Activity 2_Fans and Blowers

1. Fans, blowers and compressors are differentiated by the method used to move the air,
and by the system pressure they must operate against. Fan is a gas pump with low
pressure rise and high flow rate. A blower is a gas pump with moderate to high pressure
rise and moderate to high flow rate. A compressor is a gas pump used to deliver a very
high-pressure rise, typically at low to moderate flow rates.

2. Forward curve fan – because, the characteristics are medium pressure, high flow, dip in
pressure curve, efficiency higher than radial fans, power rises continuously and it can use
in low pressure.

3. Backward inclined fan – because it requires a housing that converts high velocity air
leaving the tips of the impeller blade into a lower velocity static force.

4. Radial fan – because it is suitable for dust laden, moist air/gases

5. Static Pressure - is the potential energy put into the system by the fan. It is given up to
friction in the ducts and at the duct inlet as it is converted to velocity pressure.

6. Square of flow rate – because the system resistance depends on the air volume flow.

7. Operating point – because operating point shows the actual flow of the system.

8. 19% - when decrease the static pressure.

9. 10% - when air delivery decreases or increases air delivery.

10. 27% - when decreases the power requirement.

11. The system resistance changes depending on the process. For example, the formation of
the coatings / erosion of the lining in the ducts, changes the system resistance marginally.
In some cases, the change of equipment (e.g. Replacement of Multi-cyclones with ESP /
Installation of low pressure drop cyclones in cement industry) duct modifications,
drastically shift the operating point, resulting in lower efficiency. In such cases, to
maintain the efficiency as before, the fan has to be changed.

12. Affinity laws as applicable to centrifugal fans:

• Q1/Q2=N1/N2 - Varying the RPM by 10% decreases or increases air delivery by 10%.

• SP1/SP2=(N1/N2)2 - Reducing the RPM by 10% decreases the static pressure by 19%
and an increase in RPM by 10% increases the static pressure by 21%.

• KW1/KW2=(N1/N2)3 - Reducing the RPM by 10% decreases the power requirement by

27% and an increase in RPM by 10% increases the power requirement by 33%.

13. Total pressure is measured using the inner tube of pitot tube and static pressure is
measured using the outer tube of pitot tube. When the inner and outer tube ends are
connected to a manometer, we get the velocity pressure. For measuring low velocities, it
is preferable to use an inclined tube manometer instead of U tube manometer.