Since 1973

Part 1: Introduction
 Who is Fantech and Eltafantech?
Part 2: Basics of Fan Engineering
 What is a fan?
 Different types of fans.
 Axial Fan Options.
 Fan Laws.
 The Basics of Sound.
Part 3: Problems with Fan Installations
 What is stall and how to avoid it?
 What is system effect?
 Adjusting Pitch Angles on Fantech Fans.
 Do’s and Don'ts of installation.
Part 4: Questions & Answers
PART 1:
INTRODUCTION
Introduction - Fantech
Fantech:
 Established in 1973.
 HQ based in Melbourne, Australia.
 Part of the ELTA Group of companies.
 No.1 in Australia and New Zealand.
Products:
 Ventilation Fans.
 Attenuators and Vibration Isolators.
Introduction - Fantech
Catalogues:
 Only publish results of tested products.
 Comply with the latest ISO5801 / BS848 Standards.
 Smoke Spill tested to AS4429.
Philosophy:
 To make life easy for our clients thru:
 Reliable products, Easy to use Catalogues & Software,
Technical backup.
Introduction - Eltafantech
 Subsidiary of Fantech Australia.
 Factory in Malaysia, providing products and service to
our Asian customers.
 Follow the Fantech procedure and systems to build
Fantech fans.
 Report directly to Fantech Australia.
 100% dedicated to serving clients in Asia.
Production Facility

44,000 ft2 Factory Floor

Car Park Jet Axials
Centrifugal Car Park Fans
Wall Plate Axials
Advantages - Eltafantech
 Technical backup by two of the most experience team
in the whole (ELTA UK & Fantech Australia)
 Supply complete range of products to suit market
requirements
 Cost effective manufacturing facility
 Follow UK and Australia quality standard
 Strategically located to support Asia customers
PART 2:
THE BASICS OF FAN
ENGINEERING
WHAT IS A FAN?
What is a Fan?
 Proper Definition:
 A rotary, bladed, machine maintaining a
continuous flow of air.
 Very simple piece of equipment:
 Fan Blades, Motor and Housing.
 Extremely sensitive to:
 Inlet & Outlet Conditions.
What is a Fan?
 Usually costs less than 5% of the project.

 The cause of 50% of the problems!

 Main Purpose is to move air from one point

to another.
DIFFERENT TYPE OF FANS
3 Main Types
Axial ►

◄ Centrifugal

Mixed Flow ►
Axial Fans
 Propels air axially from the inlet
to the discharge.
 Usually have adjustable pitch blades.
 Can set pitch angle to match the
required performance.
 Problems with Stall with too high a pressure.
 Usually for High Airflow vs Low/Medium Pressure.
Centrifugal Fans
 Airflow enters axially, discharged
at a 90º angle.
 Have a stable characteristics from
free flow to zero flow.
 Usually for Low Airflow vs.
Medium/High Pressure.
 Forward & Backward Curved & Airofoil.
Forward Curved Centrifugal

 Compact, Quiet & Economical.

 Low Efficiency, Steeply Increasing
Power toward Free Flow.
Backward Curved Centrifugal
 High Efficiency, Non-Overloading Power
Characteristics.
 Physically Large , Expensive.
Airofoil Centrifugal
 Very High Efficiency, Non-Overloading
Power.
 Physically Large, Very Expensive.
Different Type of Fans
 Mixed Flow:
 A cross between Axial &
Centrifugal in design.
 Airflow enters axially,
discharged at a 45º angle.
 Usually for Medium Airflow
vs. Medium Pressure.
Different Type of Fans
 So Which Fan is Best?
1. Axial – Best:
• Cheapest, space saving & more options.
2. Centrifugal or Mixed Flow In-Line:
• Good for higher pressure systems, but more expensive
than Axials.
3. Centrifugal SWSI & DWDI:
• Most expensive & takes up a lot of space.
AXIAL FAN OPTIONS
FANS IN PARALLEL
Fans in Parallel
 If two axial fans are in parallel:
 Airflow doubles.
 Static Pressure unchanged.
 Used where large volume of air is required but not
much head room space available.
 Most Common Use:
 Carpark.
 Multiple fans in parallel also possible.
FANS IN SERIES
Fans in Series
 The common believe:
 Two fans directly joint in series means double the static
pressure – WRONG!
 Two co-rotating fans directly joint together, only gives
1.5 times extra static pressure.
 Too much turbulence from 1st fan to 2nd fan.
 If at least 10m apart = 2 times increase in static pressure.
•Better to have Contra Rotating!
•More efficient & higher performance.
Fans in Series
 Contra Rotating:
 Develops up to 2.4 times the static pressure.
 Swirl from 1st stage corrected by 2nd stage.
 Construction:
 1st fan uses Left Hand Blades & Clockwise rotation.
 2nd fan uses Right Hand Blades, 2º lesser pitch & Anti-
Clockwise rotation.
 8 dB higher noise level.
REVERSAL OF AXIAL FAN
Reversal of Axial Fan
 Just change the direction of rotation.
 But Check The Performance:
 Air Flow ↓ 30%.
 Pressure ↓ 55%.
 Power ↓ 25%.
 Truly Reversible:
Half the blades installed for clockwise rotation,
the rest anti-clockwise.
 Air Flow ↓ 15%.
 Pressure ↓ 25%.
 Power ↓ 20%.
FORMS OF RUNNING
Forms of Running
Form B

