This article is about mechanical fans. For hand-powered fans, seeHand fan. For other uses, seeFan (disambiguation).
A household electric fanA large cylindrical fan
Afan is a powered machine that creates airflow. A fan consists of rotating vanes or blades, generally made of wood, plastic, or metal, which act on the air. The rotating assembly of blades and hub is known as animpeller,rotor, orrunner. Usually, it is contained within some form of housing, or case.[1] This may direct the airflow, or increase safety by preventing objects from contacting the fan blades. Most fans are powered byelectric motors, but other sources of power may be used, includinghydraulic motors,handcranks, andinternal combustion engines.
Mechanically, a fan can be any revolvingvane, or vanes used for producingcurrents of air. Fans produce air flows with highvolume and lowpressure (although higher thanambient pressure), as opposed tocompressors which produce high pressures at a comparatively low volume. A fan blade will often rotate when exposed to an air-fluid stream, and devices that take advantage of this, such asanemometers andwind turbines, often have designs similar to that of a fan.
Typical applications includeclimate control and personalthermal comfort (e.g., an electric table or floor fan), vehicle engine cooling systems (e.g., in front of a radiator), machinery cooling systems (e.g., inside computers andaudio power amplifiers), ventilation, fume extraction,winnowing (e.g., separatingchaff fromcereal grains), removing dust (e.g. sucking as in a vacuum cleaner), drying (usually in combination with a heat source) and providing draft for a fire. Some fans may be indirectly used for cooling in the case of industrial heat exchangers.
While fans are effective at cooling people, they do not cool air. Instead, they work byevaporative cooling ofsweat and increased heatconvection into the surrounding air due to the airflow from the fans. Thus, fans may become less effective at cooling the body if the surrounding air is near body temperature and contains high humidity.
Patent drawing for aFan Moved by Mechanism, November 27, 1830
Fans made with leaves were prevalent in ancient Egypt and India.[2][3] In ancient India, they were handheld fans made from bamboo strips or other plant fiber, that could be rotated or fanned to move air. DuringBritish rule, the word came to be used by Anglo-Indians to mean a large swinging flat fan, fixed to the ceiling and pulled by a servant called thepunkawallah.
For purposes ofair conditioning, theHan dynasty craftsman and engineerDing Huan (fl. 180 CE) invented a manually operated rotary fan with seven wheels that measured 3 m (10 ft) in diameter; in the 8th century, during theTang dynasty (618–907), the Chinese appliedhydraulic power to rotate the fan wheels for air conditioning, while the rotary fan became even more common during theSong dynasty (960–1279).[4][5]
During theHeian period (794–1185) in Japan, fans adapted the role of symbolizing social class as well as a mechanical role. Thetessen, a Japanese fan used inFeudal times, was a dangerous weapon hidden in plain sight in the shape of a regular fan, a weapon used bysamurais whenkatanas were not ideal.
In the 17th century, the experiments of scientists, includingOtto von Guericke,Robert Hooke, andRobert Boyle, established the basic principles of vacuum and airflow. The English architect SirChristopher Wren applied an early ventilation system in theHouses of Parliament that used bellows to circulate air. Wren's design was the catalyst for much later improvement and innovation. The first rotary fan used in Europe was for mine ventilation during the 16th century, as illustrated byGeorg Agricola (1494–1555).[6]
John Theophilus Desaguliers, a British engineer, demonstrated the successful use of a fan system to draw out stagnant air from coal mines in 1727—ventilation was essential in coal mines to prevent asphyxiation—and soon afterward he installed a similar apparatus in Parliament.[7] The civil engineerJohn Smeaton, and laterJohn Buddle, installed reciprocating airpumps in the mines in the North of England, though the machinery was liable to breaking down.
