Fan selection software and the FEI

In June Computair had the pleasure of holding a webinar, Fan Selection Software and the Fan Energy Index (FEI), hosted by Preston Koh of Asia AMCA in Singapore, and presented by Computair fan selection expert Andy Philpott. The webinar was well-attended by Asia AMCA members.

Simultaneous broadcasting in multiple continents can present a myriad of technical challenges, but we received outstanding technical support from Scott Arnold of AMCA Global in Illinois, USA.

The webinar discussed the Computair fan selection package WebFAN and the important role of selection software today in promoting efficiency and the FEI.

Andy started with an overview of fan selection software and its role in finding the best fan for an airflow requirement. The user has many variables to consider, including the type of installation, power supply, maximum sound levels, etc., depending on the application of the fan. It’s the job of fan selection software to accurately provide as much information for each possible matching fan, so the user can decide which best meets their requirements.

The presentation turned next to cost versus efficiency. Since all fans can do the job, invariably cost (or purchase cost) is a driving factor and it is probably fair to say that, historically, purchasing decisions have been made based on the cheapest upfront solution. However, the cheapest fan to buy will not be the cheapest to run, nor will it be especially efficient, often resulting in high power consumption and further expense to replace fans as they wear out due to running at higher speeds than necessary.

In this context, Andy looked next at the Fan Energy Index and how it works. The FEI is a metric which encourages designers to make fan selections closer to a fan’s peak efficiency. The higher the FEI, the less power is consumed at a given duty point (airflow and pressure). Adhering to the FEI places more emphasis on achieving good efficiency during fan selection than previous standards, such as FEG and FMEG.

Realistically, fans accommodating the FEI are likely to be more costly upfront. The challenge is a more expensive initial outlay, but better efficiency in the long-term. For the bottom line, that means a reduced demand for power, less pollution and less landfill as fans don’t wear out as quickly because they are running at lower speeds.

Fan selection software has an important part to play in promoting ‘efficiency first’ and the case of reduced running costs versus simply choosing the cheapest fan to install. Andy’s presentation included use of Computair’s WebFAN software to demonstrate how the technology is evolving to accommodate energy efficiency requirements.

The webinar concluded with a Q and A session. Andy really appreciated the level of engagement amongst participants and enjoyed the resulting discussion. If you missed the webinar but would like to know more about our fan selection software, please contact us on sales@computair.com or telephone +44 1525874426.