Form A + 2 to 3 dB
FAN LAWS
Fan Laws
 Can be used to predict the performance of
geometrically similar fans.
 Gives good assessment for changes due to changes in:
 Speed.
 Diameter.
 Air Density.
Fan Laws
 Volume Flow:
Qv2 = Qv1 x (n2/n1) x (d2/d1)

Qv = Volume Flow in (m3/s).

n = Rotational speed of fan.
d = Diameter of fan (m).

► Double the speed, double the airflow.

Fan Laws
 Pressure:
p2 = p1 x (n2/n1)2 x (d2/d1)2 x (ρ2/ρ1)

p = Pressure developed by the fan.

n = Rotational speed of fan.
d = Diameter of fan (m).
ρ = Density of air (kg/m3).
► 2 x speed, pressure increases x 4.
Fan Laws
 Absorbed Power:
P2 = P1 x (n2/n1)3 x (d2/d1)5 x (ρ2/ρ1)

P = Power absorbed by the fan (kW).

n = Rotational speed of fan.
d = Diameter of fan (m).
ρ = Density of air (kg/m3).
► 2 x speed, power absorbed increases x 8.
Fan Laws
 Sound Power Level:
PWL2=PWL1 + 70Log10(d2/d1) + 55Log10(n2/n1)

PWL = Sound Power Level.

n = Rotational speed of fan.
d = Diameter of fan (m).
► Double the speed, PWL increases by 17dB.
THE BASICS OF SOUND
The Basics of Sound
 The human ear can only hear certain sounds.
 What we hear is a combination of Loudness and Pitch.
 The sound from a fan is a combination of sound at
different frequencies.
 We define this sound with Sound Power Levels, Sound
Pressure Levels and a dBA value at a given distance.
The Basics of Sound
Sound Power:
 The sound energy produced by the fan.
 Cannot be measured directly or be heard.
 Does not change with different surroundings.
 We publish sound power levels in catalogue.
 Measured in Watts (W).
The Basics of Sound

Sound Pressure:
 The actual noise level we can hear.
 Depends on the surroundings.
 Measured with a sound level meter.
 Units of Pascal (Pa).
The Basics of Sound
The Decibel (dB)
 Sound power can range between 0.000,000,001 W and
40,000 W.
 The decibel scale reduces this to 0 dB to 150 dB.
 More managable.
 10 times the sound gives a 10 dB increase in sound
power, and a 20 dB increase in Lp.
The Basics of Sound
dBA Noise Levels:
 Human ear is more tolerant to some frequencies than
others.
 dBA level was established to reflect the sensitivity of
the human ear.
 dBA usually quoted in 1m, 1.5m or 3m distance.
The Basics of Sound
Examples of noise levels:

Sound Environment
Pressure
(dBA)
140 30m from jet aircraft at takeoff
120 Ships engine room
110 Sheet metal shop (grinding)
100 Platform of underground station
90 Heavy trucks at 6m
80 Path on busy street
The Basics of Sound
More examples of noise levels:

Sound Environment
Pressure (dBA)
70 Loud radio in domestic room
60 Department Store
50 Speech at 1m / General Office
40 Whisper at 2m
20 Background in recording studio
0 Limit of hearing.
The Basics of Sound
Typical Fan Spectrum:
Freq (Hz) 63 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000

CD404V 67 81 82 75 72 70 65 57

• Sound Power level in each band.

• 63 Hz band covers a range of
frequencies between 44Hz and 88Hz
• Figures are accurate for all installations.
The Basics of Sound
Calculating dBA Levels:
1. Get Sound Power Levels.
2. Apply ‘A’ weighted Frequency Correction.
Freq (Hz) 63 125 250 500 1000 2000 4000 8000

dBA Corr -26 -16 -9 -3 0 1 1 -1

3.Logarithmically add the values from left to right.

