AC units and Control

ME 536
Air Movers and Fan
Technology
h l
Dr. Ahmed F
Dr F. Elsafty
Mechanical & Marine Engineering Dept.
Arab Academy for science, technology and
Maritime Transport
Fan Performance and Selection
• References
– Burmeister,, L.C.,, Elements of Thermal-Fluid
System Design, Prentice Hall, 1998.
– ASHRAE Handbook: HVAC Systems and
Equipment, 1992.
 Contents:
• Fan principles,
• Fan drives
drives,
• Fan selection,
• Fan installation design,
• Fan controls
• Effect of variable resistance devices.
Prime movers for Air Conditioning
applications:
• Fans: move air.
• Pumps: move liquids
liquids.
• Compressors: move gases or vapour
refrigerants.
fi t
 Overview
• Common fan types: centrifugal (“squirrel
( squirrel cage”)
cage ),
axial, special designs (including radial)
• Fan rotation direction (clockwise or counter-
counter
clockwise) is important because the blades and
housing are designed to direct flow only in one
direction
• Pressure
P d
drop ththrough
h th
the system
t mustt b
be kknown
to choose a fan.
• Fans are quietest when they operate near peak
efficiency; efficiencies are often provided on fan
curves.
 Fan Principles:
Ventilation:
• Natural: [free] by free convection.
• Forced: [Mechanical] when free is not enough.
Using Fans.
• Fans: are machines which receive mechanical
energy that is transformed by a means of
impeller to guarantee a continuously air flow.
flow
• Uses of Fans:
– Ducts to supply air.
– Coils for forced convection.
 Fans
• A FAN is an air pump that creates a pressure difference
andd causes airflow.
i fl
• The impeller does work on the air, imparting to it both
static and kinetic energy,
energ which
hich vary
ar in proportion,
proportion
depending on the fan type.
• All fans produce pressure by altering the velocity vector of
the flow.
• A fan produces pressure and/or flow because the rotating
blades of the impeller impart kinetic energy to the air by
changing its velocity.
• Velocity change is in the tangential and radial velocity
components for centrifugal fans, and in the axial and
tangential velocity components for axial flow fans.
 Fan drive arrangements:
• Direct d
Di drive:
i
[Small fan- Coil units- Most Axial fans]
More compact assembly.
• Belt drive: [most applications]
Flexibility in fan speed (can be changed by altering
the drive ratio)
ratio).
Built guard are required for safety.
Normal torque motors are generally used for fan duty.
 Fan Types:

Centrifugal: Axial: Special Design:

(most widely used) - Van Axial.
Axial Tubular centrifugal.
centrifugal
-Straight fins. -Tube axial Power roof ventilation.
-Forward - Propeller. -Centrifugal
-Backward
Backward – Axial.
Axial
Centrifugal fan
™ Increase of air static pressure is created by the conversion
of velocity pressure to static pressure
pressure.

™ Air is radially discharged from the impeller and turns 90°

90
from its inlet to its outlet.
Centrifugal Fan Components
Direction of rotation and discharge position
for centrifugal fans.
Direction of rotation and discharge position
for centrifugal fans.
Ventilation Fan

Axial Fan
™ Increase of air static pressure is created by the
conversion of velocityy pressure
p to static p
pressure

™ Direction of airflow is parallel to the axle of the fan.

Axial Fan Components
 Axial Flow Fans
• Common types: propeller,
propeller tubeaxial
tubeaxial, vaneaxial
• Tubeaxial: impeller is inside a tube to guide
airflow and improve performance
• Vaneaxial: like a tubeaxial except vanes either up
or downstream
d t off the
th impeller
i ll are used d tto reduce
d
swirl and improve performance
• Used to deliver large flow rates but small
increase in pressure
• Examples include fans used for ventilation
without ductwork, mobile room fans, and fans
used to cool computers
Vaneaxial Flow Fan
Power Roof Ventilator
Centrifugal Fans
Centrifugal Fans
Axial Fans
Special designs
Performance curves:
 Centrifugal Fan Operation
• Fans cause a pressure increase through two methods
– Centrifugal force is created by the rotation of the column of air
trapped between two blades
blades.
– Kinetic energy is supplied to the air through the impeller
– Total pressure = velocity head + static pressure
• Blades are airfoil-type, backward-curved, forward-
curved, or radial (straight)
– Airfoil-types are complex and expensive but very efficient;
they’re used for large systems where the cost is justified.
Method of Obtaining
g Fan Performance Curves
 Airfoil

