FANS AND BLOWERS

Fans and blowers provide air for ventilation and industrial process requirements. Fans
generate a pressure to move air (or gases) against a resistance caused by ducts, dampers, or
other components in a fan system. The fan rotor receives energy from a rotating shaft and
transmits it to the air.

•Compressor: A compressor is a machine which reduces the volume of gas or liquid by creating a high pressure. We can
also say that a compressor simply compresses a substance which is usually gas.
•Fans: a Fan is a machine used to move fluid or air. It is operated through a motor via electricity which rotates the blades
that are attached to a shaft.
•Blowers: Blower is a machine to move air at a moderate pressure. Or simply, blowers are used for blowing air/gas.
Difference between Fans, Blowers and
Compressors

Fans, blowers and compressors are differentiated

by the method used to move the air, and by the
system pressure they must operate against. As
per American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) the specific ratio - the ratio of the
discharge pressure over the suction pressure - is
used for defining the fans, blowers and
compressors.
 Fan Types
Fans fall into two general categories: centrifugal flow and axial flow.

In centrifugal flow, airflow changes direction twice - once when entering and second when leaving (forward curved,
backward curved or inclined, radial) .

In axial flow, air enters and leaves the fan with no change in direction (propeller, tube axial, vane axial).
Axial Flow Fan: The major types of axial flow fans are: tube axial, vane axial and propeller.
Tube axial fans have a wheel inside a cylindrical housing, with close clearance between
blade and housing to improve airflow efficiency. The wheel turn faster than propeller fans,
enabling operation under high-pressures 250-400 mm WC. The efficiency is up to 65%.
Vane axial fans are similar to tube axials, but with addition of guide vanes that improve
efficiency by directing and straightening the flow. As a result, they have a higher static
pressure with less dependence on the duct static pressure. Such fans are used generally for
pressures upto 500 mm WC. Vane axials are typically the most energy-efficient fans
available and should be used whenever possible.
Propeller fans usually run at low speeds and moderate temperatures. They experience a
large change in airflow with small changes in static pressure. They handle large volumes of
air at low pressure or free delivery. Propeller fans are often used indoors as exhaust fans.
Outdoor applications include air-cooled condensers and cooling towers. Efficiency is low-
approximately 50% or less.
Centrifugal Fan: The major types of centrifugal fan are: radial, forward curved and
backward curved
Radial fans are industrial workhorses because of their high static pressures (upto 1400
mm WC, 1mm WC = 9.81 Pa) and ability to handle heavily contaminated airstreams.
Because of their simple design, radial fans are well suited for high temperatures and
medium blade tip speeds.

Forward-curved fans are used in clean environments and operate at lower temperatures.
They are well suited for low tip speed and high-airflow work - they are best suited for
moving large volumes of air against relatively low pressures.

Backward-inclined fans are more efficient than forward-curved fans. Backward-inclined

fans reach their peak power consumption and then power demand drops off well within
their useable airflow range. Backward-inclined fans are known as “non-overloading”
because changes in static pressure do not overload the motor.
 Fan Selection
Considerations for fan selection are :
1. Capacity:
Flow rate based on system requirements. Expressed as actual cubic feet per minute
(acfm).
Pressure requirement based on system pressure requirements.
2. Air stream:
 Material handled through fan.
Small amount of smoke or dust - backward inclined centrifugal or axial fan is
selected.
Light dust fume or moisture - backward inclined or radial fan is preferred.
Heavy particulate loading - radial fan is selected.
 Explosive or flammable material.
Spark resistant construction is used.
Explosion proof motor is used.
 Fan Selection
3. Physical Limitations:
Fan size is determined by
 Performance requirements
 Inlet size and location
 Fan weight
The most efficient fan size may not fit the physical space available.
4. Drive arrangements:
Electric motor is the power source of fans.
 Unlike packaged fans, for larger units the motor is coupled directly to the fan or
indirectly by a belt drive.
Fan Selection
Standard drive arrangements are:
Direct drive:
Offers more compact assembly and assures constant fan speed.
Fan speeds are limited to available motor speeds.
Belt drive:
Offers flexibility in changing the fan speed.
Important in applications where changes in system capacity or pressure requirements are needed.

5. Noise:
Generated by turbulence within he fan housing.
“White” noise which is a mixture of all frequencies is mostly produced.
Radial blade fans produce a pure tone at a frequency BPF.
BPF = rpm * n * CF.
Where:
BPF - blade passage frequency.
RPM - rotational rate.
N - number of blades.
CF - conversion factor, 1/60.

