Calculating Pressure Difference for CFM & Hole Size

AI Thread Summary
Calculating the pressure difference for airflow in a system involves understanding the relationship between flow rate (CFM) and pressure differential. In this scenario, a fan is removing air from a container at 100 CFM, and the goal is to determine the hole size needed to allow 50 CFM in while accounting for pressure differences. The fan's datasheet is crucial for understanding how flow rate and pressure differential interact, as it typically provides flowrate versus pressure differential data. To calculate the necessary hole size, the pressure differential must first be established, which can be done using specific flow equations. Overall, accurate calculations depend on the fan's characteristics and the desired airflow dynamics.
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Hey its been a while since I took thermo and I am pretty rusty. I am trying to figure out a system with differential pressures. I can find the temperature difference pretty easy but finding the exact pressure difference is a bit more complicated then I remember.

Situation:
I have a small container that I am removing the air out of at 100 cfm (with a fan) and the container has a small whole on one end. I am trying to figure out about how big the whole needs to be to allow 50CFM in and how much of a pressure difference this will make.

I know that the pressure difference will slow down the fan but for now I am neglecting that.

Purpose:
I am trying to see how much I can cool a small box with a fan. (In the end I would like to be able to try different Cfms out and different whole sizes to see how the different combinations work.)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have tried to google this for a few days now and I either don't quite get what I am reading or I am just not finding the answer / equation.
 
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Perhapse I should start with an easier question and then I can try to build from there. What equation would you use (or how would I find) the velocity (or CFM) that would happen if there are 2 areas of differing pressure Delta P with an area connecting them A?

I would think this might be some kind of KE PE problem I am just not sure.
 
A lot of this depends on the fan. The fan manufacturer should have a datasheet showing the fan flowrate vs pressure differential - if you restrict inlet flow to 50CFM, then the fan must only be moving 50CFM out, so you would look up on the graph/table in the datasheet what the pressure differential is at 50CFM for that fan. Usually, if a fan has a rated static pressure and flowrate, the rated flowrate is for a pressure differential of zero and the rated static pressure is for a flowrate of zero.

As for the hole size? That isn't too hard, but you'll need to know the pressure differential first. Here's a page showing the calculations to get flow once you know the pressure differential.

http://gasho.org/rotron%20pages/orifice%20flow%20calculation.htm
 
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