Air Conditioning Fans

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Fan Performance

Centrifugal fan

Axial fan

centrifugal fan axial fan

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Fan Performance

U-Tube Manometer:

Function: Measures small pressures using water levels.

Operation:
• Positive Pressure: Water drops in the closed leg, rises in the open
leg.
• Negative Pressure: Opposite effect.

Pressure Reading:
• Example: A 3 in. [76.2 mm] water difference = 0.11 psi [747 Pa].
• Common Units: Inches or millimeters of water (H2O), "water gage"
(wg), or "water column" (wc).
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Fan Performance

Inclined Manometer:

• Modification: Improves readability of small pressure differences.

• Operation: Slope of 10:1 magnifies pressure differences for accuracy.
• Example: A 0.5 in. [12.7 mm] H2O pressure moves water 5 in. [127
mm] up the incline.

Other Instruments:
• Electronic Manometers: Provide digital readings.
• Mechanical Gauges: Common for pressure measurements related to
fans.

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Fan Pressure Components in HVAC Systems

Total Pressure Components:

• Velocity Pressure: Caused by air moving axially
through the duct.
• Static Pressure: The outward pressure pushing against
duct walls.
• Total Pressure: Sum of velocity and static pressures.

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Fan Performance

Open Damper:
• Airflow is unimpeded, velocity pressure
is high, static pressure is negligible.
• The vane swings with airflow, indicating
high velocity pressure.

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Fan Performance

Partially Close:
• Damper: Increased Resistance: Fan
energy is used to generate more static
pressure.
• Result: Decreased velocity pressure,
reduced airflow, and vane moves
toward neutral.

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Fan Performance

Fully Closed Damper:

• No Airflow: All fan energy
converts to static pressure.
• Result: No velocity pressure,
vane in a neutral position.

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Fan Performance

Pressure Measurement:
• Static Pressure: Measured with a probe
perpendicular to airflow using an inclined
manometer.
• Total Pressure: Measured with a probe
facing into the airflow.
• Velocity Pressure: Calculated by subtracting
static pressure from total pressure.

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Fan Performance

• Test Setup:
• Fan connected to a long duct with a
throttling device to vary air resistance.
• Dynamometer: Measures fan shaft
power.
Fan • Manometer: Measures velocity pressure.
Performance • Testing Stages:
Testing: • Wide-Open Airflow: Only velocity
pressure, static pressure negligible.
• Progressive Throttling: Records pressures
at various resistance levels.
• Blocked-Tight Static Pressure: No airflow,
only static pressure generated.

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Fan Performance
Fan Laws Application:

Purpose: Calculate fan performance at different rotational speeds.

Subscripts:
• 1: Tested conditions.
• 2: Calculated conditions.

Result:

Family of Curves:
• Represents the fan's airflow capacity at various speeds and
static pressures.

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Fan Performance

Fan Power Consumption Curves

• Calculation Process:
• Dynamometer Measurements: Used to measure
power consumption.
• Fan Laws: Applied to calculate power consumption
at various operating conditions.
• Plotting the Curves:
• Curves represent the fan's power consumption at
different speeds and static pressures.
• Purpose: To visualize how power usage varies
across operating conditions.
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Fan Performance

Surge Condition:
• Definition: Occurs when airflow drops
below the level needed to maintain static
pressure.
• Effects:
• Backflow: Pressurized air flows backward
through the fan.
• Consequences: Reduced outlet pressure,
causing noise, vibration, and potential
damage.
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Fan Performance

Surge Line:
• Purpose: Indicates the point on a fan
performance curve where surge
occurs.
• Operation:
• Stable Operation: Fan operates to
the right of the surge line.
• Surging Operation: Fan operates to
the left of the surge line.
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Fan Performance

Data Presentation: Can be graphical or tabular.

Example: To meet a requirement of 6,800 cfm at 2.5 in. H2O:

• Required Speed: 821 rpm
• Power Needed: 4.25 hp [3.17 kW]

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Fan Performance
System Resistance Curve

Concept:
• System Resistance: The pressure loss
encountered as air moves through the system
components (ductwork, diffusers, grilles, filters,
etc.).
• Purpose: Indicates the static pressure the fan
must overcome to move air through the system.