In 1849 a 6m radius steam-driven fan, designed byWilliam Brunton, was made operational in the Gelly GaerColliery ofSouth Wales. The model was exhibited at theGreat Exhibition of 1851. Also in 1851David Boswell Reid, a Scottish doctor installed four steam-powered fans in the ceiling ofSt George's Hospital inLiverpool so that the pressure produced by the fans would force the incoming air upward and through vents in the ceiling.[8][9] Improvements in the technology were made byJames Nasmyth, Frenchman Theophile Guibal and J. R. Waddle.[10]
Between 1882 and 1886Schuyler Wheeler invented a fan powered by electricity.[11] It was commercially marketed by the American firm Crocker & Curtis electric motor company. In 1885 a desktop direct drive electric fan was commercially available by Stout, Meadowcraft & Co. in New York.[12]
In 1882,Philip Diehl developed the world's first electricceiling mounted fan. During this intense period of innovation, fans powered by alcohol, oil, or kerosene were common around the turn of the 20th century.In 1909,KDK of Japan pioneered the invention of mass-produced electric fans for home use. In the 1920s, industrial advances allowed steel fans to be mass-produced in different shapes, bringing fan prices down and allowing more homeowners to afford them. In the 1930s, the first art deco fan (the "Silver Swan") was designed by Emerson.[13] By the 1940s,Crompton Greaves of India became the world's largest manufacturer of electric ceiling fans mainly for sale in India, Asia, and the Middle East. By the 1950s, table and stand fans were manufactured in bright colors and were eye-catching. Ceiling fans are extremely popular in South Asian countries such as India, where they provide cost-effective cooling in hot climates.[14][15]
Window and centralair conditioning in the 1960s caused many companies to discontinue production of fans,[16] but in the mid-1970s, with an increasing awareness of the cost of electricity and the amount of energy used to heat and cool homes, turn-of-the-century styled ceiling fans became popular again as both decorative and energy-efficient.
In 1998 William Fairbank and Walter K. Boyd invented thehigh-volume low-speed (HVLS) ceiling fan, designed to reduce energy consumption by using long fan blades rotating at low speed to move a relatively large volume of air.[17]
Before powered fans were widely accessible, their use related to the social divide between social classes. In Britain and China, they were initially only installed in the buildings ofParliament and in noble homes. InAncient Egypt (3150 BC), servants were required to fanPharaohs and important figures.
In parts of the world such as India, where the temperature reaches above 100 °F (38 °C), standing and electric box fans are essential in the business world for customer comfort and an efficient work environment. Fans have become solar-powered, energy-efficient, and battery-powered in places with unreliable energy sources.
In South Korea, fans play a part in anold wives' tale. Many older South Korean citizens believe in the unscientific and unsupported myth offan death due to excessive use of an electric fan; Korean electric fans usually turn off after a few hours to protect from fan death.
Typical room electrical fans consume 50 to 100 watts of power, while air-conditioning units use 500 to 4000 watts; fans use less electricity but do not cool the air, simply providing evaporative cooling of sweat. Commercial fans are louder than AC units and can be disruptively loud. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, reported incidents related to box fans include, fire (266 incidents), potential fire (29 incidents), electrocution (15), electric shock (4 incidents), and electrical hazard (2 incidents). Injuries related to AC units mostly relate to their falling from buildings.
Mechanical revolving blade fans are made in a wide range of designs. They are used on the floor, table, desk, or hung from the ceiling (ceiling fan) and can be built into a window, wall, roof, etc. Tower fans tend to have smaller blades inside. Electronic systems generating significant heat, such ascomputers, incorporate fans. Appliances such as hair dryers and space heaters also use fans. They move air in air-conditioning systems and in automotive engines. Fans used for comfort inside a room create awind chill by increasing theheat transfer coefficient but do not lower temperatures directly. Fans used to cool electrical equipment or in engines or other machines cool the equipment directly by exhausting hot air into the cooler environment outside of the machine so that cooler air flows in.Three main types of fans are used for moving air,axial,centrifugal (also calledradial) andcross flow (also calledtangential).The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Performance Testing Code 11 (PTC)[18] provides standard procedures for conducting and reporting tests on fans, including those of the centrifugal, axial, and mixed flows.
Axial-flow fans have blades that force air to moveparallel to the shaft about which the blades rotate. This type of fan is used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from small cooling fans for electronics to the giant fans used incooling towers. Axial flow fans are applied in air conditioning and industrial process applications. Standard axial flow fans have diameters of 300–400 mm or 1,800–2,000 mm and work under pressures up to 800Pa. Special types of fans are used as low-pressure compressor stages in aircraft engines. Examples of axial fans are:
Table fan: Basic elements of a typical table fan include the fan blade, base, armature, and leadwires, motor, bladeguard, motor housing,oscillator gearbox, and oscillator shaft. The oscillator is a mechanism that motions the fan from side to side. The armature axle shaft comes out on both ends of the motor; one end of the shaft is attached to the blade, and the other is attached to the oscillator gearbox. The motor case joins the gearbox to contain the rotor and stator. The oscillator shaft combines the weighted base and the gearbox. A motor housing covers the oscillator mechanism. The blade guard joins the motor case for safety.
