Axial vs. Centrifugal Fans: The Big Differences That Matter

07 Oct.,2024

 

Axial vs. Centrifugal Fans: The Big Differences That Matter

Commercial exhaust fans. Air handler fans. Ventilation fans.

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There are more industrial applications for fans than most people can even imagine. Where do you even start in order to learn the differences between types of fans?

That&#;s easy. We&#;ve got you covered.

There are two main types of industrial fans. Differentiating between the two is easy once you understand how each type of fan works and what its benefits and limitations are.

This guide will help you answer the question of &#;Centrifugal fan vs axial fan?&#; Read on find out the big differences between the two most popular types of industrial fans.

Axial Fans

The first and oldest option for an industrial fan is an axial fan. Here&#;s all you need to know about it.

History of Axial Fans

Axial fans have been around forever. They&#;re the oldest design of a fan. These devices date back to the windmills designed by Persians in A.D. 500.

Engineers introduced the electrically powered fans to the public in the s. These electric fans had the same design as the Persian windmills &#; an axial fan.

How an Axial Fan Works

An axial fan is called &#;axial&#; because it has blades that rotate around a fixed axis. The fan is named for the direction of the airflow that it creates as it moves air.

The blades that rotate around the axis pull air in parallel to the axis and force it out in the opposite direction &#; still parallel to the axis.

Imagine a ceiling fan. There&#;s one fixed point in the ceiling that the fan blades rotate around. The fan draws air down from the ceiling, parallel to the axis, and forced straight down to the floor.

The airflow remains parallel to the axis of the fan for the entirety of the flow.

Axial fans don&#;t require a lot of power input in order to run. They move air at a high flow rate, meaning that they can move a lot of air. However, the airflow is low pressure.

Best Uses of Axial Fans

Axial fans have a lot of uses, with most of them falling under the general purpose category. Consider one anytime you need to move a large volume of air from one place to another.

Low-pressure, high-volume flow is great for cooling spaces, such as a home or office building. It&#;s also great for cooling equipment, like the computer you&#;re using right now.

An axial fan is used in condenser cooling for a refrigeration system. It can also make a great exhaust fan.

As more technology is incorporated into everyday products, axial fans become more and more common. They are now used in vending machines to cool the computers that allow for cashless payment options.

For non-ducted applications, this model is likely the solution you need for airflow. Axial fans move a lot of air from place to place when working against little pressure.

Centrifugal Fans

The alternative option for an industrial fan is a centrifugal fan. Check out some quick facts on centrifugal fans to see if it&#;s right for you.

History of Centrifugal Fans

The centrifugal fan was invented in to ventilate mines. It disappeared from history after that. The design made a resurgence in the early s.

How a Centrifugal Fan Works

Centrifugal fans are sometimes called blowers because they create a high-pressure stream of air.

A centrifugal can contains blades mounted around a circular hub. The motion of the hub pulls air in and around the hub, increasing the air pressure as it goes.

These devices move air radially. The end result is that the air coming in is &#;bent&#; at a 90-degree angle before it is pushed out the other side of the fan.

Although they function similarly, centrifugal cans are not the same as air blowers. The latter creates higher pressure ratios than a centrifugal fan can achieve.

This type of fan is typically attached to a system of ducts or tubes. This increases pressure, creating high-pressure airflow.

Centrifugal fans usually have lower flow rates, move lesser volumes of air, and have steadier flow than axial fans. They also require a high power input to operate.

Best Uses of Centrifugal Fans

Anytime you need to move air through ductwork, you will want to consider a centrifugal fan.

When ductwork is involved, the ducts increase pressure due to increased airflow resistance. To overcome this higher pressure, you need a fan that can produce high-pressure flow. You need a centrifugal fan.

This makes centrifugal fans ideal for air conditioning or drying systems. They are also great for caustic or corrosive environments. They&#;re extremely durable fans that work great for pollution filtration systems.

With enclosed parts and particulate reduction capabilities, these devices are difficult to damage and extremely durable.

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Centrifugal Fan vs Axial Fan

Here are some of the key points you need to remember when choosing between the two types of industrial fans.

All things being equal, an axial fan:

  • Has a higher dynamic pressure
  • Has a higher operating speed
  • Has a higher peripheral speed
  • Requires less power for operation
  • Moves a larger volume of air
  • Is typically smaller, lighter and less expensive
  • Creates low-pressure airflow

All things being equal, a centrifugal fan:

  • Is more energy efficient
  • Is more durable and resistant to harsh environments
  • Is less likely to overload due to non-overloading horsepower curves
  • Creates high-pressure airflow
  • Moves a smaller volume of air
  • Requires more power for operation
  • Works better with ductwork
  • Can be equipped with self-cleaning characteristics

Make an Informed Decision

So how do you choose centrifugal fan vs axial fan? It all comes down to the application. Depending on what you need it to do, where it needs to work, and how much air it needs to move, you can pretty easily figure out which type of industrial fan is the most appropriate choice for you.

If you still need help deciding between fan types, contact us today and let one of our experts help you out!

Understanding Ceiling Fan Airflow

There&#;s nothing like the feeling of a cool breeze from a fan during a summer day. To achieve it, you need a ceiling fan that moves the most air. When choosing the right fan, some look at the CFM (cubic feet per minute) number on the box or online product page. While CFM does talk about the air in relation to the fan, there are many more factors that go into a fan to produce the best airflow.  

