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BASIC MINE VENTILATION

6.0 Understanding Fans

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How do they work?

What are the different types?

What is the difference between primary,


booster, auxiliary, secondary, development, etc. fans?

Where are fans best installed?

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WHAT IS A FAN?

“Any device that produces a current of air by the movement of broad


surfaces can be called a fan

………Fans fall under the general classification of of “turbomachinery” and


have a rotating impeller at least partially encased in a stationary
housing.

………Fans are similar in many respects to pumps. Both are


turbomachines that transfer energy to a flowing fluid. It is easy to
distinguish between fans and pumps: pumps handle liquids; fans
handle gasses.

………Broadly speaking, the function of a fan is to propel, displace,or


move air or gas, .”

(Howden Buffalo Inc.“Fan Engineering” (1999))

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Fan parts
Impeller rotates and transfers energy to the air. (wheel, rotor, runner, propeller)
Blade the working surface. (vane, paddle)
Shroud supports the blades ( cover disc, inlet plate,
backplate, rim, flange)

Hub attaches to the fan/motor shaft but may support


the blades directly (axial) or indirectly through a shroud
(centrifugal). (boss, disc)
Housing encloses the impeller and guides the air to
and from the impeller. (casing, scroll, panel, ring, volute)
Centrifugal housing include side plate and scroll
sheets.
Axial housing includes the outer and inner cylinder,
belt tube

Inlet the opening to the impeller. (eye, suction, suction


eye, inlet cone, inlet bell, inlet nozzle)

Outlet the opening leaving the fan. (discharge,


discharge cone, evase, diffuser)
Guide Vanes when installed before the impeller are called pre-rotation vanes or inlet guide
vanes. If they are adjustable they are called variable inlet vanes or simply VIV’s. When installed
after the impeller they are termed straightening vanes or discharge guide vanes.

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Fan types

Four distinctive fan types are classified according to the direction of


flow through the impeller.
Axial-flow. - Air flows through the impeller parallel to, and at, a constant
distance from the axis. The pressure rise is provided by the direct
action of the blades.
Centrifugal or Radial-flow. - Air enters parallel to the axis of the fan
turns through 90º and is discharged radially through the blades. The
blade force is tangential causing the air to spin with the blades and the
main pressure rise is attributed to this centrifugal force.
Mixed flow. - Air enters parallel to the axis of the fan turns through an
angle which may range from 30º to 90º The pressure rise is partially
by direct blade action and partially by centrifugal action.
Cross flow. - Air enters the impeller at one part of the outer periphery
flows inward and exits at another part of the outer periphery.
Mixed and cross flow fans have very limited application for
underground mines and will not be discussed further in this course.

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Impeller types
Axial Centrifugal

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Performance characteristic (1)
The theoretical pressure-quantity curve of an ideal fan (no losses) is a
straight line between zero volume and zero pressure.

Theoretical pressure – quantity (P-Q) characteristic


Pressure

Friction losses

Useful P-Q curve Shock losses

Quantity

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Performance characteristic (2)

Normally referred to as the “fan curve”.


Three parameters are desirable on a fan
performance characteristic.
FLOW RATE - although mass flow can be used
it is most common to use volume expressed in
cubic metres per second (m3/s). (air volume, inlet
volume, quantity, Q). Should mass flow rate be
given the volume is calculated by dividing this
rate by the air density.

PRESSURE - May be given as total pressure


or static pressure and expressed in Pascals (Pa).
[see next slide]

INPUT POWER – The power (electrical or


otherwise) required to drive the fan and
expressed in kilowatts (kW). (power, shaft power,
absorbed power)

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Fan pressure

Fan Total Pressure (FTP)


The difference between the average total pressure at the fan inlet and the average
total pressure at the fan outlet.

Fan Velocity Pressure (FVP)


The average velocity pressure at the fan outlet.

