FAN SIZE & ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Richard Aynsley
School of Engineering Technology & Management
Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, GA, USA

Abstract
The use of ceiling mounted circulator fans to provide air movement for cooling in industrial
premises and animal houses is particularly essential in warm, humid climates. Methods to
substantially improve the efficiency of this approach are demonstrated in this paper.

Fan laws are identified as one source of strategies for increasing energy-efficiency of fans.
Industrial ceiling fans are used to demonstrate that using larger, slower, fans will not only
improve energy efficiency but also reduce fan noise. By using large diameter fans (7.3m [24
ft] diameter) in place of conventional fans, energy savings of over 40% are demonstrated.

Field studies of airflow characteristics from ceiling fans are shown to provide further
opportunities to increase airflow efficiency. Utilising lower friction losses associated with the
coanda effect in airflow adjacent to the floor is shown to increase airflow toward the outer
limits of the radial outflow.

Lower fan mounting heights are also shown to provide increased airflow toward the outer
limits of the radial outflow.

For situations where the floor plane has numerous obstructions to airflow, CFD software is
suggested as a means to simulate airflow before installation of fans. Where possible,
validation of CFD software output against physical measurements is advised.

1. Introduction is directly proportional to the cube of the

For some things in life, size is important.
Fans used for air distribution in buildings
are an example. On many occasions, space
limitations constrain choice of fan size.
Advantages gained by choosing a larger
size fan can be identified from the fan laws
(AIRAH, 2000).
2. Fan Laws
The fan laws apply to geometrically similar
fans operating at the same point on the fan
performance curve.
2.1 Keeping the air density, fan size and
system resistance constant:
Flow volume, in L/s, is directly
proportional to the rotational speed of the
fan in revolutions per second;
q1/q2 = N1/N2 (Equation 1)
Total air pressure developed by the fan, in
Pascals, is proportional to the square of the
rotational speed in revolutions per second:
P1/P2 = (N1/N2)2 (Equation 2)
Power imparted to air by the fan, in Watts,
rotational speed in revolutions per second:
A1/A2 = (N1/N2)3 (Equation 3)
2.2 Keeping the air density and tip speed
constant:
Flow volume, q, and air power, A, are
directly proportional to the square of the
fan size, D:
q1/q2 = A1/A2 = (D1/D2)2 (Equation 4)
Speed of rotation, N, is inversely
proportional to the fan size, D:
N1/N2 = D2/D1 (Equation 5)
Total pressure upstream, P1, and
downstream, P2, remain constant:
P1 = P 2 (Equation 6)
2.3 Keeping air density and speed of
rotation constant:
Flow volume, q, is directly proportional to
the cube of the fan size, D:
q1/q2 = (D1/D2)3 (Equation 7)
Total pressure, P, developed by the fan is
directly proportional to the square of the
fan size, D:
P1/P2 = (D1/D2)2 (Equation 8)
Air power, A, is directly proportional to the
fifth power of the fan size, D:
A1/A2 = (D1/D2)5 (Equation 9)
Shaft power to the fan, SP, in Watts is
equal to the power imparted to the air, A,
divided by the fan efficiency η:
SP = A/η (Equation 10)
where:
A= Air power (Watts)
D= Impeller diameter (m)
N= Speed of rotation (r/s)
P= Total pressure (Pa)
[static pressure + velocity pressure]
q= Flow volume (L/s)
η= Fan efficiency
Keeping the fan size constant, from
Equation 1, it can be seen that for any
given fan the total pressure can be
increased proportionally by increasing fan
speed of rotation. The penalties to be paid
by taking this option are that, from
Equation 3, the increased power imparted
to the moving air is increased at a penalty
of the cube of the ratio of the increase in
rotational speed. Any increase in fan speed
is accompanied by increased noise.
Keeping the tip speed of fan blades
constant, from Equation 4, it can be seen
that the flow volume can be increased by
increasing the fan diameter. The increase
in flow volume is proportional to the square
of the ratio of increase in fan size measured
by fan diameter. As the tip speed has been
kept constant, the fan noise is kept under
control at the same time the flow volume
has been increased.
Keeping the speed of rotation constant,
from Equation 7, flow volume can be
increased in proportion to the cube of the
ratio of the fan diameter increase. Air
power increases in proportion to the fifth
power of the ratio of fan diameters.
3. Strategies for Fan Energy Efficiency
When unconstrained by space to
accommodate fans, energy efficiency can
be gained by increasing fan diameter
accompanied by a reduction in speed of fan
rotation. This strategy also helps reduce
