Revolutionary axial fan concept
Noise emission and energy efficiency are key aspects for axial fans used in the evaporators, condensers and heat exchangers in ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning systems – in addition to the required air flow. To be able to fully exploit the potential available for optimization, the fan has to be considered as an entire system consisting of the impeller, motor, housing and control electronics. Efficiency improvements can only go hand in hand with improvements in aerodynamics. ebm-papst has taken on this challenge and developed a revolutionary concept for axial fans that presented for the first time at Chillventa.
Top performance in new dimensions
Only those who have the future in view today can set tomorrow‘s standards. Based on the latest HyBlade® technology, AxiCool brings a breath of fresh air to the world of evaporators and air coolers. High efficiency and low energy consumption – now in new dimensions with sizes up to 800 for applications in commercial and industrial cooling.
It‘s all a matter of TechNiQ
The best iQ ever.The iQ motor series is especially economical and environmentally friendly. The NiQ performs just as consistently with up to 70 % efficiency, which translates into energy savings thanks to its GreenTech EC technology. This is an ideal benefit for applications such as in the food sector. And the best thing about it: identical installation dimensions make NiQ suitable for retrofitting.
Conserving resources with a system
Top performance does not have to come at the cost of economic efficiency or the environment. This is the deep conviction and clear stance upon which we base our product development process. Especially when it comes to harmonization within a complete system. From the very beginning, we optimize our materials and processes with regard to environmental compatibility, our energy footprint and recycling and focus on precisely harmonizing motor technology, aerodynamics and electronics. The best examples are our GreenTech solutions, which combine maximum performance and energy efficiency.
A fan for any scenario
Besides the required air flow, minimal noise emission and increased energy efficiency are key characteristics for axial fans used in evaporators, condensers and heat exchangers in ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning systems. In the form of the AxiBlade, fan and motor specialist ebm-papst has developed a new generation of axial fans that exploit every last bit of optimization potential offered by the current state of the art.
Modular concept
The AxiBlade concept is based on a modular system. This comprises fan housings of varying heights with an aerodynamically optimized inlet ring. These are complemented by profiled impeller geometry and winglets for maximum efficiency. The impellers have been designed for the various motors they are able to be combined with, which increases efficiency and reduces running noise. Exhaust turbulence and the resulting dynamic losses can also be minimized thanks to the guide vanes. The guard grilles are matched to the various combinations and aerodynamically optimized.Not only do they protect against accidental contact, they also contribute to the high overall efficiency of the axial fans. Thanks to their modular concept, AxiBlade axial fans can operate in a wide variety of applications with an optimum efficiency of up to 54 %. In the process, a noise reduction of up to 8 dB(A) can be achieved when compared with the standard program.
The right solution for every pressure range
The new axial fans can be ideally matched to the application in question. For example, the standard fan housing with a height of 190 mm and no guide vanes is suited to low to medium pressure ranges up to 200 Pa. In this case, the benefits of the guide vanes do not come into play. Even without them, the efficiency and operating noise are much better than the current industry standard. The guide vanes become interesting with the approx. 300-millimeter-high fan housing (depending on the size category) with integrated diffuser for high back pressures up to 290 Pa. Here, the guide vanes are essential for achieving such high efficiency. Suitable components can be combined depending on the pressure ranges required and the fans can be produced accordingly.
No design changes to the customer's unit required
Since the new axial fans' footprint corresponds to the current industry standard, virtually no design changes to the end unit are necessary. Besides the especially energy-efficient GreenTech EC motors, the new AxiBlade models are also available with the AC motors that are still widely used. Sizes 800 and 910 are currently available; an expansion of the series to include sizes 630 and 710 is planned for 2017.
Efficiency with great style
Axial fans in size category 1,250 mm have been an established part of ebm-papst's product range for several years. Now axial fans of this size can also be combined with the AxiTop diffuser, which not only enables an increase in energy efficiency, but also a decrease in noise emission.
Axial fans for high output
The blades of the axial fans are mounted on the rotor at an optimum inclination angle. Thanks to their powerful 6 kW electronics, they achieve an air flow of up to 65,000 m³/h. The fans operate in ranges up to 280 Pa. Operation is possible up to an ambient temperature of 75 °C, which is especially necessary for use in compressor stations.
Diffuser increases efficiency and minimizes noise
Without AxiTop, an overall efficiency of approx. 42 % is achieved. If the axial fan is combined with the diffuser, the overall efficiency can be increased to over 50 % thanks to an improvement in the aerodynamics. This effect of increasing pressure simultaneously minimizes outlet losses and reduces energy consumption by 25 %.
Energy savings pay off
EC fans are made all the more impressive by their considerably higher efficiency levels. It is possible to control them in line with demand, in contrast to otherwise conventional designs with asynchronous motors. This further increases energy savings and quickly pays off for the user. If many fans are in use, the 0-10 V interface and the convenience of networking using the MODBUS are available for actuation. Considering an operating point of around 48,000 m³/h at 140 Pa and an operating time of 6,000 hours per year, and when using an axial fan in size category 1,250 mm with the AxiTop, this results in an energy saving of over €1,000 per year (at a price per kWh of €0.15).
Simple installation
These fans are used in electricity generation systems, gas plants and compression stations, as well as in large refrigerating plants and condensers, to name a few examples. The AxiTop can also be retrofitted to existing fans. Installation is simple: The user can implement an easy-to-install plug & play solution.
