The different types of centrifugal fans (2)

About centrifugal fan:

The different types of centrifugal fans

Sometimes known as blowers, centrifugal fans are generally found in commercial and industrial HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) markets. They can be used for a variety of applications such as commercial ventilation, domestic boilers and heat recovery systems. There are a wide range of centrifugal fans available based on the different airflows required for certain applications. But what are the different types of centrifugal fans?  Here we have picked out four of the main types of centrifugal fan to help answer this question.

Crossflow / tangential fans

Crossflow / tangential fans consist of an extended forward curved impeller type (similar to a cylindrical lawn mower blade) and also requires the use of a type of fan scroll (volute). Instead of the air entering the impeller through the eye of the impeller, for this type of fan the scroll housing has an opening on one side usually at 90° from the direction of the air outlet.

This type of fan is suited to applications that require a high airflow rate but at low system restriction pressures. Due to the reduced overall height of this product type it is particularly suited to high flow rate applications within a reduced space envelope. This type of product has similar characteristics to a regular forward curved fan in terms of its power usage, but has a lower overall efficiency than a regular forward curved fan.

Due to the blade length and proximity to the scroll housing’s inlet, these types of fans are can suffer from excessive noise levels or blade passing noise. These fans are also not suited to higher pressure applications and quickly become unstable when subjected to higher system restriction pressures.

Radial bladed fans

Radial bladed fans are in some ways similar to a backward curved impeller, but have straight impellers blades typically angled backwards from the direction of rotation but can sometimes be vertical from the impeller axis.

Radial bladed fans act in a very similar way to a regular backward curved fan but for most applications require the use of a fan scroll to provide directionality of flow and convert some air velocity into static pressure. Radially bladed impellers can used for recirculation fans to spread air in all directions, such as in an oven. For recirculation type fans, the impeller is usually of a single piece construction (without an inlet shroud) and has fewer blades and a more open construction. This is to prevent the build-up of contamination on the impeller blades (e.g. soot), particularly in high temperature applications where exhaust gasses are being handled.

Radially bladed fans can also be used in applications that require the fan to have reversible direction of operation in which case the quantity of blades can be higher and are orientated radially from the rotational axis. Depending on the design of impeller used, the power requirement can vary significantly as can overall efficiency, but in general these types of impellers are less efficient than a backward curved fan.

Types of centrifugal fan

There are several types of centrifugal fans, including:

Forward-curved blade centrifugal fan: This type of fan has blades that are curved in the direction of the fan's rotation. It is efficient and produces high flow rates, but can be noisy and prone to erosion.

Backward-curved blade centrifugal fan: This type of fan has blades that are curved in the opposite direction of the fan's rotation. It is highly efficient and produces high static pressure, making it ideal for applications where air needs to be moved over long distances.

Radial blade centrifugal fan: This type of fan has blades that are straight and extend radially from the center of the fan. It is often used in high-pressure applications, such as air handling systems and pneumatic conveying systems.

Airfoil centrifugal fan: This type of fan has blades that are shaped like an airplane wing, with a curved top and a flat bottom. It is highly efficient and produces low noise levels, making it ideal for use in HVAC systems.

Backward-inclined centrifugal fan: This type of fan has blades that are inclined backward, which helps to reduce the amount of turbulence and noise generated. It is often used in HVAC systems, as well as in industrial applications where high flow rates and low noise levels are required.

Where to buy centrifugal fan

AFL Fan Equipment Factory is a leading China centrifugal fan supplier and axial fan manufacturer. We have our own production workshop and design team. If you cooperate with us, we can provide you with first-hand prices.

Welcome to choose AFL Fan Equipment Factory - a leading China centrifugal fan supplier and axial fan manufacturer.

For more product information about YouTube and Centrifugal fan, you can click on the relevant link below.

AFL China Centrifugal Fan supplier Axial fan manufacturer