Ceiling fan CFM versus air velocity

The first thing to understand when evaluating which ceiling fan moves the most air and will cool you best is the difference between CFM and velocity. 

  • CFM measures the volume of air a fan moves in cubic feet. The bigger the fan, the more CFM. Our lab technicians measure a fan&#;s CFM when it's running on high and low speed, then calculate the average. The testing measures are based on the Department of Energy&#;s (DOE) idea of average daily fan use. 
  • Airflow relates to the speed of the air movement, measured using miles per hour (mph).  

Simply put: CFM measures how much air is being moved while air velocity measures how fast it moves. The bigger the fan and greater CFM, doesn&#;t always translate to a cooler you. Think about when you&#;re at a gym, Costco, or Walmart &#; those big fans have a higher CFM than your fan at home. Yet, the air you feel isn&#;t coming from that fan, it&#;s from a central air system. So, if they turned off the central air, you wouldn&#;t feel the coolness you desire.

So, if fan size and CFM doesn&#;t always translate to a cooler you &#; than what does? Let us break it down for you.

What is a good airflow for a ceiling fan?

We measured and designed our SureSpeed® ceiling fans based on airflow instead of CFM because airflow more directly translates to what you feel from a fan. Ceiling fans work by using the &#;wind chill effect&#; to cool people &#; and the faster the air comes from the fan, the cooler you&#;ll feel. It&#;s a lot like when you have the window open in a moving car. Hunter ceiling fans still produce high CFM ratings. We optimize our fans&#; motors and blade pitch to move a lot of air while consuming less energy.  

Pro Tip: To calculate airflow efficiency, divide the CFM by the energy (measured in watts) needed for operating the fan at the high-speed setting.

 

Factors that determine ceiling fan airflow and velocity

Fan blade shape and pitch

The number of blades on the fan isn&#;t necessarily an indicator of ceiling fan airflow, but the ceiling fan blade pitch (or fan blade angle) and shape can impact airflow. Our engineering team created a contoured, aerodynamic blade design for our SureSpeed ceiling fans that push air more efficiently compared to standard flat blades. Our SureSpeed precision blades produce a more uniform and smooth flow of cooling air instead of chopping or cutting through the air like the traditional flat blade.  

Ceiling fan size  

Size is a big factor in efficient ceiling fan airflow. Installing a fan that's too small for your space won't circulate air effectively throughout the room. Alternatively, installing a fan that's too large for the space could overpower the room, even on a lower setting. Keep in mind that larger fans will also tend to have higher CFM due to the surface area, but that doesn&#;t always translate to air velocity. Be sure to look for SureSpeed if you really want to feel the difference. Our ceiling fan buying guide is a great resource for learning what the right ceiling fan size is for your space to produce the best airflow.  

Ceiling fan motor performance

Even if you have the proper fan size, blade shape, and blade pitch, you still need a powerful motor to generate the movement that creates airflow. We use an optimized motor with quiet operation in our SureSpeed fans so you get better airflow using less energy.

Fan distance from ceiling and floor

The distance between the fan and the ceiling and floor depends on the style of your fan, size of the room, and whether your ceiling is angled &#; but it also impacts airflow. Choose the right ceiling fan mount type and downrod length based on your ceiling height for safe installation and optimal airflow and performance.

Ceiling fan direction  

How can I increase ceiling fan airflow? To get the most out of ceiling fan airflow, you&#;ll want to make sure your ceiling fan is spinning counterclockwise in the summer. This creates a downdraft, which you feel as a cool breeze when you&#;re sitting under the fan. Having the fan on high speed and spinning counterclockwise will give you the coolest breeze.  

During the winter, you&#;ll want your ceiling fan to spin clockwise at the lowest speed. The updraft helps move warm air trapped at the ceiling around the room. If you have the fan spinning clockwise but on high-speed, it counteracts the warming effect.   

Ongoing innovation from the Hunter engineers

As we&#;ve explained, factors including blade size and shape, blade pitch, and motor performance are essential for superior air movement. At Hunter Fan Company, we are constantly testing the combination of these elements to maximize the performance of our products. From the number and shape of the blades to the motor size, the slightest change can make a difference in a fan's overall functionality and ultimately create the perfect level of comfort. Our designers' mission is to create stylish, timeless ceiling fans that also provide energy-efficient airflow. They work closely with our engineering team to create designs that also produce optimized airflow, from the interior components to the blade shape. 

Explore our other innovations including WeatherMax® and SIMPLEconnect® technologies for premiere ceiling fans for use outdoors and in smart homes.

 

 

Ceiling fan CFM vs. air velocity

CFM measures how much air is being moved while air velocity measures how fast it moves.

What is a good airflow for a ceiling fan?

Ceiling fans work by using the &#;wind chill effect&#; to cool people &#; and the faster the air comes from the fan, the cooler you&#;ll feel. You should consider fan blade shape and pitch, ceiling fan size, ceiling fan motor performance, and the distance of your ceiling fan from the ceiling to floor.

How can I increase ceiling fan airflow?

To get the most out of ceiling fan airflow, you&#;ll want to make sure your ceiling fan is spinning counterclockwise in the summer . This creates a downdraft, which you feel as a cool breeze when you&#;re sitting under the fan.