• Highest efficiencies occur at 50 to 60% of wide open volume.

• This volume also has good pressure characteristics.
characteristics
• Power reaches maximum near peak efficiency and becomes
lower, or self-limiting,
self limiting, toward free delivery.
 Backward Curved Fan Blades
Backward-Curved
• Have a self
self-limiting
limiting power characteristic
characteristic, so if sized
correctly the motor won’t overheat or burn out even if
conditions change.
• High efficiency and stable operation make this blade
type
yp p popular.
p
• Choose the operating point to be just to the right of the
peak pressure flow rate to achieve both high efficiency
and a stable flow rate.
• This type of fan operates stably because the pressure
difference provided by the fan drops if the flow rate goes
up. If the opposite were true, increased an increased
flow rate would cause increase fan power
power, which is
unstable.
Fan Curve, Backward-Curved Centrifugal Blade

• Efficiency only slightly less than airfoil fan.

• Ten to 16 single-thickness blades curved or
inclined away from direction of rotation.
• Efficient for same reasons as airfoil fan.
Radial Blades
Radial Blades
 Forward curved
Forward-curved
• Flatter pressure curve and
lower efficiency than the
airfoil, backward
backward-curved,
curved, and
backward-inclined.
• Do not rate fan in the
pressure curve dip to the left
of peak pressure.
• Power rises continually
toward free delivery. Motor
• selection must take this into
account.
 Comparison of Centrifugal Fan
Types:
It
Item F
Forward-curved
d d R di l
Radial B k
Backward-curved
d d
Efficiency Medium Medium High
50-60%
50 60% 45-55%
45 55% 70-75%
70 75%
Speed required Small Medium Medium

Speed
p for given
g Low Medium High
g
pressure rise
Noise Fair Poor (very high Good
noise))
Application Average Average High
DP
Application Medium Low Wide range
Q m3/s
Velocity profiles:
Comparison between Various Types of Fans
 Fan Selection Criteria:
Before proceeding with any fan selection the following
information is necessary:
• Air volume requirement [CFM, l/s, m3/hr..]
• System resistance –SP SP
• Air density. [Altitude and Temperature]
• Types of service: [Environment, Materials, vapours to be
exhausted,
h t d operating
ti ttemperature].
t ]
• Noise criteria.
• Drive type
type.
• Number of fans.
• Fan type.
• Expected fan life in years.
• Rotation.
• Discharge.
Di h
• Motor position.
 Specification Criteria:
• Flow R
Fl Rate.
t
• Pressure.
• T pe
Type
• Noise<<, rpm<<.
• Temperature & Humidity.
Humidity
• Space limitation. [Axial<<<]
• Drive Type [Direct
[Direct-Belt].
Belt]
• Type of Flow.
• Materials [Galvanized
Materials. [Galvanized, anti corrosion]
• Efficiency>>>, Power<<<.
 Fan Calculations:
• Air conditioning capacity: [ACC]
ACC = mo(air) * (hi – ho)
• Volume flow rate (fan capacity) Qo
Is represented by the volume of air which is generated
by the fan in a unit of time.
mo = ACC /(h( i –ho)
Qo = mo (kg/s) * v (m3/kg)
N.B:
ACC from calculations
((hi – ho) & v from chart
 Fan Performance:
• Static Power: is the part of the total power
that is used to p
produce the change g in
static pressure.
 Pressure:
• Total pressure: [Pt]
Pt = Pdynamic + Pstatic
• S i P
Static Pressure: [P
[Ps]]
Is the pressure exerted on the walls of the air duct and is parley dispelled on
overcoming the various resistances met on its way.
• Dynamic Pressure: [Pd]
Is the pressure required to set air motion and correspondents to the kinetic
energy.
• Pressure drop determination:
– Air intake louvers.
– Mixing box with air damper.
– Filters
– Spray humidifiers.
– Preheating coil
– After-cooling
te coo g co coil
– Ducts
• Then we calculate the required external pressure.
 Resistance:
Simple
Si l Duct
D t System
S t with
ith Resistance
R i t
to Flow Represented by Three 90°
Elbows

