FANS, BLOWERS AND COMPRESSORS

INTRODUCTION:
The continuous transport of a liquid requires
a pump, and the continuous transport of a gas or
vapor requires a fan, blower, or compressor. All of
these devices are described by the general term fluid
movers. Specialized fluid movers are required for the
transport of liquid-and-gas mixtures and of slurries
and suspensions of solids in liquid or gas.
Fans, blowers and compressors are
differentiated by the method used to move the
fluids, particularly GASES, and by the system
pressure they must operate against.
Fans and blowers provide air for ventilation
and industrial process requirements. While
compressors are used in providing power in
pneumatic tools in smaller business and in industries
where the safety of a non-heat producing power
source and a reliable flow of that power are
requirements.
Turbines handle fluids as well. But its
difference compared to fans, blowers and
compressors is that it does not add energy into the
fluid, it extracts. These machines will be elaborated on the latter part.

FANS
Fan and blower selection depends on the volume flow rate, pressure, type of material
handled, space limitations, and efficiency.
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, tubeaxial, vaneaxial).
 CENTRIFUGAL FAN AXIAL FAN

TYPES OF FANS
CENTRIFUGAL FANS
Often called BLOWERS, are less noise-producing, rugged, capable of generating high
pressure with high efficiencies and can be manufactured to accommodate harsh operating
conditions. These are the most commonly used types of fans.
Major Types
Radial fans are industrial workhorses because of their high static pressures 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.
Radial Fans (Paddle Blade) Forward-Curved (Multi-vane) Backward-Curved

Has high pressure, Has medium pressure, high High pressure, high flow,
medium flow, efficiency flow, dip in pressure curve, high efficiency, power
close to tube axial fans, efficiency higher than radial reduces as flow increases
and power increases fans, and power rises beyond the point of highest
continuously. continuously. efficiency
TYPES OF CENTRIFUGAL FANS
AXIAL FANS
Axial fans have a wheel of the propeller that operates within a mounting ring or cylindrical
housing. Gas flow is essentially parallel to the wheel axis at both inlet and outlet. Also, these fans
can sometimes be used interchangeably with centrifugal fans but these are commonly used in
“clean air”, low pressure and high volume applications.
Major Types
Tube axial fans have a wheel inside a cylindrical housing, with close clearance between
blade and housing to improve airflow efficiency. The efficiency is up to 65%.
Vane axial fans are similar to tube axial, 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. This type of axial fans 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.

Tube Axial Vane Axial Propeller

Has medium pressure, high Has high pressure, medium Has low pressure, high flow,
flow,higher efficiency than flow, dip in pressure-flow low efficiency and peak
preopeller type and dip in curve, and use of guide vanes efficiency is close to point of
pressure flow curve before improves efficiency exhausts. free air delivery (zero static
peak pressure point. pressure)
TYPES OF RADIAL FANS

BLOWERS
Often referred to as "Centrifugal Fan", blowers increase the velocity of air or gas when it
is passed into the impellers. Blowers can achieve much higher pressures than fans. They are also
used to produce negative pressures for industrial vacuum systems.

Major Types
 Centrifugal blowers look more like centrifugal pumps than fans. In multi-stage blowers,
air is accelerated as it passes through each impeller. In single-stage blower, air does not take
many turns, and hence it is more efficient.
One characteristic of such is that airflow tends to drop drastically as system pressure
increases, which can be a disadvantage in material conveying systems that depend on a steady
air volume. Because of this, they are most often used in applications that are not prone to
clogging.

Positive-displacement blowers have rotors, which "trap" air and push it through housing.
Positive-displacement blowers provide a constant volume of air even if the system pressure
varies. They are especially suitable for applications prone to clogging. They turn much slower
than centrifugal blowers and are often belt driven to facilitate speed changes.
Once a blower is in operation both rotors will rotate at the same speed but in opposite
directions in order to draw air into the blower. One rotor is called the “driving rotor” because it
is run by an external power supply, while the opposite rotor is called a “driven rotor” because it
is driven by gears connected to the driving rotor.
On a simple note, the volume of air does not change within the device, but is rather
displaced from one end of the machine to the other.

