| The content of this paper includes the momentum—blade element theory and CFD method which are both used to compute the aerodynamic characteristics of cooling fans. The modified momentum-blade theory is used in the theory calculation method, to get the result of forces, moment, power, flow flux and other parameters. The CFD software Fluent is then applied to carry out the numerical simulation of flows around cooling fans with 3D meshes. The experimental results for several typical fans are analyzed and discussed as well in this paper, providing a sound ground for fan design and aerodynamic parametric analysis.Finally, the results from the two different calculation methods of the momentum—blade element theory and the CFD are compared with the experimental data, indicating that the results from the momentum—blade element theory with certain correction compare well in general with the experimental data, and that the CFD results are also in agreement with the experiment to some extent. Since it is the first use of the momentum-blade theory to predict cooling fan aerodynamic performance, the work presented in this paper is still open for further investigation.
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