Resistance Added to Duct

System

Resistance Removed
from Duct System
AHU Sections
S ti

‹ FRESH AIR INTAKE

‹ MIXING BOX
‹ DOUBLE MIXING BOX
‹ PRE FILTER
‹ BAG FILTER
‹ COIL
‹ HEATER
‹ HUMIDIFIER (WASHER)
‹ FAN
‹ HEPA FILTER
‹ MULTI-ZONE
‹ SOUND ATTENUATOR
‹ SUPPLY PLENUM
AHU Selection
‹ Required
R i d Air
Ai handling
h dli unitit with
ith a
capacity of 3200 c.f.m.
‹ 3200 c.f.m. = 5440 m3/Hr
‹ CS 49: lower cost but high velocity
CS-49:
(2.78m/s)
‹ CS-60: lower velocity but with higher
cost (2.32
(2 32 m/s)
AHU Fan selection
‹ Given:
‹ Flow rate
‹ Static pressure

‹ Find
‹ Dynamic pressure

Using flow rate and total pressure:

‹ Get

‹ RPM
‹ Brake horse power
‹ Sound level
 AHU Practical problems
‹ Select fan:

‹ 1800 CFM @ 4”
4 w.g.
wg
= 3060 m3/Hr @ 1000 pa

impossible
‹ Speed: 800 RPM

So:
‹ Outlet Velocity: 10 m/s
 AHU Practical problems

‹ Static problems:
‹ Too little air
‹ Too much air
‹ Overloading of motors
SYSTEM DESIGN GUIDELINES
General Ventilation
• Locate intake and exhaust fans to make use of prevailing winds
• Locate fans and intake ventilators for maximum sweeping effect over the
working area
• If filters are used on gravity intake, size intake ventilator to keep intake losses
below 1/8" SP
• Avoid fans blowing opposite each other. When necessary, separate by at least
6 fan diameters
• Use
U Cl Class B iinsulated
l t d motors
t where
h ambient
bi t ttemperatures
t are expected
t d tto b
be
high for air-over motor conditions
• If air moving over motors contains hazardous chemicals or particles, use
explosion proof motors mounted in or out of the airstream,
explosion-proof airstream depending on job
requirements
• For hazardous atmosphere applications use fans of non-sparking construction
• Process Ventilation
• Collect fumes and heat as near the source of generation as possible
• Make all runs of ducts as short and direct as possible
• Keep duct velocity as low as practical considering capture for fume3
• or padicles being collected
• When turns are required in the duct system use long radius elbows
• to keep the resistance to a minimum (preferably 2 duct diameters)
• After calculating duct resistance, select the fan having reserve
• capacity beyond the static pressure determined
• Use same rationale regarding intake ventilators and motors as in
• Genera[ Ventilation guidelines above
• Install the exhaust fan at a location to eliminate any recirculation into
• other p parts of the p
plant
• When hoods are used, they should be sufficient to collect a!J
• contaminating fumes or particles created by the process
System Pressure Effects
 Fan Curves
• Manufacturer will provide a fan curve for each
fan he or she produces.
• The fan curves predict the pressure-flow rate
performance of each fan.
• Choose a fan that gives you the volumetric flow
rate you need for your system pressure drop.
• Choose a fan that has its peak efficiency at or
near your operating point
point.
• Sometimes will provide data in a table rather
than in a graph
graph.
 Fan Curves

Conventional Fan Performance Curve Used byMost Manufacturers

 Generalized Fan Curves
These kinds of curves can be used to help choose a fan.
 Fan Laws
Fan data for geometrically similar fans can be collapsed onto a single curve using
dimensionless numbers
 Fan Laws
• The laws only apply to aerodynamically similar fans at
the same point of rating on the performance curve.
• Under these conditions, the dimensionless parameters
will be constants. For example, if fan operation moves
from point 1 to point 2, the values of the dimensionless
parameters will not change and thus can be used to
estimate system effects.
• Be
B carefulf l about
b t using
i ththe ffan laws
l tto d
determine
t i ththe
effect of fan speed change – you may move to a very
different spot on the performance curve
curve, which will
invalidate your results.
 Fan Laws
It may be easier to see how these work in a different form:
 Fan Laws
• Law 1 – relates to effect of changing size,
p
speed,, or density
y on volume flow,,
pressure, and power level
• Law 2 – relates to effect of changing size,
size
pressure, or density on volume flow rate,
speed, and power
• Law 3 – shows effect of changing size,
volume flow, or density on speed,
pressure and power
pressure,
 Fan Law Example
• This example
applies the fan
laws to a case
where the fan
speed N is
changed from 600
to 650 RPM for a
fan of a given
size.
Fan Law Example
 Two Fans in Parallel or Series
• For two identical fans in parallel, you can
make yyour own fan curve by y takingg the
original fan curve and doubling the
volumetric flow rate for a given pressure
pressure.
• For two identical fans in series, you can
make your own fan f curve by doubling the
pressure drop
p p for a g
given volumetric flow
rate.
• Which would be better for cooling
computer chasses?
Fans in Series and Parallel
• total p
pressure ((Pt)) = static p
pressure ((Ps)) +
velocity pressure (Pv)
• Let’s assume that the fan from the previous
example, delivering 3,500 cfm
• [1.65 m3/s] at 2.0 in. H2O [491 Pa] of static
pressure requires 2.0
pressure, 2 0 hp [1
[1.5
5 kW] of input power
power.
• At these conditions, the fan’s static efficiency would
be:
• Fan total efficiency expresses the
percentage
p g of input
p power
p that is
realized
• as useful work in terms of total pressure
pressure. It
is calculated by substituting total
• pressure for static pressure in the static
efficiency equation.
• F
Fan Selection
S l ti
• s Forward curved (FC)
• u Lower airflow
airflow, lower static pressure,
pressure lower first
cost
• s Backward inclined (BI) or airfoil (AF)
• u Higher airflow, higher static pressure, higher
efficiency
• s Vaneaxial
• u Limited space
• s Variable-pitch vaneaxial (VPVA)
• u Large systems, higher airflow
 Fan Troubleshooting Guide:
Low Capacity or Pressure
– Incorrect direction of rotation. Make sure the fan rotates in same direction as the arrows on the
motor or belt drive assembly.
– Poor fan inlet conditions. There should be a straight clear duct at the inlet.
– improper wheel alignment.
Excessive Vibration and Noise
– Damaged or unbalanced wheel.
– Belts too loose; worn or oily belts.
– Speed too high.
– Incorrect direction of rotation. Make sure the fan rotates in same direction as the arrows on the
motor or belt drive assembly
assembly.
– Bearings need lubrication or replacement.
– Fan surge.
Overheated Motor
– Motor improperly wired
wired.
– Incorrect direction of rotation. Make sure the fan rotates in same direction as the arrows on the
motor or belt drive assembly.
– Cooling air diverted or blocked.
– Improper inlet clearance.
clearance
– Incorrect fan RPM.
– Incorrect voltage
Overheated Bearings
– Improper bearing lubrication.
lubrication
– Excessive belt tension.
Fan Laws
Fan Problems:
Thank You