Understanding The Basics Of Axial Fan

By Ina Hunt


With increased technology, there are now several ways of moving air and fluids in industrial systems. The use of fans is one of the major ways used to achieve that. Axial fan is a specific type of compressor meant to raise the pressure of air going through it. It has blades that attach to a shaft. The blades force the air to move parallel to the shaft.

The ability of these devices to blow air along the axis is the origin of their name. They work in the same way as centrifugal fans with the difference lying in the mechanism. The propeller draws air from outside and discharges it along the same axial direction. The propeller is responsible for all air movements that occur in this device. The propeller attains this through creation of pressure difference.

When choosing a product, the major concern should be the number of blades and their designs. Blades may be produced from various materials including alloys, aluminum, steel, PVC, and timber. The blade number is normally low ranging between two and six in comparison to ducted fans which have a higher number. The low number of blades is designed to stop them from affecting the high flow rate at which they work.

The blades are also made long and can assume different shapes. Others have different blade sections along the radius. The low number of blades makes velocity triangles and rotor geometry meaningless. These products are designed to perform best in environments with hot temperatures, usually within the range of 70 degrees Celsius. They come with different kinds of bearings to work in humid environments. The cheaper models incorporate sleeve bearings which do not last long.

The appliances are applied in many industries including ceramic, steel, cement, mining, chemical, and woodworking. Some common industrial applications include dust collection or removal, heat recovery, building ventilation, fume removal, and combustion air. Also the propellers are used in hovercrafts, hydrofoils, ships, helicopters, cooling towers, and wind tunnels. If used for propulsion purposes, the main parameter of interest is efficiency. However if it is acting as a fan, important parameters are flow rate, efficiency, power consumption, and pressure rise.

These products are used widely in computers as a major source of cooling. When used in computer cases, they come with fluid or ball bearings to ensure maximum durability and consistent operation. The models used in computers are very expensive but also highly efficient in terms of operation and power consumption. The shaft is normally aligned with the heat source to draw air past it or blow air on it.

The relationship between volume flow rate and pressure variation is a major parameter of consideration during the manufacture process. As volume flow rate rises from the zero mark upwards, the efficiency also rises until up to a certain point where it begins to decrease. Pressure and power output are also varied with increase in performance.

These appliances have varied shapes and sizes. They can also be custom-built to suit specific applications. The cost differs according to power dissipation, quality, size, and material used in construction among many other factors.




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