Centrifugal Fan

Prepared by:
ZAIL JOHN A. DALE BSME - IV
Centrifugal Fan
-a mechanical device used for moving air or
other gases and increasing the speed and
volume of an air stream with the rotating
impellers.

-specially designed ang built to operate at

high and low temperatures, corrosive
gases, acidic fumes, and etc.
What you need to know….
• Rotating impeller increases air
velocity
• Air speed is converted to
pressure
High pressure for harsh conditions
• High temperatures
• Moist/dirty air streams
• Material Handling
Industrial Applications
• Cement Plants
• Steel Plants
• Chemical Industry
• Textile Industry
• Food Industry
• Glass Industry
Components

Impeller
-a rotating device consisting of
number of fan blades mounted
on a hub with a drive shaft that
forces air/gas in the desired
direction with increased pressure.
Fan Blades

Categorized by blade shapes

a.Forward Curved
-Its blades provide a low noise level and relatively small
air flow with a high increase in static pressure.
Advantages
• Large air volumes against low
pressure
• Relative small size
• Low noise level.
Disadvantages
• Not high pressure/harsh service
• Difficult to adjust fan output
• Careful driver selection
• Low energy efficiency 55-65%
Backward-curved
-are often heavier than forward-curved, as they run at
higher speeds and require stronger construction.
Advantages
• Operates with changing static pressure
• Suited for high flow and forced draft
services
• Efficiency >85%
Disadvantages
• Not suited for dirty airstreams
• Instability and erosion risk
Radial
-are often used on particulate-laden gas streams
because they are the least sensitive to solid build-up on
the blades, but they are often characterized by greater
noise output.
Advantages
• High pressure and temperature
• Simple design
• High durability
• Efficiency up to 75%
• Large running clearances
Fan Housing
-It improves efficiency as it
reduces noise and acts as a
protection for moving parts like
impeller. The air from the inlet
enters the impeller axially through
fan housing where it picks up the
acceleration and is radially sent
out in 90 degree direction.
Drive Shaft
-a rotating device that holds the impeller and
blades and determines the speed of the fan
wheel.
Inlet and Outlet Ducts
-inlet ducts control the flow of air /gas by admitting only
required amount of air whereas ducts at the outlet impose a
resistance to the air steam.
Dampers

-plates or sheets inside the ducts

which are used to control or
alternatively block the airflow at
the inlet or outlet of the fan.
 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
The centrifugal fan uses the centrifugal power supplied from the
rotation of impellers to increase the kinetic energy of air/gases.
When the impellers rotate, the gas particles near the impellers are
thrown-off from the impellers, then moves into the fan casing. As a
result, the kinetic energy of gas is measured as pressure because of
the system resistance offered by the casing and duct. The gas is
then guided to the exit via outlet ducts. After the gas is thrown-off,
the gas pressure in the middle region of the impellers decreases.
The gas from the impeller eye rushes in to normalize this. This
cycle repeats and therefore the gas can be continuously
transferred.
6 Common Centrifugal Hazards
I. Contact with rotating blades
II. Pinch point in belts/sheaves
III. Fan blade/component failure during initial start up
1. Look for loose/missing components and damage.
2. Correct all discrepancies before starting the fan.
3. Listen for unusual noises, squeaks, squeals, hum, or
rubbing.
4. Make sure the blade does not contact any part of the
spinning area.
5. Look for blade wobble or tracking problems.
IV. Material/debris entering a fan
V. Contact with hot motor surface
VI. Guards
a. Guards should be in good shape and
properly secured to the fan housing.
b. Be careful when removing guards
c. Guards often contain sharp edges
from expanded metal and other
screen materials
Advantages of Centrifugal fans
• It has First-rate energy efficiency
• Enhanced Durability
• It has an ability to restrict overloading
• Easy to maintain
• It has high Versatility
• It has multiple sizes
• Cheaper
 Testing Centrifugal Fans
Losses
• Impeller entry - Friction and flow separation cause
impeller blade losses since there is change in incidence
angle.
• Leakage – caused due to the clearance provided
between the rotating periphery of the impeller and the
casing at the entry.
• Diffuser and volute – Friction and flow separation
also cause diffuser and volute passage.
• Disc friction – viscous drag on the back surface of the
impeller disc causes disc friction losses.
 TESTING OF CENTRIFUGAL FANS
• STRUCTURAL DYNAMIC TESTING

• VIBRATION LEVEL TESTS/NOISE TESTS

• MECHANICAL RUN TESTS

• QUALITY CONTROL TEST

• COAST DOWN TESTS FOR VSD APPLICATIONS

STRUCTURAL DYNAMIC TESTING

• This type of Centrifugal Fan test demonstrates the fan’s

ability to withstand an event through actual test.
Vibration Level Test/Noise Test
• Most mechanical equipment generates sounds, noise and vibrations.
Although sound cannot be seen, it’s effects can be significant, ranging from
mildly annoying and distracting to damaging. Undergoing this type of test
endures the safety of the environment in order to reduce the noise came
from the equipment by using measuring devices.
• Mechanical Run Test
-This test goes beyond standard fan vibration testing by
running the fan long enough to stabilize fan bearing
temperature and then checking fan vibration levels.
• Quality Control Test
-In testing the quality control of the machine, one must perform the
mechanical functional test. The quality depends on the products quality.
Quality control helps worker to know how durable, efficient and air
performance of the fan.
 • Coast Down Test for VSD Applications
• Variable Speed Drives or VSD is used in precision cooling units. The
drives enable fan speed to be adjust based on operation
conditions. Reducing fan speed and power draw as load decreases.
Energy consumption changes when fan speed is increased or
decreased.