Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association

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Fans and Fan Systems

E. A. Cruse

To cite this article: E. A. Cruse (1980) Fans and Fan Systems, Journal of the Air Pollution Control
Association, 30:8, 939-942, DOI: 10.1080/00022470.1980.10465133

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1980.10465133

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 AUGUST 1980

Fans and Fan Systems

E. A. Cruse
Air Movement and Control Association, Inc.

At the heart of any air pollution control system there is a connected to the inlet of the fan. A straightener is located
fan, or fans. The fan through its impeller, transfers external upstream of the pitot traverse to remove swirl and rotational
energy into the air stream which, in turn, uses this energy to components from the air flow and to insure that the flow at
transport pollutants through the various components of the the plane of measurement is as near to uniform as possible.
system and, in many cases, to discharge the "clean" air into This arrangement insures consistency and reproducibility
the surrounding ambient air. of test results and permits the fan to develop its maximum
This concept has been used in industry for almost 100 years performance. In any installation where this condition does not
and information concerning the design and selection of fans exist the fan's performance will be reduced.
for specific types of systems is widely available. It is the intent
of this article to comment on some recent developments re-
lated to the application of fans to systems. The need for more
P1.3
accurate information on this subject has resulted from more
sophisticated techniques used in designing systems and from
the urgent need to make installations which will be more ef-
ficient in the use of energy.

Fan Testing and Rating

Almost all fans sold in North America are tested in accor-
dance with AMCA Standard 210—"Laboratory Methods of Symmetrical *»"«•»'•»>"" ""'"^^ni °Ptional
throttling ^ C i i ^ I transformation piece
Testing Fans for Rating." This standard specifies the test device C ^ ^ ^ 1 elements
setups, instrumentation, procedures, etc. which must be used SP3r converging-15° max
to insure that ratings published by different manufacturers diverging — 7°max
A =A
can be meaningfully compared. 3 i +lm£%l
Two basic methods of measuring air flow are included—the
pitot tube and the long radius flow nozzle. These are incor- Figure 1. Pitot traverse in inlet duct for fans with inlet duct with or without outlet
porated into a number of different "setups" or "figures'." In duct.
general, a fan is tested on the setup which most closely simu-
lates the way in which it will be installed in an air moving
system. Unducted Fan Tests
Centrifugal, tube axial and vane axial fans are usually tested
with an outlet duct. Propeller fans are normally tested in the Figure 2 illustrates a typical multi-nozzle chamber test
wall of a chamber or plenum. Power roof exhausters are tested setup from AMCA Standard 210. This simulates the condi-
mounted on a curb exhausting from the test chamber. tions under which most exhaust fans are used and ratings
It is very important to realize that each setup in AMCA based on this type of test will usually require adjustment only
Standard 210 is a standardized arrangement which is not in- when additional accessories are used with the fan.
tended to reproduce exactly any installation likely to be found
in the field. The infinite variety of possible arrangements of The Fan Laws
actual air systems makes it impossible to duplicate these in
the fan test laboratory. Most users of fans are familiar with the "Fan Laws." These
equations enable the results of a fan test at one speed to be
Ducted Fan Tests used to calculate performance at other speeds and other gas
densities, and for different sized, but geometrically similar
Figure 1 is a reproduction of a test setup from AMCA models of the same fan design.
Standard 210. Note that this includes a long straight duct It is important to recognize that the Fan Laws are, in fact,
approximations. They can be used with accuracy across only
Copyright 1980-Air Pollution Control Association limited changes of speed, size, or pressure. The limitations are

August 1980 Volume 30, No. 8 939

CONTROL TECHNOLOGY NEWS
associated with changes in Mach number and Reynolds
number inside the fan, and with changes in the relative
roughness of the impeller surface.
AMCA is currently conducting investigations into these
effects with the aim of developing practical adjustments to the
Fan Laws which would give more accurate projections of fan
performance. At this time it appears that any correction fac-
tors which are developed will be different for each type of fan
and may vary significantly between different manufacturers'
designs. It is, therefore, a wise precaution to consult the fan
manufacturer before implementing any major changes in the
speed or point of operation of an existing fan installation.
P1.5 P1.6 P1.8 P1.1 P1.2
""I) G?.?in"*1
HhHi^inHeha-M
iin| mm
An upward adjustment of fan speed should be made only
after checking with the manufacturer that the fan can be op-
erated safely at the higher speed. It is also essential to check
the increase in power needed. This will increase as the cube
of the speed and it is very easy to exceed the capacity of the
motor and even the available electrical service.
System Effects
As we have discussed, fan rating tests are conducted in
standardized configurations which are rarely exactly repro-
duced in thefield.In most actual installations the connections
between the fan and the system will have a disruptive effect
on the flow conditions at the fan inlet and outlet. The effect
of these flow disturbances will usually be significantly greater
than the pressure losses due to friction in the system compo-
nents involved.
As an approach to quantifying this effect, AMCA developed
the concept of the "System Effect Factor." Figure 4 includes
a family of "System Effect Curves." By entering the chart at
.