Frame by frame stages of liquid entering a Positive Displacement Two-Lobe Blower

 FANS & BLOWERS

PARTS OF FANS/BLOWERS
Fans and Blowers, disregarding its type, is composed mainly of 4 basic parts. These are
the Impeller, Casing, Shafting and Prime mover. All of which were already discussed on past
chapter. However, specific types of Fans and Blowers are composed of parts specifically designed
on a particular purpose. One example of such is illustrated below.

Centrifugal Blower Parts and Functions

Dampers: Dampers provide flexibility by enabling you to control the air flow moving
through the fan.

 Opposed-blade damper: The most common, least expensive, and least

efficient damper is mounted on the outlet of the fan. Most commonly
operated by a manual lever.
 Parallel-blade damper: Mounted onto the inlet side of an inlet box, this
damper provides pre-spin to air entering the fan inlet.
 Variable-inlet-vane (VIV) damper: The most efficient and most expensive type
of damper, this damper is mounted onto the inlet side of the fan and is
generally operated by an electric or pneumatic actuator.
Inlet-box damper: Inlet box dampers are used to efficiently guide the air into the inlet of
the fan.
Flexible connectors: Each connector usually comes with two steel flanges that are
connected with flexible material, which provides flexibility in connecting the ductwork to the
fan inlet and/or outlet openings.
Silencers: Silencers decrease fan operating sound pressure levels. Silencers are used on
the fan inlet, outlet, or both and can be positioned either vertically or horizontally.
Weatherhoods: Weatherhoods are designed to protect the airstream from weather-
produced elements.
Bird screens: Bird screens can be used on the fan outlet or inlet to prevent unwanted
objects from entering the airstream.

Parts of a Centrifugal Blower

FAN AND BLOWER BLADE TYPES
Impeller blades are manufactured either laminar (Flat, constant thickness) or aerofoil
shape and generally hollow.
Aerofoil blades have greater efficiencies (up to 90%) compared to constant thickness
blades, with the advantages of efficiency spread over the characteristic and lower noise
generation. Also, these blades are freely used particularly when blade stresses are high and extra
stiffening is required.
However, with careful attention to design of blade curvature, inlet eye detail and impeller
shrouding, comparable efficiencies can be achieved with constant thickness blades.

IDENTIFYING INEFFICIENT FANS AND BLOWERS

 High operating cost;
 High maintenance cost;
 High level of noise;
 High air leakage in ducting or system;
 Inadequate air flow through certain branches; or
 Inability to adjust flow rates according to production needs.
High operating cost are often caused by insufficient fan operation, possibly a result of improper
fan selection (usually oversizing for the application), operation in the wrong pressure range for
the fan, poor system design, wasteful air flow control choices and operation when not needed
High maintenance cost can be associated with the motor or with the driven fan or blower. Belt
alignment and adjustment can have a very significant effect on fan operation reliability and life.
High level of noise is often associated with oversized fans, or with the wrong type of fan for the
application.
High air leakage from ducts or system components can result from poorly designed or
maintained ducting or equipment, stuck dampers or other reasons.
Inadequate air flow through certain branches can be caused by inadequate balancing and by
duct configurations that introduce airflow resistance or leakage, both of which are usually
overcome by providing more fan power at additional operating cost.
Inability to adjust flow rates according to production needs; systems that require variable air
flow rates need to have a means of adjusting the air flow efficiently.

FUNCTIONS OF FANS/BLOWERS

Centrifugal Fans & Blowers:

 Conveying material in dust collector systems or loading to silos, trucks and railroad cars.
 Combustion air for burners and industrial water heaters.
 Cooling electrical equipment or parts from heat curing ovens and kilns.
 Pressurizing cabinets, vaults or rooms.
 Blow-off systems to remove moisture from parts prior to painting, coating or packing.
  General ventilation of rooms or factories.
 Providing suction or pressure for industrial process air flotation tables.
 Drying ink on cans and bottles, silk screen and printing processes.
 Food processing.
 Circulating air in ovens and dryers.
 Forced ventilation of AC and DC motors and traction motors.

Industrial Axial Fans:

 Paint spray booth exhaust.

 Fume hood exhaust.
 Welding fume exhaust.
 Process cooling and exhaust of machinery and/or systems.
 Personnel cooling in hot work areas.
 Forced cooling and exhausting heat in steel mills.
 Forced cooling for kilns, ovens and forges.
 Exhausting mist and vapor in paper mills or industrial parts washers prior to painting
parts.
 General ventilation using supply air and make-up air in factories, foundries and
warehouses.

COMPRESSORS