Fans 13
 Fan Selection
Various factors effecting fan selection are:
Volume required (cfm)
Fan static pressure
Type of material handled
Explosive or inflammable material
Direct driven vs belt driven
Space limitations
Noise
Operating temperature
Efficiency
Corrosive applications

Fans 14
System Characteristics

The term “system resistance” (duct system) is used when referring to the static pressure.
The system resistance is the sum of static pressure losses in the system. The system
resistance is a function of the configuration of ducts, pickups, elbows and the pressure drop
across equipment-for example bagfilter or cyclone.
The system resistance varies with the square of the
volume of air flowing through the system.

To determine what volume the fan will produce, it is

therefore necessary to know the system resistance
characteristics.
• The system resistance varies with the square of the volume of air flowing through the system.

• For a given volume of air, the fan in a system with narrow ducts and multiple short radius elbows is going to have
to work harder to overcome a greater system resistance than it would in a system with larger ducts and a minimum
number of long radius turns.

• Long narrow ducts with many bends and twists will require more energy to pull the air through them.
Consequently, for a given fan speed, the fan will be able to pull less air through this system than through a short
system with no elbows. Thus, the system resistance increases substantially as the volume of air flowing through
the system increases; square of air flow. Conversely, resistance decreases as flow decreases.

• To determine what volume the fan will produce, it is therefore necessary to know the system resistance
characteristics. In existing systems, the system resistance can be measured. In systems that have been designed,
but not built, the system resistance must be calculated. Typically, a system resistance curve (see Figure 5.5) is
generated with for various flow rates on the x-axis and the associated resistance on the y-axis.
Fan Characteristics

• Fan characteristics can be represented in form of fan curve(s).

• The fan curve is a performance curve for the particular fan under a specific set of conditions. The
fan curve is a graphical representation of a number of inter-related parameters such as: fan
volume, system static pressure, fan speed, and brake horsepower required to drive the fan under
the stated conditions.

• Manufacturer provides fan curve.

• Some fan curves will also include an efficiency curve so that a system designer will know where
on that curve the fan will be operating under the chosen conditions.

• In the many curves shown in the Figure, the curve static pressure (SP) vs. flow is especially
important.
 Point of Operation
Fan Performance Curves:
Curve represents fan performance variables plotted
against flow rate.
Curve is specific to a fan of given size operating at
a single rotation rate ( RPM ).
Even with size and rotation rate fixed, power and
pressure requirements vary over a range of flow
rates.

System Requirement Curves:

Duct system pressure varies with volumetric flow
rate.
Curve represents the variation of pressure plotted
against volumetric flow rate.

Fans 19
 Point of Operation
Fan and system have variable performance characteristics which can be represented
graphically.
“Point of operation” is the single point at the intersection of fan curve and system
curve.
When the system resistance changes, the operating point is also changes. Once the
operating point is fixed, the power required could be found from graph.
Fan Laws

The fans operate under a predictable set of laws concerning speed, power and pressure. A change in speed (RPM) of any fan
will predictably change the pressure rise and power necessary to operate it at the new RPM.

The Fan Laws are a group of useful equations for determining the effects of a change in the speed, the diameter of the fan
and the density of air in the system. They are most useful for determining the impact of extrapolating from a
known fan performance to a desired performance.

So, in short, the basic fan laws are used to express the relationship between fan performance and power.

Mostly fan laws are three type:

- What happens to flow rate if the impeller speed changes (first law)

- What happens to system pressure if the air volume rate changes (second law)

- What happens to power demand if the impeller speed changes (third law) Fan Laws Summary
The First Fan laws: Volume of Air

The first law of fans is a useful tool when working out the volumetric flow rate supplied by a fan under speed control or
conversely working out what the RPM would be to deliver a required volume of air and hence what frequency to set a
variable speed drive (VSD) to.

Volumetric flow rate (V, m³/hr) varies directly proportional to the ratio of the rotational speed (RPM) of the
impeller.
The Second Fan Law: Pressure

This second law describes the relationship between the pressure developed by the fan and its rotational speed.
This equation shows the effect of increasing the rotational speed of the fan is on pressure development, double
the speed and you quadruple the pressure development.

Pressure (P, Pa) varies as the square to the ratio of the rotational speed (RPM) of the impeller.
The Third Fan Law: Power

The third law provides the required power to deliver the performance change that the system designer is looking for. The
cubic nature of this relationship between power and the rotational speed shows how even for small performance gains,
large amounts of additional power are needed.