G I
A B C P E FJHJJ K L M N O

JJMLV z VZ
5.0
4.0
Variable supply fan
3.0
2.5 L
'MJiL'Mi
WLLLU-LLLLL
*D6Of largest nozzle
2.0 LUMLLLLUL
Figure 2. Multiple nozzles in inlet chamber for fan used with or without ducts.
1.5 //Mill
The System Curve
1.0
Estimating the resistance of an air handling system is a 0.9
UJLLLL
complex task which requires a considerable number of as- 0.8
liLLLL
sumptions on the part of the system designer. The situation
is further complicated by the fact that the system is often not
0.7
0.6 if MILL 7
installed exactly as shown on the original design drawings.
Figure 3 shows the effect on final fan and system performance
0.5
0.4 ZMllu RTL VZ w
when the actual system resistance is significantly different
from the original design estimate. I 0.3 M/JJU/HU 11
0.25 WLL TliLL 7 LL
0.2 TL
Actual system pressure
/--—Actual duct system (B)
' 0.15 ULL LUL 77/
if
loss more than design fan /
will deliver at " * / /
/ Calculated duct
system curve (A)
0.1
5 6 78910
zZ 15 20 25 30 40 50 60
/ -Actual duct Air velocity, fpm in hundreds
system (C)
Air density=0.075 Ib per cu ft

Actual system pressure Figure 4. System effect curves.

loss less than design fan
will deliver at ( f )
Fan pressure-volume
curve
Design cfm
Figure 3. Duct system curve not at design point.
It is important to realize that in the cases of the actual duct
systems (B) and (C) the fan cannot operate at the designed
point of rating (1). This could be achieved only by modifying
the system and changing its resistance. If the system is not
modified, the fan can be made to move the design air quantity
only by changing its speed. This has the effect of moving the
whole fan curve so that it will run through either point (4) or
point (5).
the appropriate inlet or outlet velocity on the abscissa, locating
the appropriate System Effect curve, and reading across to
the ordinate, an equivalent pressure loss is obtained for the
particular configuration and velocity. This "System Effect
Factor" is given in inches of water gauge and must be added
to the estimated total system pressure losses. Where there will
be a "System Effect" at the outlet and the inlet, the appro-
priate factor must be determined separately for each config-
uration and both must be added to the estimated total system
pressure losses.
When all the applicable System Effects Factors have been
added to the estimated total system pressure losses, a "Design
Point of Operation" can be established and the fan input
horsepower at this point can be obtained from the manufac-
turer's catalog data.
It must be emphasized that expressing the System Effect
as a pressure loss is simply a convenient device intended to
simplify the task of the system designer. The "pressure loss"