Domestic extractor fan: Wall- or ceiling-mounted, the domestic extractor fan is employed to remove moisture and stale air from domestic dwellings. Bathroom extractor fans typically utilize a four-inch (100 mm) impeller, while kitchen extractor fans typically use a six-inch (150 mm) impeller as the room is often bigger. Axial fans with five-inch (125 mm) impellers are also used in larger bathrooms, though they are much less common. Domestic axial extractor fans are unsuitable for duct runs over 3 m or 4 m, depending on the number of bends in the run, as the increased air pressure in longer pipework inhibits the fan's performance.
Continuous running extractor fans run continuously at a very slow rate, running fast when necessary, for example when a bathroom light is switched on. At working speed, they are just normal extractor fans. They extract typically 5 to 10 l/sec at continuous speed and use little electricity, 1 or 2 watts, for low annual cost. Some have humidity sensors to control trickle operation. They have the advantage of ensuring ventilation and preventing the build-up of humidity. Alternatively, a normal extractor fan may be fitted to operate intermittently at full power for the same purpose.[19] In cold weather they may have noticeably cool the room they are in, or, if the door is open, the house.[20]
Electro-mechanical fans: Among collectors, are rated according to their condition, size, age, and number of blades. Four-blade designs are the most common. Five-blade or six-blade designs are rare. The materials from which the components are made, such as brass, are important factors in fan desirability.
A ceiling fan is a fan suspended from the ceiling of a room. Most ceiling fans rotate at relatively low speeds and do not have blade guards because they are inaccessible and unwieldy. Ceiling fans are used in both residential and industrial/commercial settings.
Inautomobiles, a mechanical or electrically driven fan providesengine cooling and prevents the engine from overheating by blowing or drawing air through acoolant-filledradiator. The fan may be driven with abelt and pulley off theengine'scrankshaft or an electric motor switched on or off by athermostaticswitch.A small fan clamped to the passenger partition of a New York City taxicab for additional cabin cooling
Fans insideaudio power amplifiers help to draw heat away from the electrical components.
Variable pitch fan: A variable-pitch fan is used to precisely control static pressure within supply ducts. The blades are arranged to rotate upon a control-pitch hub. The fan wheel will spin at a constant speed. The blades follow the control pitch hub. As the hub moves toward the rotor, the blades increase their angle of attack, and an increase in flow results.
Often called a "squirrel cage" (because of its general similarity in appearance toexercise wheels for pet rodents) or "scroll fan", the centrifugal fan has a moving component (called animpeller) that consists of a central shaft about which a set of blades that form aspiral, or ribs, are positioned. Centrifugal fans blow air at right angles to the intake of the fan and spin the air outwards to the outlet (by deflection andcentrifugal force). The impeller rotates, causing air to enter the fan near the shaft and moveperpendicularly from the shaft to the opening in the scroll-shaped fan casing. A centrifugal fan produces more pressure for a given air volume, and is used where this is desirable such as inleaf blowers,blowdryers, air mattress inflators,inflatable structures,climate control inair handling units and various industrial purposes. They are typically noisier than comparable axial fans (although some types of centrifugal fans are quieter such as in air handling units).
A diagram of a centrifugal fan, with a top view to show airflow
Typical centrifugal fan
Centrifugal cooling fan installed within a laptop. The fan displaces air over the fin stack, which contains a pair of heat pipes.
Cross-section of a cross-flow fan, from the 1893 patent. The rotation is clockwise. The stream guideF is usually not present in modern implementations.Cross-flow fan
Thecross-flow ortangential fan, sometimes known as atubular fan, was patented in 1893 by Lionel Hightower,[21][22] and is used extensively inheating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), especially in ductless split air conditioners. The fan is usually long relative to its diameter, so the flow remains approximately two-dimensional away from the ends. The cross-flow fan uses animpeller with forward-curved blades, placed in a housing consisting of a rear wall and avortex wall. Unlike radial machines, the main flow moves transversely across the impeller, passing the blading twice.
