3 or 4 blade blower wheel on snowblower

[bkc]

What is the advantage of 4 over 3 blades on blower wheel on 3pt snowblower?
I have another thead here.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/232141-help-identify-3pt-snow-blower.html

After looking online at many pics, it seems like most newer blowers have 4 blades. Any thoughts.

Brian

 

[smfcpacfp]

I assume you mean the impeller blades which throw the snow. I would assume the more blades the better. Even the really big Oshkosh blowers that can move 5,000 tons of snow an hour only have 4 blades, serious blades. :laughing:

 

[bkc]

Yes, the impeller, fan, blower wheel.......

I have seen some with six blades also. http://www.lorenzmfg.com/fan310.jpg

I am going to rebuild mine this summer, and toying with the idea of adding more blades. Mine are currantly alittle bent up.

So..... what do you think is the most efficient, multiple smaller blades, or fewer larger blades.

My tractor is really to small for my blower.

Brian

 

[smfcpacfp]

We get 10 to 30 feet of snow each year and on occasion, we can get a lot of snow. My 4 blade arrangement has always handled the load even if it means slowing down to let the blower catch up. The 4 blade arrangement has a symmetry and balance about it that is probably easy on the impeller shaft.

Kubota B3030 HSDC snowblowing Jan 2012 (HD) - YouTube

 

[leonz]

Yes, the impeller, fan, blower wheel.......

I have seen some with six blades also. http://www.lorenzmfg.com/fan310.jpg

I am going to rebuild mine this summer, and toying with the idea of adding more blades. Mine are currantly alittle bent up.

So..... what do you think is the most efficient, multiple smaller blades, or fewer larger blades.

My tractor is really to small for my blower.

Brian

It takes a lot of work to maufacture a snow casters impeller. The impeller assembly/all impeller paddles have to be balanced properly around the axis of the impeller or the bearing(s) will be ruined prematurely.

It will be simpler to add a gusset weld to the back side of the four impeller paddles to add strength if needed.

you can line the impeller drum and cross auger interior body with slick sheeting from Horn Plastics to aid in snow removal to avoid having to deal with snow sticking to the snow caster due to the heat of friction from the snow casters impeller.

 

[bkc]

It takes a lot of work to maufacture a snow casters impeller. The impeller assembly/all impeller paddles have to be balanced properly around the axis of the impeller or the bearing(s) will be ruined prematurely.

It will be simpler to add a gusset weld to the back side of the four impeller paddles to add strength if needed.

you can line the impeller drum and cross auger interior body with slick sheeting from Horn Plastics to aid in snow removal to avoid having to deal with snow sticking to the snow caster due to the heat of friction from the snow casters impeller.

My impeller is anything but balanced right now. One way or another I have to rebuild it.
I have the capability of manufacturing a new impeller, Im not worried about that. I am looking for ideas as to a more efficient impeller. Many manufactures have different designs, just looking for the best.

thanks,
Brian

 

[rsewill]

We get 10 to 30 feet of snow each year and on occasion, we can get a lot of snow. My 4 blade arrangement has always handled the load even if it means slowing down to let the blower catch up. The 4 blade arrangement has a symmetry and balance about it that is probably easy on the impeller shaft.

Kubota B3030 HSDC snowblowing Jan 2012 (HD) - YouTube

Impressive video!!!

 

[PILOON]

The impeller's job is to evacuate what the augers feed it.
The faster you evacuate the more you can feed = the faster you can move.

I think that a smaller more bladed fan would want less HP than larger equal bladed one.

Wonder if they teach snow-blower engineering at universities now.

 

[bkc]

The impeller's job is to evacuate what the augers feed it.
The faster you evacuate the more you can feed = the faster you can move.

I think that a smaller more bladed fan would want less HP than larger equal bladed one.

Wonder if they teach snow-blower engineering at universities now.

Since I cant change the diameter of the fan, and I need to rebuild the impeller anyway.
I would like to come up with somthing more efficient. I agree with you that a smaller fan should take less hp to turn, I just wonder how much the actual blade design plays a role in power consumption, and performance

My impeller is nothing more than a 20" round piece of plate with three pieces of c-channel welded to it.
I have seen some impellers that are contoured, some that are made from c-channel but have material cut away towards the center of the impeller, some with 3,4,5,and 6 blades........many different designs, and ones got to bet better than what I have now

Im just hoping somone smarter than myself could share some of their engineering wisdom.

thanks,
Brian

 

[leonz]

Hello Brian,


The problem is the actual cubic inch volume of the interior of the impeller drum versus the actual size of the impeller paddles and mounting plates actual Volume.

If you add an additional impeller you wil be reducing the volume of snow thrown out of the impeller drum per revolution * 540 revolutions per minute.

If you visit the Pronovost home page and look at page six of the snowblower PDF you will see three different types of impellers with 4,5 and 6 impeller paddles that are plat or curved.

I think if you have bad impeller you should order a replacement and add some steel to create a scoop on each of the three impellers taking care to balance the impeller after the welding is done at a machine shop as the impeller is rotating at 540 R.P.M.


They built the impeller inexpensively using channel iron and unfortunately your stuck with the design.

Is the impeller partially blocked with a small plate covering a portion of the entrance to the impeller? If not you are dealing with a lot of snow being thrown out of the housing when the snow caster is working and that may be the entire issue.