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Example:
• Design Point:
• Airflow: 3,500 cfm [1.65 m³/s]
• Static Pressure: 2.0 in. H2O [498 Pa]
• System Resistance Curve:
• Developed by Plotting: System pressure loss versus
airflow on the fan performance chart.
• Equation

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Fan – System Interaction

Balancing the System:

• Intersection of Curves:
• System Resistance Curve: Plotted against the fan performance
curve.
• Design Operating Point (A): Intersection shows the balance of
airflow and static pressure between the fan and system.

Impact of System Changes:

• Different System Resistance:
• If the actual system resistance differs from the design
assumptions, the fan will operate at a new balance point.
• Effects:
• Changes in airflow, static pressure, and input power.

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Adjusting for Increased System Resistance

Scenario:
• Increased Air Resistance: Actual system resistance is higher than predicted.
• New Operating Point: Intersection at B on the fan performance curve,
resulting in lower airflow.

Solutions:
• Improve System Design: Adjusting the system to reduce resistance.
• Increase Fan Speed: Raises the fan speed to meet design airflow.
Result:
• Higher Speed Operation:
• New Intersection Point (C): Delivers the intended airflow.
• Increased Static Pressure: Requires more power to achieve the desired
performance.

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Adjusting for Decreased System Resistance

Scenario:
• Reduced Air Resistance: Actual system resistance is lower than
estimated.
• New Operating Point: Intersection at D on the fan performance curve,
resulting in higher airflow than intended.

Solutions:
• Reduce Fan Speed: Adjusting speed lowers the operating point to E.
• New Intersection Point (E): Delivers the design airflow at a lower
static pressure with reduced power consumption.

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Static Efficiency of a Fan

• Definition:
• Static Efficiency: The percentage of input power
converted into useful work (static pressure).

where,

■ Airflow is in terms of cfm [m3/s]

■ Static pressure is in units of in. H2O [Pa]

■ Constant is 6,362 [1,000]

■ Input power is in units of hp [kW]

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Fan Types

Types of Fans in Air Conditioning

Common Fan Types:

Centrifugal Fans: Air enters from the side and follows a radial
path through the fan wheel.
• Types:
• Forward Curved (FC): Wheel with blades curving forward.
• Backward Inclined (BI): Wheel with blades angled backward.
• Airfoil (AF): Wheel with blades shaped like airfoils for higher efficiency.

Axial Fans: Air flows parallel to the fan shaft.

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Fan Types

Forward Curved (FC) Fans

Description:
• Blade Design: Blades are curved in the direction of wheel
rotation.

Characteristics:
• Speed: Operated at relatively low speeds.
• Airflow: Delivers large volumes of air against low static
pressures.
• Construction: Light design limits operation at high speeds.
• Air Movement: Curved blades impart a forward motion,
resulting in high air velocity.

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Fan Types

Forward Curved (FC) Fans

Operating Range:
• Efficiency: Optimal at 30% to 80% wide-open airflow.
• Instability: Below 30% or above 80% may cause
instability or inefficiency.

Efficiency:
• Maximum: 50% to 65% static efficiency, just to the right
of peak static pressure on the performance curve.

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Fan Types

Forward Curved (FC) Fans

Performance Characteristics:
• Input Power: As system resistance drops,
operating point shifts to higher airflow,
increasing power requirements and risk of
motor overload.
• Surge: Possible but often less noticeable
in low-speed, low-static-pressure
applications.

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Backward Inclined (BI) Fans

Description:
• Blade Design: Blades slanted away from the direction of wheel rotation.

Characteristics:
• Speed: Operates at higher speeds than FC fans.
• Air Velocity: Lower velocity compared to FC fans at the same wheel speed.
• Efficiency: Typically more efficient due to lower input power requirements.