Fan Static Pressure (FSP)


The difference between the fan total pressure (FTP) and the fan velocity pressure
(FVP). FSP is therefore the difference between the average static pressure at the
fan outlet and the average total pressure at the fan inlet.

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Fan efficiency
Efficiency
Expressed in percent (%) and describes the ratio of the fan
output power (kW) to fan input power (kW).

Fan (motor) input power Is the power to the motor that is


required to drive the fan and may include elements of any
train considered to be part of the fan. (e.g. belt drive, gear
box).

Fan output power Is the product of the fan pressure and


the fan volume (AP = PQ) (air horsepower, air power)

Where AP = air power (watts), P = pressure (Pa = N/m2)


and Q = quantity (m3/s).
Substituting
PQ = N/m2 x m3/s
= Nm/s
Since
1Nm = 1 Joule and, 1 Joule/second = 1 watt, then
AP = watts.

If the FTP is used then the efficiency is expressed as the


fan total efficiency and if FSP is used the the efficiency is
expressed as the fan static efficiency.

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Summary of Fan Power
Air power
Is product of the inlet volume flow and the fan pressure.

Fan shaft power


the mechanical power supplied to the fan shaft

Motor input power


Is the power to the motor that is required to drive the fan and
may include elements of any train considered to be part of
the fan. (e.g. belt drive, gear box).

Fan manufacturers talk of efficiency in terms of the Fan


shaft power
Airpower
Fan shaft input efficiency =
Fan shaft power
and users of fans generally think of efficiency in terms
of motor input power.

Airpower
Motor input efficiency =
Motor input power

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Centrifugal Fans
Impeller blades are manufactured either laminar
(flat, constant thickness) or aerofoil shape and
generally hollow.
Aerofoil blades have generally been regarded as having
greater efficiencies (up to 90%) that those achievable with
constant thickness blades, with the advantages of efficiency
spread over the characteristic and lower noise generation.
However with careful attention to design of blade curvature,
inlet eye detail and impeller shrouding, comparable
efficiencies can be achieved with constant thickness blades.
Not withstanding this aerofoil blades are freely used
particularly when blade stresses are high and extra stiffening
is required.

Laminar (flat) blades Aerofoil blades


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Centrifugal Fans

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Centrifugal fan - Basic description

As the impeller rotates it draws air in through the eye and throws it out in a
radial direction through the blades.
Can be direct drive (impeller attached to the motor shaft) or indirectly driven by
belts, gear box or friction clutch
Blades can be either flat or aerofoil, straight or curved, forward or
backward
Performance control is achieved by altering the speed, adjusting VIV’s, or
adding blade extensions
When rotated in the wrong direction air will continue to flow into the eye and
out through the blades
Can be either single or a double inlet

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Forward inclined blades
Provide large quantities (Q) of air at low running speeds.

Pressure rise limited by blade stresses

Generally considered to be the most compact, quietest with the most competitive first
cost.

Efficiency limited to 60% to 70% at most.

Steeply rising power characteristic

Duty point

Shaft power
re
Pressu

Pressure
er
Pow

Straight blades Curved blades Quantity

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Backward inclined blades
Higher tip speeds than forward inclined blades

High total efficiency

Bulkier casing

Fewer blades with greater depth

Non overloading power characteristic. (i.e. power input does not peak at either
free flow or no flow)

Press
ure

Shaft power
Duty point

Pressure
r
Powe

Straight blades Curved blades Quantity

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Radial blades
Air performance sits between backward and forward inclined blades

Steeply rising power characteristic

Relatively low efficiency

Good self cleaning properties make them exceptional for handling air with
high concentrations of dusts or other larger airborne particles (backward and
forward incline blades tend to clog up more quickly)

Pressu
re
Duty point

Shaft power
Pressure Pow
er

Radial blades Quantity

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Performance characteristics of centrifugal fans

d
ve
c ur
Pressu
re
a rd
r w
Fo
Duty point

Shaft power
Pressure

l
a dia
R

Backward curved

Fo
rw
er

Ba
Pow

ar
ck

d
wa

cu
Ra

r
rd

ve
di
cu

d
al
rv
ed
Quantity
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6.0 (a) Centrifugal fans

FAN SLIDE SHOW

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Axial flow fans

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Axial flow fan – Basic description
Can be direct drive (impeller attached to the motor shaft) or indirect drive (belts,
gearbox)

Tip clearance (distance between the tip of the impeller blades and the fan casing) is
typically 0.25% of the impeller diameter.

