How System Design Can Affect

The Performance Of A Centrifugal

Fan?

Neel Rao
Writes for Reitz India , provides
content on fan systems including
Reitz India centrifugal fans

Centrifugal fans and blowers have become a preferred choice for most of the
industrial applications because of their relatively simpler design, durability and
higher efficiency. Since a typical centrifugal fan has the capability to increase
the speed of air stream coming through it, these fans are extensively used in
industrial processes where large movement of air or gas is necessary. To get
the desired high pressure and volume outputs, industries use different types of
centrifugal fans with varied blade configurations in series and parallel
arrangements. Yet, these fans may not achieve the desired airflow movement
which is required for industrial process because of their reduced performance.

A centrifugal fan may have performance deficiencies depending on the system

design as there could be losses due to multiple arrangements of system
components and their proximity to the fan inlet and outlet. Fan performance is
generally tested to standards by considering ideal inlet and discharge airflow
conditions. However, there could be many disturbances to the fan inlet and
discharge conditions caused by the system effect, making the fan to operate
inefficiently. When a centrifugal fan is subjected to system induced losses, it
will not perform as per the standard tested conditions. There will be a
deficiency in performance resulting in poor fan operation.
Some reasons for poor performance of a centrifugal fan could be

Non-uniform inlet flow

Airflow to the fan inlet should be smooth and straight in an uniform manner
without any disturbance. If the air is not drawn in an evenly distributed form,
there will uneven load on the fan wheels and the effect would be irregular,
turbulent flow of air-stream through the system. Improper inlet box design or
installation of ducts or elbows directly at the inlet may cause non-uniform
airflow into the fan inlet, resulting in reduced fan performance.

Spinning air at the fan inlet

Another factor that impacts the performance of a fan system is the direction of
the airflow entering into the fan wheel. Air entering into the fan can have a
spinning effect due to improper positioning of system components at the fan
inlet. If the entering air is spinning in the same direction of the fan wheel
rotation, then the fan capacity will be diminished. In case if the airflow is
spinning in opposite direction to the fan wheel rotation, there will be increase in
the horsepower requirement and system noise. In both the cases, the fan will
have unstable operation conditions and reduced performance.

Improper duct work at the outlet

Duct work at the fan outlet has a great effect on fan performance. To achieve
better fan efficiency, the discharge duct should be straight and have proper
length & uniform cross section. The duct must be near the fan outlet for
smooth and evenly distributed airflow. It should be of the same size as the
outlet opening with no turns, bends, elbows & branches connected adjacent to
the fan outlet. Otherwise, the air discharged at the outlet will not have uniform
velocity and there will be performance drop at the discharge conditions. In case
if duct fitting is equipped with turns and bends, then they should be in the
same direction as the wheel rotation. If turns are made in the opposite direction
of the wheel rotation, the pressure loss will be higher resulting in poor fan
performance.

Obstructions at inlet or outlet

To avoid poor airflow through centrifugal fan system, there should be minimal
obstructions at the fan inlet and outlet. The most common obstructions that
can cause system effect are, placing a fan inlet or discharge too close to walls
or bulkhead, damper locations at the inlet and outlet, location of
weatherhoods, poorly designed guards and other defective installations.
Anything that obstructs the airflow at the inlet or outlet will have a system
effect and result in poor fan performance.

Obstructions at inlet or outlet - Continued

To achieve good performance, fan installations with system effects should be
avoided. To reduce the effects of system losses and minimize performance
problems, it is important to follow proper design in fan installation. Fan systems
that are not designed for minimal system effect, will require higher speed and
increased horsepower capability to compensate for the performance
deficiencies. If system effect situations cannot be avoided, their impact on
performance should be estimated and added to the calculated system
resistance prior to sizing or selecting the fan.

About REITZINDIA

Reitz India , a global leader in fan technology, has served the needs of various
industries with thousands of fan installations not only in India but in other
neighboring countries as well. Reitz India centrifugal fans and blowers have
customized design that can be useful in all large scale process industries like
cement, iron & steel, power plants, fertilizers/chemicals and more.
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