Power (P, kW) varies as the cubic to the ratio of the rotational speed (RPM) of the impeller.
If geometrically similarity but by change in
impeller diameter
Note! - if the speed of a fan is increased with 10%
•the volume flow is increased with 10%
•the head is increased with 21%
•the power is increased with 33 %
Fan Design and Selection Criteria
• Precise determination of air-flow and required outlet pressure are most important in proper selection of fan type and size.

• The air-flow required depends on the process requirements; normally determined from heat transfer rates, or combustion
air or flue gas quantity to be handled.

• System pressure requirement is usually more difficult to compute or predict. Detailed analysis should be earned out to
determine pressure drop across the length, bends, contractions and expansions in the ducting system, pressure drop
across filters, drop in branch lines, etc.

• These pressure drops should be added to any fixed pressure required by the process (in the case of ventilation fans there
is no fixed pressure requirement).

• Frequently, a very conservative approach is adopted allocating large safety margins, resulting in over-sized fans which
operate at flow rates much below their design values and, consequently, at very poor efficiency.
• Once the system flow and pressure requirements are determined, the fan and impeller type
are then selected. For best results, values should be obtained from the manufacturer for
specific fans and impellers.

• The choice of fan type for a given application depends on the magnitudes of required flow
and static pressure.

• For a given fan type, the selection of the appropriate impeller depends additionally on
rotational speed. Speed of operation varies with the application.

• High speed small units are generally more economical because of their higher hydraulic
efficiency and relatively low cost. However, at low pressure ratios, large, low-speed units
are preferable.
Flow Control Strategies

• Typically, once a fan system is designed and installed, the fan operates at a constant
speed. There may be occasions when a speed change is desirable, i.e., when adding a
new run of duct that requires an increase in air flow (volume) through the fan. There are
also instances when the fan is oversized and flow reductions are required.

• Various ways to achieve change in flow are: pulley change, damper control, inlet guide
vane control, variable speed drive and series and parallel operation of fans.
 .

Control of Fan/Blower Airflow

 Speed change by pulley change
 Dampers
 Inlet guide vanes
 Variable pitch fans Flow control Pulley Driven
dampers
 Variable speed drives (VSD)
 Multiple speed drive
 Disc throttle
 Operating fans in parallel
 Operating fans in series

Inlet vane dampers Inlet guide vanes

Pulley Change
When a fan volume change is required on a permanent basis, and the existing fan can handle the change in capacity, the
volume change can be achieved with a speed change. The simplest way to change the speed is with a pulley change. For
this, the fan must be driven by a motor through a v-belt or flat system. The fan speed can be increased or decreased with
a change in the drive pulley or the driven pulley or in some cases, both pulleys
Damper Controls

Some fans are designed with damper controls (Figure 5.13).

Dampers can be located at inlet or outlet. Dampers provide
a means of changing air volume by adding or removing
system resistance. This resistance forces the fan to move up
or down along its characteristic curve, generating more or
less air without changing fan speed. However, dampers
provide a limited amount of adjustment, and they are not
particularly energy efficient.
Inlet Guide Vanes

Inlet guide vanes are another mechanism that can be used to meet variable air demand. Guide vanes are curved sections
that lay against the inlet of the fan when they are open. When they are closed, they extend out into the air stream. As they
are closed, guide vanes pre-swirl the air entering the fan housing. This changes the angle at which the air is presented to
the fan blades, which, in turn, changes the characteristics of the fan curve. Guide vanes are energy efficient for modest
flow reductions-from 100 percent flow to about 80 percent. Below 80 percent flow, energy efficiency drops sharply.
Variable Speed Drives

• Although, variable speed drives are expensive, they provide almost infinite variability in
speed control. Variable speed operation involves reducing the speed of the fan to meet
reduced flow requirements.

• Fan performance can be predicted at different speeds using the fan laws. Since power
input to the fan changes as the cube of the flow, this will usually be the most efficient
form of capacity control. However, variable speed control may not be economical for
systems, which have infrequent flow variations.

• When considering variable speed drive, the efficiency of the control system (fluid
coupling, eddycurrent, VFD, etc.) should be accounted for, in the analysis of power
consumption.
Series and Parallel Operation

Series and Parallel operation of fans is another useful form of capacity control.

Fans in parallel can be additionally equipped with dampers, variable inlet vanes, variable pitch blades, or speed controls to
provide a high degree of flexibility and reliability.

Combining fans in series or parallel can achieve the desired airflow without greatly increasing the system package size or fan
diameter. Parallel operation is defined as having two or more fans blowing together side by side.