Blades can be either flat (generally steel plate) or aerofoil (generally cast alloy).
Aerofoil sections can apply greater force to the air, increasing pressure and
maintaining better efficiency over a wider range. Increasing the thickness and
curvature, increases stiffness allowing operation at higher speeds.

When rotated in the backward direction they will reverse the direction of flow through
the fan and deliver 60% to 70% of the forward quantity of air. (A true reversible fan
will have alternate blades rotated through 1800 and deliver 85% of the normal setting
in either direction)

Performance control is achieved by altering speed, adjusting impeller blade pitch


angle or adjusting VIV’s.

Performance is enhanced by installation of inlet cone, inlet or outlet guide vanes, tail
fairings, and diffusers (evase).

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Drive arrangements for axial fans

Typical arrangement
for secondary fans in
metal mines

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Accessories
Inlet cone (inlet bell) Reduces inlet shock losses
Nose dome - Streamlines flow over the impeller hub
Guide vanes – Downstream reduce swirl and enhance pressure. Particularly important if
exhausting into a long high velocity duct as the swirl will exist for long distances
significantly increasing pressure drop.
Guide vanes – Upstream induce a swirl in the opposite direction to the rotation of the
impeller. Not often used as they increase noise and are less efficient than downstream
guide vanes. However will increase peak pressure of the fan.
Tail piece (fairing) –
Reduce turbulence
(shock losses) caused by
the motor.
Diffuser – minimises
outlet velocity pressure
and maximises fan static
pressure

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Solidity

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6.0 (b) Axial fans

FAN SLIDE SHOW

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Performance control

Dampers

Can be either inlet or outlet

Change the resistance of the


system

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Performance control

Variable inlet vanes

Installed at the inlet close to


the impeller

Spin the air in direction of


rotation of the impeller

Provide a resistance as well as


flow modification

Alter the performance


characteristic of the fan

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Performance control

Variable pitch blades

Axial fans only

Each setting has a different


performance characteristic

Can be altered while in motion but


it is usual to withdraw the fan from
service to make an adjustment

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On-load pitch adjustment
is possible but extremely expensive and high maintenance

Off-load blade pitch adjustment


requires the fan to be withdrawn from service for an extended period of
time
blade attachments are often extremely difficult to release after quite short
periods of use
an expensive and time consuming activity
In some cases, a new set of pitch plates will be needed for each duty
change
many axial flow fan installations are allowed to operate at less than
optimal flow rates for long periods of time simply because it is so difficult
to change the blade pitch, resulting in a considerable waste of expensive
power.

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Blade pitch (angle) setting

Adjustment using pitch markings

Adjustment using pitch plates

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Blade pitch (angle) setting (2)

Airflow
Adjustment using a protractor
Direction
Impellers without markings require the
use of a protractor to set the Underside or
appropriate angle. blade root
angle
Some manufacturers specify the the
blade pitch angle in terms of the “tip
chord”. Those who refurbish fans
often incorrectly set these angles as Impeller Blade
Hub root
the at the blade root rather than the tip
of the blade. Depending upon the twist Boss
of the blade this could be as much as
30 resulting with the fan performance Tip chord angle Blade tip
less than expectations.
Rotation Direction

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Performance control

Variable speed
Each change of speed
develops a new fan
performance characteristic
(see fan laws)

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Performance control

Fans in series

Increase pressure (P)

Slight increase in quantity


(Q)

New curves can be drawn


simply by adding the
pressure (P) at a constant
quantity (Q)

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Performance control

Fans in parallel

Increase quantity (Q)

New curves can be drawn


simply by adding the quantity
(Q) at a constant pressure (P)

Note:
the quantity is NOT doubled
simply by adding an extra fan.