noise from fans by reducing fan blade tip
speed.
A common application for fans is air
circulation for thermal comfort in large
spaces such as animal enclosures for cattle
and pigs, as well as workers in factories
equipped for manufacturing. Obstruction
to airflow near floor level can be largely
avoided by the use of overhead (ceiling)
fans.
Typical industrial ceiling fans have three
blades and are around 1.5 metres diameter
with a maximum speed around 315
revolutions per minute. A few decades
ago, research by Rohles, Konz, and Jones
(1983) demonstrated the effectiveness of
ceiling fans in extending the upper limits of
the thermal comfort envelope. Human
summer thermal comfort in hot humid
conditions can be offset by the cooling
sensation of airflow. The cooling
sensation, CS, can be estimated using
Equation 11 (Szokolay, 1998).
CS=3.67(V-0.2) °C (Equation 11)
when average airflow, V, is in m/s.
4. Comparison of Fan Energy Efficiency
One 1.52 m diameter, three blade ceiling
fan, operating at 315 rpm and drawing 160
Watts of electrical energy, can provide
airflow greater than 0.2 m/s over an
unobstructed floor area approximately 24.4
metres in diameter or 467 square metres.
This amounts to an energy per square metre
of floor area served of 0.34 Watts/m2. The
tip speed of the fan blades at 315 rpm is
25.0 m/s. The A-weighted sound power
level (LwA) from this fan is approximately
85 decibels (A-weighted dBA).
The recent introduction of very large, high-
volume low-velocity ceiling fans, up to 7.3
metres diameter offer a substantial increase
in energy-efficiency. One ten bladed 7.3 m
diameter ceiling fan operating at 50 rpm
drawing 370 Watts, can provide airflow
greater than 0.2 m/s over an unobstructed
floor area approximately 48.8 metres in
diameter or 1869 square metres. This
amounts to an energy per square metre of
floor area served of 0.198 Watts/m2. The
tip speed of the fan blades at 50 rpm is 19.1
m/s. The A-weighted sound power level
(LwA) from this fan with quiet reduction
gear box is approximately 75 decibels (A-
weighted dBA).
To provide a cooling airflow of greater than
0.2 m/s, the larger fan is therefore:
100(0.34 -0.198)/0.34 = 41.7%
more efficient per unit of floor area than the
smaller fans.
The above examples are applicable in
situations with few airflow obstructions at
floor level, such as in animal enclosures
with chain-wire dividing partitions. In
situations with significant obstructions at
floor level such as machinery, the effective
floor area served will be less. In these
situations, location of the fan, relative to
floor level obstructions, can be an
important consideration.
5. Utilising Airflow Characteristics
5.1 Central Column of Airflow
Energy efficiency can be enhanced by
utilising the characteristic airflow from
ceiling fans. Essentially the flow is a
circular column of turbulent air with
maximum downward velocities near the
outer wall. This column of air has a small
rotational trend imparted by the rotational
swirl induced by the pitch of the fan blades.
5.2 Radial Airflow Above Floor Level
As the downward moving column of air
approaches floor level, some of its velocity
pressure is converted to an increase in static
pressure. This partial stagnation provides
the pressure energy for the radial outflow
of air across the floor. The highly turbulent
nature of the airflow results in energy
losses proportional to the square of the
mean velocity. This reduction in airflow
velocities increases with height above floor
level, Figure 1.
The spectral density of turbulence in the
radial airflow above floor level is
concentrated at frequencies less than 1 Hz
(Aynsley and Thain, 2002). This has a
distinct advantage in providing a cooling
sensation to building occupants during hot
and humid weather. Human thermal
response to the cooling sensation of airflow
has a pronounced peak at a gust frequency
around 0.4 Hz (Yizai et al, 2000). This
makes the airflow from large ceiling fans
ideally suited to summer comfort cooling.
5.3 Radial Airflow Adjacent to the Floor
Airflow adjacent to the floor experiences
less energy loss due to the coanda effect.
Energy losses due to skin friction are
proportional to the mean velocity adjacent
to the floor. This means that airflow
adjacent to the floor extends further from
the fan than air above the floor.
To take advantage of this floor-clinging
airflow, obstructions to airflow should be
raised on legs 200-300 mm above floor
level. At work-stations deflectors at floor
level can be used to redirect airflow upward
around the worker.
5.4 Influence of Fan Height Above Floor
Mounting height of ceiling fans above floor
has an influence on radial airflow near floor
level. A quantitative measure of the
influence of fan mounting height can be
seen from Figure 2, the 5 minute mean
radial airflow velocities measured 0.1 m