4.Convert ‘A’ weighted sound power level to ‘A’
sound pressure level for a given distance (ie 3m).
The Basics of Sound
Overall Noise Levels:
 CD404V is 58 dBA @ 3m.
 Noise level is tested in an environment where no
sound is reflected.
 The noise level in a normal room will not be 58 dBA @
3m.
 Noise level may increase by 20 dBA over test noise
level.
PART 3:
THE PROBLEMS WITH
INSTALLATIONS
What is Stall and How to Avoid
it?
What is Stall & How to Avoid it?
 For air to flow in a given system, sufficient energy is
needed to overcome back pressure.
 When a blade is propelled through air it produces a
negative pressure on the top and positive pressure on
the bottom.
 This pressure difference is the energy needed to force
the air to flow.
What is Stall & How to Avoid it?
 However, if this back pressure is too high for the blade
to handle, the air flowing over the blade breaks away
and the fan stalls.
 When fan is in stall, the fan continually changes its
performance due to small external influences such as
wind pressure etc.
What is Stall & How to Avoid it?
What is System Effect?
What is System Effect?
 Fans are tested with virtually perfect inlet &
outlet conditions.
 Fans installed on sites sometimes have poor
inlet & outlet conditions.
 Maybe due to Space Constraints or
Ignorance.
 Result is lower performance from fan.
What is System Effect?
 System Effect Defined as:
 Anything which effects the fan
performance.
 System Effect prevents the fan from
achieving full potential performance.
 All fans are susceptible to system effects.
 Axial Fans tend to be more sensitive.
What is System Effect?
 Typical causes of System Effects:
 Bends placed right at the inlet and/or
outlet of the fan.
 Turbulent airflow entering the inlet of the
fan.
 Restrictions on the inlet and/or outlet of
the fan.
What is System Effect?
 How to avoid it:
 During design stage check for System
Effect problems.
 Minimize poor inlet & outlet conditions.
 Best to look for ways to design out System
Effect problems rather than to fix it later.
ADJUSTING PITCH ANGLES ON
AXIAL FANS
The Do’s and Don’ts of
Installation
INLET CONDITIONS

POOR

Too abrupt entry…Turbulence + More noise

INLET CONDITIONS

GOOD

Using inlet cone…

…Better flow & Performance, + Less noise
OBSTRUCTIONS AT INLET

POOR

Impeller starved of air, higher system resistance.

OBSTRUCTIONS AT INLET

GOOD

Allow min 1 fan diameter between fan inlet & the obstruction
FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS

POOR

Slack or misaligned connections…Reduced duct area,

increased turbulence, lower fan performance.
FLEXIBLE CONNECTIONS

GOOD

Move the flexible connection away or keep it taut.

DUCT TRANSITIONS

POOR

Too abrupt duct expansion…Air turbulence, lower

performance & more noise.
DUCT TRANSITIONS

GOOD

Avoid duct transition if possible, otherwise max of 15º angle.

SHAPE OF TRANSITION

POOR

Poor airflow through the top.

SHAPE OF TRANSITION

GOOD

Centralise the fan to ensure uniform airflow.

BENDS TOO CLOSE TO FAN

POOR

Eccentric flow causes impeller to be starved of air.

BENDS TOO CLOSE TO FAN

GOOD

Turning vanes and duct transition pieces will help.

BENDS AT FAN DISCHARGE

POOR

Abrupt bend causing high pressure loss.

BENDS AT FAN DISCHARGE

GOOD

Bends should rotate in the same direction of impeller.

ATTENUATORS & AXIAL FANS

POOR

Don't site a rectangular attenuator too close to an axial

fan intake or discharge. Air will be uneven and swirling.
ATTENUATORS & AXIAL FANS

GOOD

Allow adequate distance between attenuator and fans.

ATTENUATORS & AXIAL FANS

POOR

Podded attenuators immediately upstream of fan will

block air flow to fan impeller.
ATTENUATORS & AXIAL FANS

GOOD

Allow 1 diameter of straight duct between pod attenuator

and fan inlet to ensure impeller obtains even flow.
FLANKING TRANSMISSION

POOR

Noise from the fan can bypass the attenuator and enter
the conditioned space.
FLANKING TRANSMISSION

GOOD

Installing the attenuator through or against the wall

minimises flanking transmission via the duct system.
AIRWAY VELOCITY
Approx.
NR25 Do not exceed 8 m/s in silencer airway
NR30 " 10 m/s "
NR35 " 13 m/s "
NR40 " 15 m/s "
NR45 " 18 m/s "

Critical noise levels application should be checked by an acoustics engineer

Higher passage velocity will increase the regenerated

noise level of the attenuator.
This is particularly critical when the attenuator is serving a
low noise level zone; i.e. film studio.
AIR FLOW DEAD ZONES

POOR

Part of room is starved of ventilation air.

AIR FLOW DEAD ZONES

GOOD

Because of cross-flow ventilation air circulation and

quality of ventilation is optimized.
CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF AIRFLOW

POOR

Don’t use sharp bends or take-offs.

CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF AIRFLOW

GOOD

Use sweeping bends and takeoffs.

CHOOSING THE CORRECT FAN

POOR

Don’t use a centrifugal blower if space is at a premium

and avoid unnecessary bends.
CHOOSING THE CORRECT FAN

GOOD

Consider in-line fans – Saves Space.

Either centrifugal or axial, depending on the fan duty and
noise level required.
PART 4:
QUESTION &
ANSWERS
SUMMARY
 Design with the effects of noise in mind.
 Choose the right fan for the application.
 Ensure the inlet and outlet conditions are
good.
 Always try to prevent the problem during
design stage, rather than try to fix it later
after it has been installed!
THE END OF PRESENTATION

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME