FANS AND BLOWERS

Christian Jade M. Lawas

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

MEng 156 – Manufacturing and Industrial Processes

Engineering Report No. 9
Second Semester, A.Y. 2020 – 2021

June 24, 2021

I. Introduction

Fans and Blowers are devices that supply air and transmit and accommodate a massive
movement of air or gas to multiple areas of a built environment or other constructions to meet
the needs of ventilation in industrial processes and other industries. Industrial fans or blowers
are required in almost every industry to guarantee appropriate ventilation for the health of its
personnel and consumers. For the businesses that utilize them in a range of applications,
these industrial fans may give various advantages. They are 2 distinct kinds of equipment that
perform the same purpose but the names are frequently interchanged to refer to any device
that distributes a volume of air or gas at a certain pressure. When air conditioners are far too
costly or inaccessible, industrial fans are beneficial in some industry settings to decrease
excessive heat levels and avoid air stagnation. Air and gas circulation, filtration, cleansing,
and disposal have become critical components of a broad range of industries' manufacturing
procedures. Industrial blowers had already considered a significant and essential element
of all these procedures, and they have shown to operate far beyond their expectations. These
equipment have been utilized in many industries with their specific roles and applications.

This engineering report aims to provide a simplified description about the differences between
fans and blowers, the types of fans and blowers and their important uses as an essential
component in an industrial plant as well as their common problems.

II. Fans and Blowers

Difference between Fans and Blowers

Fans and blowers are both complex machines that circulate air. They are distinguished from
one another by the fact that a fan circulates air across a room or space, while a blower
exclusively concentrates on a particular or designated location. With a small change in
pressure, fans may blow a big volume of air and has a 1.1 specific pressure ratio. On the other
hand, blowers use a moderate pressure change to blast air or gas and its specific pressure
ratio is from 1.11 to 1.2.

Fans - are the mechanical equipment used in industrial sector to generate fluid flow. Because
air or gas is dispersed from one location to another owing to the rotating motion of blades and
industrial fans are sometimes referred to as fluid displacers. They enable air and gas
circulation, which is essential for many industries and industrial locations. Different designs
and types of the fan matters depending on the requirement and application such as Centrifugal
fans and Axial fans.

 Centrifugal Fans – They are amongst the most frequently utilized equipment in
industry. They transfer or supply a particular quantity of air or gas using a rotational
device with blades, vanes, or propellers. The rotating element is attached to a rotating
shaft which must supply sufficient energy to counteract inertia, friction, and other forces
which impede or oppose air or gas flow in the operation. The circulation of air changes
direction in this type of fan. These might be airfoil, radial, and can be both forward and
backward curved. Such fans can withstand extreme temperature changes and rotor
blade speeds of low to moderate at high pressures.

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 Figure 1

Types of Centrifugal Fans

a. Airfoil – It is composed of independent airfoil blades where each blade has its
tip facing in the opposing direction of rotation and is design to for operations
with clean airflow. It can withstand high pressure and high flow and is also
energy efficient.

Figure 2 - Airfoil Fan

b. Radial-bladed Fan - These are moderate fans with a high-pressure setting.

Radial-bladed fans are appropriate for dusty industrial operations as well as
circumstances with gas or excess moisture. As the airflow increases, so does
the power usage.

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 Figure 3 - Radial-bladed Fan

c. Forward Curved - These fans have a moderate pressure and strong airflow
but could be used for good air quality, ventilation, and exhaust operations and
can tolerate dust particles but is not best used in severe industrial
environments.

Figure 4 - Forward Curved

d. Backward Curved - These are fans with a lot of pressure, a lot of airflow, and
a lot of effectiveness. As flow increases across the most efficient portion of the
system, power consumption decreases.

Figure 5 - Backward Curved

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  Axial Flow Fans - It is a kind of fan wherein the airflow flows via the rotors in an axial
direction, perpendicular to the shaft around which they spin. On the inflow and outflow,
the flow is axial. The fan is developed to make a differential pressure, and therefore, a
force that causes air to flow through it. Compared to ducted fans, axial fans have lesser
blades about two to six blades. Axial fans have a wider circumference and operate at
a reduced speed than ducted fans as well as produce lower pressure than that of a
centrifugal fan. There are also different types of axial fans such as propellers, tube
axial and vane axial.