above floor level.
At low mounting heights, around 6m above
floor, mean airflow velocities 0.1 m above
floor at radial distances beyond the tips of
the fan blades are higher than airflow
velocities when fans are mounted higher
above the floor. At higher mounting heights
around 12 m above floor level, mean
airflow velocities 0.1 m above floor at the
radial distance of 18.3 m were 1.07 m/s or
33.7% lower than 0.8 m/s when the fan
was mounted around 6 m above the floor.
6. Field Studies
These data are from a series of field studies
of air flow velocities from large ceiling
fans provided by the HVLS Fan Company
from Lexington, KY, USA. Airflows were
measured at three mounting heights above
floor level and at three speeds of rotation.
Horizontal air flow velocities were
measured at three heights above floor, 102
mm or ankle height, 1.09 m or seated head
height, and 1.7 m or standing head height
above floor level.
These measurements were taken at a
number of stations, directly below the fan
hub and at radial distances of 0, 0.3, 1.52,
6.1, 9.1, 12.2, 15.2, and 18.3 metres from
the center of the fan hub. A few additional
random measurements were also made. A
photograph of the experimental
arrangement is shown in Figure 3.
7. Computer Simulation of Fan Airflow
The airflow near floor level ceiling fans is
extremely complex when affected by floor
level obstructions. Current studies by the
writer, using CFD computer software to
simulate airflow near floor level around
obstructions, may prove to be a useful tool
in exploring these complex airflows. These
CFD simulations will be correlated with
field measurements around the same
obstructions to ensure such modelling is
valid.
8. Conclusions
Fan laws can help identify strategies for
increasing energy-efficiency of fans. Where
space permits, using larger, slower, fans
will not only improve energy efficiency but
also reduce fan noise.
Knowledge of the airflow characteristics of
a ceiling fan can provide further
opportunities to increase airflow efficiency.
Utilising lower friction losses in airflow
adjacent to the floor can increase airflow
toward the outer limits of the radial
outflow.
Lower fan mounting height can also
provide a significant increase in airflow
toward the outer limits of the radial
outflow.
Where the airflow is complicated by
obstructions, modelling of the airflow using
CFD software prior to installation of fans
may offer useful information on optimum
location for fans. Where possible validation
of simulated airflow against field
measurements is advisable.
9. References
AIRAH Handbook (2000). Millennium
edition, The Australian Institute of
Refrigeration, Air-conditioning and
Heating (Inc.), West Melbourne, Australia.
p.112.
Aynsley, Richard & Thain, Walter (2002).
Airflow for Energy-Efficient Comfort.
Proceedings of the World Renewable
Congress, Cologne, Germany, June 20-July
5, pp 6.
ASHRAE (1981) ASHRAE Standard 55-
1981, Thermal environmental conditions
for human occupancy, Atlanta: American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air
Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
Rholes, F.H, Konz, S.A., and Jones, B.W.;
(1983) Ceiling fans as extenders of the
summer comfort envelope, ASHRAE
Transactions, Vol. 87, Part 1.
Rholes, Frederick H., Laviana, Joseph E.
and Shrimplin, Thomas E. (1985). The
development of a protocol for measuring
the air velocities from the industrial ceiling
fan, Report No. 85-01, October. Institute
for Environmental Research, Kansas State
University, Manhattan, Kansas.pp.64.
Szokolay, S. (1998) Thermal comfort in the
warm-humid tropics. Proceedings of the
31st Annual Conference of the Australian
and New Zealand Architectural Science
Association, The University of Queensland,
Brisbane, 29th September – 3rd October
1997, pp. 7-12
Yizai, Xia, Rongyi Zhao and Weiquan Xu
(2000). Human Thermal Sensation to Air
Movement Frequency, Air Distribution in
Rooms Volume 1, Proceedings of the 7th
International Conference on Air
Distribution in Rooms, Reading, UK, 9-12
July 2000, pp 41-46.
 3
5 Minute Average Horizontal Airflow

2.5

2 0.1m a.f.
1.1m a.f.
(m/s)

1.5
1.7 m a.f.
1 0.2 m/s

0.5

12.19

15.24

18.29
0.76

1.52

3.05

4.57

9.14
6.1
0

Radial Distance from Centre of Fan (m )

Figure 1. 5 Minute average horizontal airflow at 0.1, 1.1 and 1.7m above floor from
a 7.3 m diameter HVLS fan at 50 rpm mounted 5.7 m above floor level.

3
5 Minute Average Horizontal Airflow

2.5

2 5.7 m ht.
8.7m ht.
(m/s)

1.5
11.8m ht.
1 0.2 m/s

0.5

0
12.19

15.24

18.29
0.76

1.52

3.05

4.57

9.14
6.1
0

Radial Distance from Centre of Fan (m )

Figure 2. 5 Minute average horizontal airflows 0.1 m above floor for a 7.3 m diameter
HVLS fan at 50 rpm at mounting heights of 5.7, 8.7 and 11.8 m above floor.
Figure 3. Photograph of field measurement equipment.