruptive, producing a peak vibration amplitude of 0.136 ± 0.003 m/s 2 at $$3\times BPF$$ 3 × B P F (675 Hz) and a 74.2 ± 1 dB noise level. Vertical cracks resulted in 0.0333 ± 0.002 m/s 2 and 73.8 ± 1 dB, while artificial holes generated 0.08791 ± 0.002 m/s 2 and 67.3 ± 1 dB. Airflow velocity decreased significantly across all defect types, with horizontal cracks reducing it from 2.55 ± 0.05 m/s to 2.1 ± 0.05 m/s. These findings demonstrate the critical impact of defect type and severity on system performance. The study underscores the importance of incorporating uncertainty analysis into vibration and noise diagnostics to ensure accurate fault detection and efficient cooling system maintenance.