940 Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association

given is, in fact, an approximation of the loss of performance
of the fan due to the disturbed flow conditions at its inlet
and/or outlet.
After completion of the system installation the fan should
be performing at the specified airflow rate against the total
system pressure loss excluding the added System Effect
Factors. The horsepower absorbed should correspond to that
required by the fan when operating at the specified airflow
rate and the total system pressure loss including the System
Effect Factors.
It should also be appreciated that the System Effect Factors
shown in Figure 4 are approximations. Research jointly
sponsored by AMCA and ASHRAE (American Society of
Heating Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.)
indicates that the actual values will vary for different types
of fan and even between similar types made by different
manufacturers. There is also evidence that there is a rela-
tionship between the loss of performance and the rotational
speed of the impeller. At this time insufficient data are
available to permit modification of the curves to show these
differences. However, use of the System Effect Factors will
result in much more realistic estimates of actual fan-system
performance because, in the past, very few system designers
have made any allowance for these effects.
In some cases, a realistic estimate of the System Effect
Factors may be sufficient to persuade the system designer that
a change in the system arrangement should be made. The cost
of using more space or rearranging other equipment may well
be more than offset by the improved operating efficiency of
the final fan system. The System Effect curves are based on
standard air (.075 lb per cu ft) but, as the System Effect is
directly proportional to density, values for other densities can
easily be calculated.
Outlet Conditions
As previously mentioned, fans designed for use in ducted
systems are normally tested with an outlet duct in place and
rated performance will not be achieved unless a similar duct
exists in the actual system. Figure 5 shows the development
of a uniform velocity profile at increasing distances from the
fan outlet. Where it is not possible to use a full length outlet
duct, a System Effect Factor must be added to the estimated
system pressure losses.
This factor will be affected by the ratio of the Blast Area
(the area above the fan cut-off) to the Outlet Area (the area
of the actual duct connection). Where the Blast Area is small
relative to the Outlet Area the System Effect Factor will be
significantly higher. This ratio is not usually included in fan
catalog data and it will be necessary to obtain it from the fan
manufacturer. Catalog data should include statements
specifying what ducting, if any, was in place when rating tests
were made.
Elbows near the Fan Outlet
Space requirements often result in a system being designed
' with elbows at, or near to, the fan outlet. Published values for
pressure losses in elbows are based on the assumption of a
uniform velocity profile entering the elbow, but the velocity
profile at the outlet of a fan is not uniform and an elbow lo-
cated at or near the outlet will develop a pressure loss which
will be significantly larger than the published handbook
value.
The complexity of developing appropriate System Effect
Factors will be demonstrated when it is appreciated that
AMCA data include more than one hundred combinations of
Blast Area/Outlet Area ratio—outlet duct length—and elbow
position. For certain elbow positions an additional multiplier
must be used when considering double inlet fans. This results
in 224 factors which can be applied to a simple duct elbow in
the outlet duct. In addition to elbows, special consideration
August 1980 Volume 30, No. 8
must be given to the effect of other devices and appurtenances
when these are installed near the fan outlet. These include
diffusers, turning vanes, volume control dampers, and branch
duct take-offs.
Inlet Conditions
The inlet of a fan is even more sensitive to the effect of the
system connections than the outlet. Some fans intended pri-
marily for use as "exhausters" may be tested with an inlet duct
in place or with a special bell-mouthed inlet to simulate the
effect of a duct. If this condition does not exist in the final
installation, there will be a loss due to a vena contracta and
the following rapid expansion, and a System Effect Factor
must be applied.
Elbows at or near the fan inlet will produce nonuniform
inlet flow and in many cases will generate an inlet vortex, the
swirl or spin in the vortex may rotate in the same direction as
the fan impeller or it may be opposed. In either case the effect
on fan/system performance can be very significant. Reduc-
Discharge duct
Fan housing axial
Figure 5. Controlled diffusion and establishment of a uniform velocity profile
in a straight length of outlet duct.
tions of airflow of as much as 45% have been observed in par-
ticularly bad cases. Inlet configurations which will generate
swirl should be avoided where possible. In many cases losses
can be reduced by the use of turning vanes.
In large built-up systems it is common to enclose one or
more centrifugal fans in a plenum or cabinet. Unless the wall
to inlet clearance is equal to at least one inlet diameter, some
allowance must be made for the System Effect of the plenum
walls.
Attention must also be given to the path which the air
stream follows in approaching the fan inlets. If this is such that
the air stream enters the inlet unevenly or if spin is generated,
loss of performance will result. If it is not practical to alter the
flow pattern ahead of the inlet, some improvement can usually
be obtained by the use of baffles at the fan inlet.
A reduction in fan performance can also be expected when
an obstruction to air flow is located in the plane of the fan
inlet. Structural members, columns, butterfly valves, blast
gates and pipes are examples of inlet obstructions.
A System Effect Factor must be added where such ob-
structions exist. The unobstructed percentage of the inlet area
941
CONTROL TECHNOLOGY NEWS
is calculated by projecting the profile of the obstruction on to
the profile of the inlet. The adjusted inlet velocity obtained