The flow within a cross-flow fan may be broken up into three distinct regions: a vortex region near the fan discharge, called an eccentric vortex, the through-flow region, and a paddling region directly opposite. Both the vortex and paddling regions are dissipative, and as a result, only a portion of the impeller imparts usable work on the flow.[23] The cross-flow fan, or transverse fan, is thus a two-stage partial admission machine. The popularity of the crossflow fan in HVAC comes from its compactness, shape, quiet operation, and ability to provide a high-pressure coefficient. Effectively a rectangular fan in terms of inlet and outlet geometry, the diameter readily scales to fit the available space, and the length is adjustable to meet flow rate requirements for the particular application.
Common household tower fans are also cross-flow fans.[24] Much of the early work focused on developing the cross-flow fan for both high- and low-flow-rate conditions and resulted in numerous patents. Key contributions were made by Coester, Ilberg and Sadeh, Porter and Markland, and Eck.[when?] One interesting phenomenon particular to the cross-flow fan is that, as the blades rotate, the local air incidence angle changes. The result is that in certain positions, the blades act as compressors (pressure increase), while at other azimuthal locations, the blades act asturbines (pressure decrease).
Since the flow enters and exits the impeller radially, the crossflow fan has been studied and prototyped for potential aircraft applications.[25] Due to the two-dimensional nature of the flow, the fan can be integrated into a wing for use in both thrust production and boundary-layer control. A configuration that utilizes a crossflow fan located at the wingleading edge is theFanWing design concept initially developed around 1997 and under development by a company of the same name. This design creates lift by deflecting the wake downward due to the rotational direction of the fan, causing a largeMagnus force, similar to a spinning leading-edge cylinder. Another configuration utilizing a crossflow fan for thrust and flow control is thepropulsive wing, another experimental concept prototype initially developed in the 1990s and 2000s. In this design, the crossflow fan is placed near thetrailing edge of a thick wing and draws the air from the wing's suction (top) surface. By doing this, the propulsive wing is nearly stall-free, even at extremely high angles of attack, producing very high lift. However, the fanwing and propulsive wing concepts remain experimental and have only been used for unmanned prototypes.
A cross-flow fan is a centrifugal fan in which the air flows straight through the fan instead of at a right angle. The rotor of a cross-flow fan is covered to create a pressure differential. A cross-flow fan has two walls outside the impeller and a thick vortex wall inside. The radial gap decreases in the direction of the impeller rotation. The rear wall has a log-spiral profile, while the vortex stabilizer is a thin horizontal wall with a rounded edge.[26] The resultant pressure difference allows air to flow straight through the fan, even though the fan blades counter the flow of air on one side of the rotation. Cross-flow fans give airflow along the entire width of the fan; however, they are noisier than ordinary centrifugal fans. Cross-flow fans are often used in ductlessair conditioners,air doors, in some types oflaptop coolers, in automobile ventilation systems, and for cooling in medium-sized equipment such asphotocopiers.[27]
An open-face supermarket freezer with an air curtain. Cooling air circulates across the food through the dark slot seen at the rear of the freezer, and through another grille not visible along the front.
Dyson Air Multiplier fans introduced to the consumer market in 2009 have popularized a 1981 design byToshiba that produces a fan that has no exposed fan blades or other visibly moving parts (unless augmented by other features such as for oscillation and directional adjustment).[28] A relatively small quantity of air from a high-pressure-bladed impeller fan, which is contained inside the base rather than exposed, induces the slower flow of a larger airmass through a circular or oval-shaped opening via a low-pressure area created by anairfoil surface shape (theCoandă effect).[28][29][30]
Air curtains and air doors also utilize this effect to help retain warm or cool air within an otherwise exposed area that lacks a cover or door. Air curtains are commonly used on open-face dairy, freezer, and vegetable displays to help retain chilled air within the cabinet using a laminar airflow circulated across the display opening. The airflow is typically generated by a mechanical fan of any type, as described in this article, and is hidden in the base of the display cabinet.HVAC linear slotdiffusers also utilize this effect to increase airflow evenly in rooms compared toregisters while reducing the energy used by theair handling unitblower.
Fans may be installed in various ways, depending on the application. They are often used in free installations without any housing. There are also some specialised installations.
In vehicles, a ducted fan is a method of propulsion in which a fan,propeller or rotor is surrounded by an aerodynamic duct or shroud which enhances its performance to create aerodynamic thrust or lift to transport the vehicle.
