Are High Velocity Fans Good?

Are High Velocity Fans Good?  

If you're looking for alternatives to using air conditioning in an industrial setting, you're probably wondering if high velocity fans will work well. The answer depends on the situation. In some circumstances, they will work great, while in others, you'll want to look at other alternatives. Here are some of the ins-and-outs of these big fans.

Consider the Fan Style

Many high velocity fans, such as the Triangle Engineering high velocity fans, are of the "drum" variety. These look like giant drums, and the sides cause the air to be directed in a beam-like pattern. This makes them good for cooling people and things that are directly in front of them, but not useful for cooling anyone who is outside of the narrow beam. Because of this, they work well for cooling people who are situated in a line, such as assembly line workers. However, they wouldn't be good for cooling down an office with cubicles.

Some high velocity fans point downwards, and are mounted at ceiling height. These will cool a few people who are right below them, but just like with ground-based drum fans, they don't do anything for those who are out of range of the beam.

When you need to cool a wider area, a different shape of fan is needed. High velocity fans for warehouses take many forms, and for cooling, high volume ceiling and wall fans are better bets.

Think About Windiness

Drum fans produce a huge amount of wind. This is fine or even preferred if you don't have to worry about things blowing away. However, if your employees are dealing with papers or lightweight parts, too much wind can make it impossible to work. Standing in a strong wind all day is also very dehydrating, and this is a problem if water isn't readily available.

In these cases, it's better to go for a high volume fan instead of a high velocity version. These can move a lot of air without the windiness.

Ambient Temperature Considerations

Fans can only cool people if the air temperature is below about 95 degrees. If it's hotter than that, the blown air will actually heat people up. This is because the skin cools itself by evaporating sweat into cooler air. When the air isn't cooler, this doesn't work. Since the skin is a few degrees cooler than the internal body temperature, 95 is generally the cutoff.

In most areas, the outside air will usually be below 95. However, there will be days when it's hotter, and in some states, this can be about half the year! Also, some industrial locations engage in processes that make the inside air hotter than this cutoff. In these situations, evaporative cooling systems are a better bet as air conditioning alternatives.

With all of these things in mind, you can better determine whether or not you should choose industrial high velocity fans as your cooling solution. As long as these fans are used appropriately, you'll get good results.