Types of Axial Flow Fans

a. Propellers - Typically, slow speeds and moderate temperatures are used. With
reasonable changes in static pressure, they encounter a huge shift in airflow.
They can supply vast amounts of air at low pressure. Propeller fans are
frequently utilized as exhaust fans. Air-cooled condensers and cooling towers
are instances of its outdoor usage.

Figure 6 – Propeller Fan

b. Tube Axial Fan – It is a variety of industrial fan that consists of a disk-shaped

rotor or propeller enclosed in a cylindrical tube-like construction. The main
difference between this fan and a vane axial fan, another prominent axial flow
fan type, is that it lacks straightening guiding vanes.

Figure 7 - Tube Axial Fan

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 c. Vane Axial Fans - These are intended for use in operations requiring large
quantities of air at moderate to high pressures. There are direct and belt
powered systems available, as well as fixed and flexible blade impellers. The
tubular shape and high impeller effectiveness provide optimum efficiency while
taking up the least amount of space

Figure 8 - Vane Axial Fan

Blowers – are mechanical equipment used in a variety of industries whose fundamental role is
to provide a large air flow or gas to various industrial operations. They're motorized fans with
rollers and blades that move a precise amount of air or gas from one location to another. To
enhance airflow and produce positive air pressure, they are an important element of any sort
of industrial or manufacturing activity. Although there are many different types of industrial
blowers, there are a handful that are often utilized due to their durability, reliability, and
capacity to accommodate to a range of situations. Industrial blowers are categorized
depending on the direction of the flow of air which are the Centrifugal, Axial, Positive
Displacement, Regenerative, High Speed, and Helical Screw industrial blowers.

 Centrifugal Blowers – It employs centrifugal force created by a revolving plate and

blades that are at right angles to the disc that spins the blades. These blowers utilize
a spinning impeller to propel air radially outward then slightly away from the wing tip,
thanks to centrifugal power. As the air reaches the rotors' ends and is changed to
pressure, the speed starts to rise. Such fans have the capacity to create tremendous
pressures making them ideal for operations with high temperatures, wet or unclean air
flows, and manufacturing processes.

Figure 9 - Centrifugal Blower

 Axial Blowers – In axial blowers, airflow is produced by creating positive and negative

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 pressure surrounding their rotors. The fan blades are vertically oriented and inclined
to accommodate differences in air pressure. The air is pushed to travel in an axial
direction corresponding to the shaft on which the rotors operate. The constant flow of
air is caused by the air pressure differences generated by this arrangement. The
number of blades and their structure influences the effectiveness of an axial blower.

Figure 10
 Positive Displacement Blowers - To efficiently increase pressure and velocity, use
mechanical methods to squeeze fluid. This pneumatic equipment can collect and
discharge air because it is designed with an expanding component on one side where
the gas needs to enter and a decreasing portion on the other side where the gas
leaves. Simply said, these blowers are frequently used to move air and other neutral
gases. The blower can sustain a consistent air flow and pressure because of its
configuration.

Figure 11 - Positive Displacement Blower

 Regenerative Blowers – These blowers may produce pressure by displacing air

molecules effectively. They're made with a spinning rotor that captures the air between
each blade. When this impeller spins for an extended length of time, it may push the
air ahead, enabling it to return to the blade's tip. The air travels once in a single stage
blower and twice in a two stage blower. The two-stage regenerative blower produces
more pressure.

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 Figure 12 - Regenerative Blower

 High Speed Blowers – It works at a significant speed, resulting in high pressure and
fast flow of air. It features an electric motor and blades positioned around the blower
shaft to enhance the volume of air sucked in. They're used for pressure enhancement,
mobile vacuum waste disposal, and a variety of other industrial applications that
require a lot of air.

Figure 13 - High Speed Blowers

 Helical Screw Blowers – These blowers features a two-lobed primary rotor and a
second rotor. The primary rotor is inserted into the second rotor's flute. These blowers
have a more complicated construction, but they are highly efficient at creating higher
pressure. The two rotors spin in a helical pattern that is precisely timed to prevent
colliding.