The performance of two fans in parallel will result in doubling the volume flow, but only at free delivery. As Figure 5.15
shows, when a system curve is overlaid on the parallel performance curves, the higher the system resistance, the less increase
in flow results with parallel fan operation. Thus, this type of application should only be used when the fans can operate in a
low resistance almost in a free delivery condition.
Factors to be considered in the selection of flow control methods

Comparison on of various volume control methods with respect to power consumption (%) required power is shown in
Figure 5.16.
Energy Savings Opportunities

Minimizing demands on the fan.

1. Minimizing excess air level in combustion systems to reduce FD fan and ID fan load.

2. Minimizing air in-leaks in hot flue gas path to reduce ID fan load, especially in case of
kilns, boiler plants, furnaces, etc. Cold air in-leaks increase ID fan load tremendously, due to
density increase of flue gases and in-fact choke up the capacity of fan, resulting as a
bottleneck for boiler/furnace itself.

3. In-leaks / out-leaks in air conditioning systems also have a major impact on energy
efficiency and fan power consumption and need to be minimized.
The findings of performance assessment trials will automatically indicate potential areas for improvement, which could be
one or a more of the following:

1. Change of impeller by a high efficiency impeller along with cone.

2. Change of fan assembly as a whole, by a higher efficiency fan

3. Impeller derating (by a smaller dia impeller)

4. Change of metallic / Glass reinforced Plastic (GRP) impeller by the more energy efficient hollow FRP impeller with
aerofoil design, in case of axial flow fans, where significant savings have been reported

5. Fan speed reduction by pulley dia modifications for derating

6. Option of two speed motors or variable speed drives for variable duty conditions

7. Option of energy efficient flat belts, or, cogged raw edged V belts, in place of conventional

V belt systems, for reducing transmission losses.

8. Adopting inlet guide vanes in place of discharge damper control

9. Minimizing system resistance and pressure drops by improvements in duct system

1. Choose the right fan
2. Reduce the system resistance
3. Operate close to BEP
4. Maintain fans regularly
5. Control the fan air flow
Energy Performance Assessment of Fans and Blowers

The performance test are done to determine, under actual operating conditions, the volume flow rate, the
power input and the static pressure rise across the fan. These test results will provide actual flow resistance of
the air duct system, which can be compared with the design value of fan specified by supplier.

Performance Terms and Definitions

Static Pressure: The absolute pressure at a point minus the reference atmospheric pressure.

Dynamic Pressure: The rise in static pressure which occurs when air moving with specified velocity at a
point is bought to rest without loss of mechanical energy. It is also known as velocity pressure.

Total Pressure: The sum of static pressures and dynamic pressures at a point.

Fan Shaft Power: The mechanical power supplied to the fan shaft

Motor Input Power: The electrical power supplied to the terminals of an electric motor drive.
 .

Fan Efficiency Calculation

• Before calculating fan efficiency measure operating parameters
 Air velocity, pressure head, air stream temp, electrical motor
input, etc.,
• Ensure that
 Fan is operating at rated speed
 Operations are at stable condition
• Methodology
1. Calculate air/gas density
2. Measure air velocity and calculate average
3. Calculate the volumetric flow in the duct
4. Measure the power drive of the motor
5. Calculate fan efficiency (Mechanical and Static efficiency)
Calculation of Velocity: After taking velocity pressures readings, at various traverse points, the velocity
corresponding to each point is calculated using the following expression.
Determination of Flow

Once the cross-sectional area of the duct is

measured, the flow can be calculated as
follows:

Flow, (m3/s) = Area (m2) x Velocity (m/s)

Determination of Power Input Transmission Systems: If fan is not connected to
motor directly, transmission efficiency should be
Power Measurement: The power measurements suitable assumed depending upon the type.
can be done using a suitable clamp- on power Directly coupled = 1

meter. Alternatively by measuring the amps, Properly lubricated precision spur gears = 0.98 for

voltage and assuming a power factor of 0.9 the each step

Flat belt drive = 0.97

power can be calculated as below:
V-belt drive = 0.95
Other Prime Movers: When the fan is connected to non-electric prime mover instead of motor, it is
recommended that the fuel consumption (oil, steam, compressed air etc.) should be specified and determined
in place of the overall power.
Factors that Could Affect Performance

 Leakage, re-circulation or other defects in the system;

 Inaccurate estimation of flow resistance;
 Erroneous application of the standardized test data;
 Excessive loss in a system component located too close to the fan outlet;
 Disturbance of the fan performance due to a bend or other system
component located too close to the fan inlet;
 Error in site measurement