Mechanical machinery and technical processes often require the continuous movement of air, most of which ensures that air flow is unimpeded so surfaces stay clean while optimizing aerodynamics and cleanliness. Centrifugal air blowers are one of the most popular options for the movement of air within mechanical equipment. The housing within a centrifugal air blower works such that air is made to rotate radially (by 90 degrees) twice, ensuring that air is properly moved from one junction to the next.
The applications of centrifugal air blowers are vast, as industrial blower manufacturers have created various blowers that can be used for specific mechanical purposes. These centrifugal air blowers are beneficial for industrial use as they are more efficient than other forms of debris and air flow/exchange — while water pumps operate at nearly 3,450 rpm, air blowers rotate at roughly 18,000-20,000 rpm. Considering centrifugal fans, there are a few types that are most commonly found in engineering and mechanical science environments:
- Forward Curve: Used for clean air, exhaust and ventilating purposes, these high pressure, small airflow fans are able to easily pump air from one part of the system to another, all due to the direction of the fan being pointed near the front of the fan’s rotation wheel. These are also low noise.
- Backward Curve: The opposite construction of forward curve — the direction of the fan being pointed against the fan wheel’s rotation — these fans centrifugal air blowers have good operating efficiency and can be easily fitted to most mechanical systems. These are most often used to handle low-effort gas streams.
- Radial: With fan blades radiating from the hub (center) of the fan wheel, these are often used for gas streams that require fan systems to have little particulate build-up. With high speeds, high pressures and low volumes, these are most commonly found in vacuum cleaners.
Another type of centrifugal air blower is that of air knife blower systems. With sharpened blades aligned along the wheel, these systems are often used to remove free-standing materials from surfaces of a materials. These are either applied under the conditions of cleaning manufacturing surfaces, or for ensuring that a machine’s innards are kept clean while under processing, removing any possible build-up that might accumulate over time.
With various uses, these systems have many applications, and examples of them can be found in some of the most complicated machinery, and even some of the machinery contained within your home. Considering taking a look and seeing just where they can be found around your home.
