Optimum FanGrids for AHU equipment

In the past, large air volumes were moved mainly by large fans. In modern air handling unit (AHU), several small fans work in parallel in FanGrids. This saves space, ensures operational reliability and is efficient. Parallel-working GreenTech EC fans guarantee high operational reliability and clearly reduce operating costs. The ebm-papst FanScout selection software allows you to find the most efficient combination of fans.

Efficient air distribution in a small space
Centrifugal or axial fans can be used in FanGrids to achieve the required air performance. This arrangement has huge advantages over large individual fans. For example the airflow through heat exchangers or filters, both upstream and especially downstream, is uniform. This results in improved heat transfer performance and efficient filtering of the air. While on the other hand, several small fans take up much less room than one large fan. This reduces the cost of the system and saves space.

Fan selection made easy
To enable users to find the optimum combination of fans, ebm-papst offers a flexible selection tool: the ebm-papst FanScout. With the help of this selection software, ebm-papst determines the most efficient FanGrid. The minimum information to be provided about the operating parameters is the operating points and times. Details of the amount of space available for installation, any required redundancy and the permitted number of fans can also be entered to produce a competent design. FanScout searches through all the possible combinations of sizes and numbers of fans based on the estimated annual energy consumption. The results include the operating costs, which can be augmented by capital and servicing costs to allow life cycle costs to be assessed over a defined period of time. These cost calculations help in decision-making.

Operating costs under real operating conditions.
Fan selection is not based on the maximum operating point but more specifically on the changing requirements over the year. Air handling units operate for most of the time under part load and often under changing operating conditions. The demands on the fans change if operated in circulatory or mixed-air mode. To take this into account, the ebm-papst FanScout considers up to five different operating scenarios and stores the period of operation for each in hours per year. The software uses this information to calculate the total energy consumption for each fan combination.

Redundancy provides more operational reliability.
FanGrids are often designed with some level of redundancy to guarantee that the required quantities of air are available to the building at all times. In this way, air-conditioning systems always have enough capacity in reserve should individual fans not be operating. The ebm-papst FanScout software reliably simulates this possibility and contributes to the optimum design of the ventilation system.

For more details, contact:
ebm-papst Mulfingen GmbH & Co. KG
Ralf Mühleck
Phone +49 7938 81-7035
Ralf.Muehleck@de.ebmpapst.com