Construction:
• Design: Requires larger shaft and bearing for higher speeds.
• Durability: Rugged construction suitable for high-static-pressure
applications.

Performance:
• Speed Requirement: For equivalent airflow, BI fans must run at about
twice the speed of FC fans.

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Fan Types

Backward Inclined (BI) Fans

Application Range:
• Optimal Range: 40% to 85% wide-open airflow.
• Surge Risk: Below 40% wide open.
• Noise/Inefficiency: Above 85% wide open.

Efficiency:
• Max Static Efficiency: 65% to 75% at ~50% wide-
open airflow.

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Fan Types

Backward Inclined (BI) Fans

Surge Characteristics:
• Magnitude: Greater than FC fans due to
higher static-pressure applications.
Power Consumption:
• Behavior: Input power changes only
slightly with varying system resistance,
making BI fans “nonoverloading.”

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Fan Types

Backward Curved (BC) Fans

• Design: Slight curve in blades away from
the direction of rotation.
• Performance: Similar to backward inclined
(BI) fans.

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Fan Types

Airfoil (AF) Fans

• Design: Airfoil blade, similar to an airplane wing.
• Advantages: Reduced turbulence and noise;
increased static efficiency.
• Performance: Similar to flat-bladed BI fans, but
with:
• Application Range: 50-85% wide-open airflow.
• Static Efficiency: Up to 86%.
• Surge Characteristics: Surge occurs at higher
airflow, making the surge line farther right on
the fan curve.

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Fan Types

Plug (or Plenum) Fans

• Design: Unhoused fan wheel with airfoil
blades and an inlet cone.
• Function: Pressurizes the surrounding
plenum; air discharges in multiple directions.
• Advantages:
• Space-saving design.
• Eliminates need for ductwork turns.
• Allows for multiple discharge ducts in
different directions.
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Fan Types

SISW (Single Inlet Single Width)

• Design: Single inlet, single width (one
intake side, single row of blades)
• Performance: Compact design,
moderate airflow and static pressure
• Applications: Ideal for residential and
small commercial systems with space
constraints

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Fan Types

DIDW (Double Inlet Double Width)

• Design: Double inlets, double width (two intake
sides, two rows of blades)
• Performance: Larger capacity, handles higher
airflow and static pressures
• Applications: Suitable for large commercial and
industrial systems requiring high airflow and
pressure

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Fan Types
Constant-Speed Fans Variable-Speed Fans

Operation: Adjusts speed based on system requirements,

Operation: Runs at a fixed speed, providing consistent
typically using variable frequency drives (VFDs) or
airflow and pressure.
electronic controllers.

Control: Simple on/off switches or basic speed Control: Offers precise control over airflow and energy
controllers. use; adjusts in real-time to meet varying demands.

Efficiency: Less efficient under variable demand; can Efficiency: More energy-efficient, particularly in systems
lead to higher energy consumption if full speed is not with fluctuating needs; reduces energy consumption and
always needed. extends equipment life.

Applications: Best for systems with stable airflow and Applications: Ideal for systems with variable airflow
pressure needs, like small residential HVAC or basic needs, such as large commercial or industrial HVAC
ventilation.
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Fan Types

To calculate 100% duct length,

assume a minimum of 2½
duct diameters for 12.7 m/s
(2500 fpm) or less. Add 1

duct diameter for each

additional 5.08 m/s (1000
fpm).

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Fan Selection Guidelines

Forward Curved (FC) Fans:

• Best For: Small systems
• Capacity: Lower air flow
• Static Pressure: lower static pressure
• Advantages: Lowest cost

Backward Inclined (BI) or Airfoil (AF) Fans:

• Best For: Larger systems
• Capacity: Higher air flow
• Static Pressure: higher static pressure
• Advantages: HigherAhmed
efficiency, significant energy savings
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Reference :
Air Conditioning Clinic – (Air Conditioning Fans - One of the Equipment Series).
AMCA 201-02 (R2011) -Fans and Systems.
S&P Fans Selection.

THANK YOU
AhmedMagdy Omar
01281855222
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-magdy-omar-267600114/