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 Figure 14 - Helical Screw Blower

Common Problems

 Fan performance is wrong - A reverse mounted or running impeller, wrong blade

angle setting, missing cut-off, impeller not aligned with inlet collars, sluggish fan speed,
unclean or blocked inlet, inappropriate running space, or improper inlet cone-to-wheel
fit are all causes of insufficient flow of air to the fan. A rapid change in volume at the
fan outlet, or a duct bend, causes inadequate flow of air due to poor outlet
circumstances.
 Fan is over vibrating - Vibration can occur throughout fan operation for a variety of
reasons, one of which being unbalanced. Technical looseness, coupling imbalance,
faulty bearings, and improper flatness of bearing mounting areas, blade fractures, and
driver vibration are some of the other sources of vibration.
 Fan is too silent - When the fan doesn't work in anyway, it's most likely due to simple
mechanical and/or transmission problems that service technicians are familiar with.
Blowing fuses, damaged belts, loose shafts, incorrect voltage and/or excessive line
loss or improper wire size, excessive load inertia for the motor, or a stuck bearing are
all possible causes.
 When the fan fails - The worst-case scenario is presented below. Bearing ring
breakdown can be detected by higher-than-normal vibration and quickly rising bearing
temperatures. Failure of the belt drive or couplings, shaft damage, and impeller loss
due to abrasive or corrosive wear are some of the other reasons.

III. Conclusions and Recommendations

Fans and blowers are often designed based on each device's pressure and air movement
needs, as well as specific variables like dirt and temperature. When utilized appropriately in
industrial environments, industrial fans will provide several advantages. They help to
produce a healthy environment by removing pollutants, air impurities, and smoke, as well as
reducing toxic gases and unpleasant smell. Industrial fans are beneficial to the environment
since they reduce heat and humidity conditions. It is critical to understand the many varieties
of industrial air blowers prior to actually making a purchasing decision, since there are
numerous aspects to consider, such as fan speed, air pressure, and power. Knowing why
fans fail and performing the necessary repairs properly for the first time might save you labor
and money in the long run. Therefore, efficiency may improve by using control mechanisms
if the proper kind of fan or blower was already chosen and proper maintenance to check if
the fan and blower components are still intact and working to avoid problems and failures.

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IV. References

1. Industrial Machinery Repair: Best Maintenance Practices Pocket Guide (2003,

Butterworth-Heinemann) by R. Smith, R. K. Mobley
2. A. Bhatia, B.E. Characteristics and Selection Parameters of Fans and Blower
Systems (2012)
3. Figure 1 - CentrifugalFanBlades - Centrifugal fan - Wikipedia
4. Figure 2 - Airfoil Centrifugal Fan 1 – Fantech (techgroup.co.za)
5. Figure 3 - MS Radial Blade Fan Radial Blade Impeller, Rs 5000 /unit Power Systems
| ID: 20351443997 (indiamart.com)
6. Figure 4 - A. Bhatia, B.E. Characteristics and Selection Parameters of Fans and
Blower Systems (2012) p.2
7. Figure 5 - https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/backward-curved-impeller-
15692071473.html
8. Figure 6 - Wall Propeller Fans-bp | Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers |
Aerovent (plantautomation-technology.com)
9. Figure 7 - DDA Tube Axial Fan 12 inch 1450 CFM Direct Drive 3 Phase
DDA12T30033BM– Industrial Fans Direct
10. Figure 8 - Stainless Steel Vane Axial Fans, Capacity(Air Volume): 1000 To
100000cmh, Rs 24000 /piece | ID: 11158011948 (indiamart.com)
11. Figure 9 - Centrifugal Blowers - Industrial RBX Centrifugal Blowers Manufacturer |
Republic Manufacturing (republic-mfg.com)
12. Figure 10 - Industrial Blower: What Is It? How Are They Used? Types
(iqsdirectory.com)
13. Figure 11 - Positive Displacement Blower series GM | Contact AERZEN FRANCE
(industry-plaza.com)
14. Figure 12 - Regenerative blower - RB SERIES - Chuan-Fan Electric - air / single-
stage / high-pressure (directindustry.com)
15. Figure 13 - High Speed Blowers Market 2024 Top Players are Atlas Copco,
(openpr.com)
16. Figure 14 - Helical Screw Blower | CycloBlower H.E. | Gardner Denver

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