A gentle giant for air coolers
Low-pressure axial fans are used when the focus is on high air flow rates at very low pressure. This is the case in air-cooled heat exchangers, dry coolers, cooling towers and condensers. Users can now benefit from a new combination of highly efficient, energy-saving EC fans from ebm-papst and special impellers.
Air performance levels up to 84,000 m³/h The extremely sturdy FPX impellers made by Howden are manufactured from glass-fiber-reinforced polyester. The blades guarantee effective damping of mechanical vibrations and require minimal maintenance. In combination with ebm-papst EC motors, air performance levels of up to 84,000 m³/h are achieved, making the fans ideally suited for applications with pressure levels up to 150 Pa. The impellers on the low-pressure EC axial fans have a diameter of 60 inches (1,524 mm).
Everything built-in and perfectly coordinated
The low-pressure EC axial fans from ebm-papst are synonymous with a simple setup: As it happens, all functions required for operation are already built-in and perfectly coordinated. Instead of buying the motor, frequency converter, filter, shielded cables, impeller and fan housing individually and coordinating them with each other, as was previously the case, users are now supplied with a perfect complete system. Legal provisions complying with the Ecodesign Directive for Fans (ErP) are adhered to. Standard-compliant measurements and easy-to-follow documentation are also supplied.
Partial-load operation saves money and reduces noise
Air coolers are often used in mixed areas or in urban areas, e.g. in supermarkets or for cooling in data centers. Residential areas in particular require strict noise protection regulations to be observed. EC fans are continuously adjustable thanks to their integrated electronic control system. This means that the speed can always be adjusted as necessary to the requirements of the system or process in question. The partial-load range is one particular area where EC motors demonstrate significantly better efficiency than IE4 motors. Only the energy that is actually required is consumed. During the day, the fans can generate their full output yet also run in partial-load operation when demand is lower, such as at night. This dramatically reduces noise generation, saving energy and subsequently also money. The low-pressure EC axial fans are available for delivery now.
Fan selection made easy
Efficient operation in any assumed load condition is the aim of any fan selection. To find the optimum fan for a particular application, ebm-papst offers its FanScout selection software.
Highest accuracy rating confirmed by TÜV SÜD certification body
The minimum input data for selecting suitable fans are the operating points and times. In addition, information about the available installation space, redundancy requirements or the maximum permitted number of fans contributes to making the best selection. Based on these specifications, ebm-papst FanScout checks all possible size and number variations for their expected annual energy consumption. This makes it easy to determine the operating costs, to which the capital and service costs are then added in order to obtain the lifecycle costs over a defined period. This cost analysis makes it easier to make decisions when investing in energy-efficient fan technology, as it allows precise calculation of amortization times. This is because the selection software is based on actual measured data. The variation between calculated operating data and actual measured data is so small that the TÜV SÜD certification body has given the software its highest accuracy rating.
Operating costs under actual operating conditions
Fans are selected not only based on the maximum operating point, as is so often the case, but individually based on a defined operating cycle that is predicted to occur over the year. For example, the requirements for the fans change depending on whether recirculation or mixed air mode is used. For this reason, in ebm-papst FanScout up to five different operating conditions can be entered, including the operating hours the fans spend running under those operating conditions. On this basis, the software calculates the total energy consumption for every fan combination.
Use of parallel operated fans in ventilation technology
To achieve high air performance in modern ventilation technology, several smaller fans often operate in what are known as FanGrids. The selection software can also be used to determine the most economical fan combination for FanGrids. Parallel operation of multiple small fans has huge advantages over large individual fans. The more uniform flow through the heat exchangers or filters leads to better heat transfer performance and more efficient filtering of the air. In addition, several small fans require much less space, which reduces the costs of the system. A FanGrid has a redundant design, i.e. if one fan fails, the speed of the others is automatically increased to provide the best possible compensation for the loss of air performance. The ebm-papst FanScout software can also reliably simulate this operating condition, contributing to an optimum configuration of the ventilation system.
Fans for evaporators and unit coolers
The energy-saving fan, designed specifically for use in evaporators, is impressively efficient, extremely reliable and boasts a long service life. When designing and manufacturing this energy-saving fan for evaporators, great emphasis was placed on sustainability and the preservation of resources.
Less material means using less energy in manufacturing, which is why this energy-saving fan was designed as a complete unit. A single solution comprising individual components, this integral approach has achieved greater efficiency. Compared to the more traditional internal rotor motor designs, the amount of steel and copper required has also been halved. The reason behind this improvement in efficiency is the GreenTech EC motor, as well as the one-piece impeller using the established HyBlade® technology with profiled blade geometry and winglets. The EC motor ensures that 30% less energy is consumed than average evaporator fans with traditional AC motors, while single brackets make assembly relatively easy thanks to the flexibility of the mounting holes. The design allows the customer to retain his existing guard grille design and there is no need to disassemble the evaporator unit even when retrofitting. The external rotor design has made the energy-saving fan extremely compact, translating into a very low mounting depth. The GreenTech EC motor used meets IP54 requirements and is thus more than able to meet the tough demands in the evaporator. Two speeds are available as standard, a selection that can be tailored to provide further energy-saving possibilities. The 300 mm version of the evaporator fan is now available. Source:
www.ebmpapst.com
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Innovation at Chillventa 2016 Photos at Chillventa 2016