In ventilation systems, a jet fan, also known as an impulse or induction fan, ejects a stream of air that entrains ambient air to circulate the ambient air. The system takes up less space than conventional ventilation ducting and can significantly increase the rates of inflow of fresh air and expulsion of stale air.[31]
Fans generate noise from the rapid flow of air around blades and obstacles causing vortexes, and from the motor. Fan noise is roughly proportional to the fifth power of fan speed; halving speed reduces noise by about 15dB.[32]
The perceived loudness of fan noise also depends on the frequency distribution of the noise. This depends on the shape and distribution of moving parts, especially of the blades, and of stationary parts, struts in particular. Like withtire treads, and similar to the principle ofacoustic diffusors, an irregular shape and distribution can flatten the noise spectrum, making the noise sound less disturbing.[33][34][35]
The inlet shape of the fan can also influence the noise levels generated by the fan.[36]
The optimal temperature for using a fan to cool down remains uncertain. While fans are commonly used to lower body temperature through evaporative cooling, there is a point at which the convection effect of moving air can counteract this benefit. This temperature, at which fan use may become detrimental, is currently unknown.[37]
Health organizations offer varying guidance on fan usage in high temperatures. TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against fan use when temperatures exceed 32.2 °C (90 °F), while theWorld Health Organization (WHO) suggests avoiding fan use above 40 °C (104 °F).[37]
Recent studies have shed further light on this issue, though their findings are somewhat contradictory. One study found limited additional benefit from fan use above 35 °C (95 °F), while another study reported a 31% reduction in cardiac stress among elderly individuals using fans at 38 °C (100 °F).[37]
Building heating and cooling systems commonly use squirrel-cage fans driven by separate electric motors connected by belts.
Standalone fans are usually powered by anelectric motor, often attached directly to the motor's output, with no gears or belts. The motor is either hidden in the fan's center hub or extends behind it. For bigindustrial fans, three-phase asynchronous motors are commonly used, may be placed near the fan, and drive it through abelt and pulleys. Smaller fans are often powered byshaded pole AC motors, orbrushed orbrushless DC motors. AC-powered fans usually use mains voltage, while DC-powered fans typically use low voltage, typically 24V, 12V, or 5 V.
The fan is often connected to machines with a rotating part rather than being powered separately. This is commonly seen in motor vehicles withinternal combustion engines, large cooling systems, locomotives, and winnowing machines, where the fan is connected to thedrive shaft or through a belt and pulleys. Another common configuration is a dual-shaft motor, where one end of the shaft drives a mechanism, while the other has a fan mounted on it to cool the motor itself. Windowair conditioners commonly use a dual-shaft fan to operate separate fans for the interior and exterior parts of the device.
Where electrical power or rotating parts are not readily available, other methods may drive fans. High-pressure gases such as steam can drive a smallturbine, and high-pressure liquids can drive apelton wheel, either of which can provide the rotational drive for a fan.
Large, slow-moving energy sources, such as a flowing river, can also power a fan using awater wheel and a series of step-down gears or pulleys to increase the rotational speed to that required for efficient fan operation.
Internal combustion engines sometimes drive an engine cooling fan directly or may use a separate electric motor.
Large electric motors may have a cooling fan either on the back or inside the case. (Shown with the black rear cover removed.)
Electric fans used for ventilation may be powered bysolar panels instead of mains current. This is an attractive option because once the capital costs of the solar panel have been covered, the resulting electricity is free. If ventilation needs are greatest during sunny weather, a solar-powered fan can be suitable.
A typical example uses a detached 10-watt, 12 in × 12 in (30 cm × 30 cm) solar panel and is supplied with appropriate brackets,cables, andconnectors. It can be used to ventilate up to 1,250 square feet (116 m2) ofarea and can move air at up to 800 cubic feet per minute (400 L/s). Because of the wide availability of 12 Vbrushless DC electric motors and the convenience of wiring such a low voltage, such fans usually operate on 12volts.
The detached solar panel is typically installed in the spot that gets most of the sunlight and then connected to the fan mounted as far as 25 feet (8 m) away. Other permanently mounted and small portable fans include an integrated (non-detachable) solar panel.
^Mitchell, John W.; Braun, James E. (2013).Principles of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning in Buildings. Wiley.ISBN978-1111826110.{{cite book}}:Check|isbn= value: checksum (help)