is then used to enter the System Effect curve chart and the
System Effect Factor determined from the curve listed for
that unobstructed percentage of the inlet area.
Where control of the airflow volume is required, such as in
"variable-air volume" systems, it is common practice to use
controllable inlet vanes. These have the effect, when properly
designed and installed, of allowing the point of operation of
the fan to be changed with a minimum reduction in efficiency.
However, it is very important to recognize that, even in the
wide open position, the vanes will have a measurable effect
on the fan's performance and a suitable allowance must be
made for this loss.
In general, it must be recognized that fan performance data
are almost always based on a test of a "bare" fan. Unless the
manufacturer's catalog specifically states otherwise, some
allowance must be made for the effect of any appurtenance
or accessory used.
At this time, the only generally available source of infor-
mation on System Effects is AMCA Publication 201—Fans
and Systems. Information related to specific types and models
of fans may be available directly from the manufacturer. More
complete and accurate information concerning the effects of
fan-system connections is needed to enable the design of en-
ergy-efficient systems. Joint industry discussions are currently
in progress with the aim of initiating further research in this
area.
Unsatisfactory system performance can often be the result
of factors other than the fan-system connections. Faulty in-
stallations are common, including such problems as improper
installation or assembly of the fan, damage in handling or
transit, deterioration of the system, faulty controls, poor fan
selection, or combinations of any of these or similar prob-
lems.
About AMCA
AMCA (the Air Movement and Control Association
Inc.) is an international trade association made up of
manufacturers of fans and other air moving equipment,
and of louvers and dampers used to control airflow in
industrial and commercial air handling systems.
AMCA's current membership includes 90 manufac-
turers in the USA, 14 in Canada, and 22 in overseas
countries.
The Association's most important activity is the
AMCA Certified Ratings Program. Products licensed
to use the AMCA Seal must be rated from tests per-
formed in an AMCA approved laboratory and samples
are checked by AMCA on a continuing basis.
For this purpose AMCA built its own testing labo-
ratory in 1969 which, together with the AMCA Staff
offices, is located in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Prob-
ably the only "production" laboratory of its kind in the
world, the AMCA laboratory makes some 700 to 800
tests each year on air movement and control prod-
ucts.
A joint AMCA/ASHRAE research project on System
Effect Factors was conducted in this laboratory.
Other AMCA activities include the development of
industry standards, application guides, and publications
related to the selection, use, and maintenance of the
industry's products.
A complete list of AMCA publications is available
from AMCA at 30 West University Drive, Arlington
Heights, Illinois 60004.
942
Apparently poor performance may be the result of incorrect
or inaccurate performance measurements in the field. Unless
the system has been designed specially to facilitate accurate
flow and pressure measurements it is very unlikely that the
installed fan-system performance can be measured with an
accuracy even approximating that obtained in the labora-
tory.
Time spent in selecting a fan to match the system will prove
to be a rewarding investment. Corrections made to a fan-
system after completion of the installation are almost always
expensive and very often unsatisfactory because they often
result in the fan operating away from its point of maximum
efficiency with a resulting waste of energy and, in many cases,
significantly increased noise levels.
Mr. Cruse is Executive Vice President of Air Movement
and Control Association, Inc., 30 West University Drive, Ar-
lington Heights, IL 60004.
Construction Materials in Flue Gas Scrubbers
Affect Performance, Battelle Researchers Say
Most of the components in wet flue gas scrubbers have had
a history of good performance and are amenable to repair or
replacement, according to researchers at Battelle's Columbus
Laboratories.
However, some components have had a moderate history
of materials problems and two major components—stack
linings and outlet ducts—have had a significant history of
materials trouble.
In a research project for the Electric Power Research In-
stitute (EPRI), Battelle experts analyzed operating experi-
ences that several utilities have had with construction mate-
rials in full-scale wet limestone or lime flue gas desulfurization
systems. These systems are on boilers that burn eastern or
western coal.
Battelle's Dr. Harvey S. Rosenberg described this research
during a talk at the 7th Energy Technology Conference held
recently in Washington, D.C. Dr. Rosenberg worked on the
project with Battelle's Dr. H. H. Krause, Louis J. Nowacki,
and Charles W. Kistler, and Richard G. Rhudy of the Electric
Power Research Institute.
Dr. Rosenberg said a variety of construction materials have
been used to build the scrubber systems. These include alloys,
organic linings and plastics, and ceramic and inorganic ma-
terials.
"Metal components have been used in all of the various
parts of flue gas scrubber systems," Dr. Rosenberg said. "For
some parts of the system the metal has been protected by an
organic or ceramic material, and it has been presumed to have
no contact with the scrubber liquids. Under these circum-
stances, carbon steel is the material of choice and can be ex-
pected to provide good service as long as the protective lining
remains intact.
"Unlined carbon steel can be used where alkaline conditions
are maintained. Where unlined metal is exposed to sulfurous
and sulfuric acids, corrosion resistant alloys are required."
Dr. Rosenberg said organic linings have been used exten-
sively in various components of flue gas desulfurization sys-
tems including prescrubbers, absorbers, ducts, stacks, and
tanks. These linings are attractive for protecting carbon steel
because of their lower costs compared to other materials.
Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association