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Start-up
Single fan - variable speed
On start up a fan goes from
standstill to full speed

Will follow path 1,2,3,4 if


equilibrium is reached
instantaneously

Will follow path 1’, 2’, 2’, 4 if


equilibrium is not established
instantaneously (i.e. if the
system has a significant volume
or it is necessary to blow the bag
up)

In any case all points are on the


negative part of the curve and
therefore stable.

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Start-up
Single fan – Damper control
Dampers set to open when a
predetermined pressure is
reached (i.e no flow until
operating pressure is reached)

Fan must follow the parabola


over the hump and the fan may
become unstable during this
stage

Miners have found by experience


that jog starting fans with long
lengths of lay-flat duct reduces
excessive power draw and
prevents the fan from shaking
violently.

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Start-up

Single fan with dip in the curve

In this case the curve has a


dip as well as a hump

In this case all intersections


are on the negative (stable)
part of the curve

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Start-up
Two fan is series

If started simultaneously they will


act in the same manner as a single
fan

If one fan is started the operating


fan sees a higher resistance
caused by the non-operating fan.
At the start-up of the second fan
the system resistance is lowered
and the first fan comes down the
curve whilst the second fan moves
from a free flow (air from the first
fan) situation until both fans are at
the same speed and contributing to
the combined fan curve

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Start-up
Two fans in parallel
If started simultaneously they will
act in the same manner as a
single fan

When one fan is started it will run


up and settle on on the system.
The second fan (no flow) will start
and when acceleration is sufficient
it will move to the right at the
same time that the first fan is
moves up its curve until both fans
are at the same speed and
contributing to the combined fan
curve

Note that the second fan must


move over the hump and could
cause serious instability if the
curve has a dip as well as a hump

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Parallel fans with a dip (1)

Parallel Fans
Static pressutre (Pa)

Apparent operating
points

Quantity (m 3/s)
1 Fan 2 Fans 3 Fans System

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Parallel fans with a dip (2)
P a ra lle l F a n s
Static pressutre (Pa) Eck line

Apparent operating
points
Q u a n tity (m 3 /s)
1 Fan 2 Fans 3 Fans Sy s tem

In this case it is highly likely that the third fan would become unstable on
start-up, to the point that it would not recover. To start fans with this
particular type of characteristic requires the use of variable speed drives,
VIV’s or adjustable pitch in motion blades.

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Fan operating duty point
The theoretical operating (duty) point of any fan is determined as the
intersection of the Actual P-Q curve and the resistance curve of the system
in which it will operate.

Theoretical pressure – quantity (P-Q) characteristic


Pressure

Friction losses

Useful P-Q curve Shock losses

Quantity

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Fan and System Resistance curves

1000 P-Q c
u rve
Pressure (Pa)

Operating point
e 12.0 m3/s 700 Pa
urv
500 c
nce
is ta
s
re
stem
Sy
0
0 5 10 15 20
Quantity (m3/s)
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MULGA HILL FAN COMPANY
QWER 1250-2300-12 990 rpm 1.2kg/m3
Reference P'nW 2345
3500
Manufacturers Code for
the fan type usually Manufacturers
3000 provides, fan type, hub reference
diameter, impeller diameter, number
number of blades, fan
2500 Speed & air density

Fan Static Pressure (Pa)


2000 Fan performance sets

1500 Fan operating point


70
AP = P x Q

1000 60
Pressure sometimes
given as Fan Total
Pressure 50
500
40
10 20 30
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
700

600
Fan Shaft Power (kW)

500 70

400 Impeller blade


pitch setting 60
300
Fan Shaft power at the
50
operating point
200
40
30
100
20
0 10

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200


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(m3/s)
Airpower = 200 x 1500 = 3000 W = 300 kW
Fan shaft efficiency = 300 / 325 = 92%

325 kW

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Assume duty
100 m3/s 1000 Pa

System Resistance
Q (m3/s) P (Pa)
0 0
20 40
40 160 Efficiency 77%??
60 360
80 640
100 1000
120 1440
140 1960
160 2560
180 3240
200 4000
220 4840
240 5760
260 6760
180 kW

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Example
80 m3/s 1.0kPa

Blades set at 400

350 kW motor

What is the maximum flow


possible with this fan?

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Example
Maximum blade angle 520

Due to wear on blades


would be prudent to set at
500

80 1000
System Resistance
Q (m3/s) P (Pa)
0 0
20 63
40 250
60 563
80 1000
100 1563
120 2250
140 3063
160 4000
180 5063
200 6250

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Relative merits of axial and centrifugal fans

Axial fans offer better efficiency over a wider range of duties whereas the
centrifugal fans can have a higher efficiency, albeit over a smaller range,
on a single performance curve.
The performance of a single speed axial fan can be altered simply by
adjustment to the impeller blade pitch angle
The performance of a single speed centrifugal fan requires the installation
of variable inlet vanes.
Axial fans are generally considered to be more easily accessible for
maintenance
Axial fans generally run faster than centrifugal as a consequence are much
noisier.
Axial fan impellers are generally manufactured from aluminium in an effort
to keep weight to a minimum. As a consequence the potential for erosion is
greater, particularly if there is water in the shaft

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Relative merits of axial and centrifugal fans (2)

The light material used in the blades along with the high rotational speed of
axial fans make them prone to erosion, and even in good (dry) conditions it
is reasonably expected that this erosion will have significantly reduced the
fan performance within five years.

Centrifugal fan impellers are fabricated from plate and are generally hollow.
As a consequence when there is water in the shaft the nose of the blade is
prone to pitting allowing water to enter the hollow section. Sufficient water
in this section will cause the impeller to become unbalanced, and if allowed
to continue it will result in high vibration and eventual failure of the impeller
shaft.

Centrifugal fans traditionally require the construction of large concrete


foundations for the motor and ductwork. The cost of these foundations
significantly increases the capital cost of the fan

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Relative merits of single and multiple fan installations

Single fan installations are generally less expensive than multiple fan
installations.

Multiple fan installations have the advantage of airflow redundancy, i.e. a


percentage of airflow will always be available whilst a fan is off line for
maintenance or component change out.

Single fan options do not provide any capacity for redundancy airflow. The
purchase of spares (motor, impeller, shafts, bearings, blades etc) is good
management and should be included as upfront capital expenditure.

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BASIC MINE VENTILATION

6.4 Fan Laws

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BASIC MINE VENTILATION

6.5 Fan Performance Testing

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BASIC MINE VENTILATION

6.6 Operating Multiple Fans

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Acknowledgements
DALY, B.B., 1978 “Woods Practical Guide to Fan Engineering”
(Published by Woods of Colchester 1978)

Le ROUX, W., “Le Roux’s Notes on Mine Environmental


Control” Fourth Edition. (The Mine Ventilation Society of South
Africa).

JORGENSEN, R. 1983 “Fan Engineering Eighth Edition” (Buffalo


Forge Company. Buffalo, New York.)

BURROWS, J., 1989 “Environmental Engineering in South African


Mines” (The Mine Ventilation Society of South Africa)

DERRINGTON, A.S., 2002 “Control of Water Discharge from Mine


Ventilation Shafts” (Proceedings of Underground Operators
Conference 2002, pp317-326 (The Australian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy: Melbourne)

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