Turbo Blowers And Fans

By Author: Oleg Tchetchel
Total Articles: 31
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Gas turbine generators require the most reliable equipment for their air-cooling and ventilation needs. The fans used in these systems are mounted onto gas-turbine generator packages for use in power plants as well as on cruise ships, oil rig platforms, and mobile generators. These systems are loaded onto tractor-trailer rigs or barges and moved to a site to generate power for events like the Super Bowl and concerts. Manufacturers of these gas-turbine generators are realizing it pays to have the right fan for the job from the start and are turning to Buffalo Fan to provide these unique solutions.

In the past, the OEM purchased the necessary fan equipment then mounted it on its gas turbine generators. These generator sets were then shipped to job sites all over the world and installed in coastal areas, jungles, deserts and other extreme locations (even water-based applications like cruise ships and oil rig platforms). A key requirement for these applications is that the fans need to be exceptionally corrosion resistant to withstand these severe environmental factors.

Noise attenuation is a major issue for power ...
... generators, both to protect workers’ hearing and to keep operation at the quietest level for any surrounding residential or business communities.

Power generation is a complex process. The power generation fan / blower equipment should be tough enough to avoid operational failure and to minimize installation and repair work. The rugged, high performance fans Buffalo Fan provided to a state-of-the-art hybrid energy center, were ideal for the task. Aerovent was chosen for this project because of their reputation for building large custom fans for extreme industrial applications. The energy center’s primary requirement was that its chosen vendor be able to design and build a set of the most rugged, efficient roof ventilators within budget. Most roof ventilator fans last between 10 and 20 years when properly maintained. Because of the permits and cost involved in performing maintenance work on the roof of a power plant, they wanted their fans to have a longer life span (up to 40 years). This lifespan requirement meant that the fans had to be constructed using industrial grade materials and components.

Buffalo Fan propellers provide equal airflow in both directions. Other companies’ fans have a standard-exhaust one-direction propeller and are run backwards for the supply mode, producing about 40 percent of exhaust-mode airflow. ABuffalo Fan blowers produce 100 percent airflow in either direction. Aerovent also produced an integrated electrical control system guaranteed to work with its fans instead of the power plant having to acquire a separate system from another source. The system features an onboard starterdisconnect switch, which boosts the motor’s start and can be easily disconnected.

Fire safety is a challenge in any environment, and especially so in a power plant. In case of a fire, the first priority is to ensure the safety of employees. Another goal is to be able to salvage expensive equipment in the building. With ventilation fans, if the motor fails during a fire, it is more beneficial if the fan’s dampers automatically fail in the “open” position, and allow smoke to escape.

Buffalo Fan’s expertise in custom-building fans for complex applications, like this energy center, allowed them to design and construct a special fire damper for the fans. When the motorized damper is activated, a metal linkage arm attached to the damper blades moves to open or close the damper.

Buffalo Fan custom made damper features a fusible linkage arm with a “soft metal” section in the link. When temperatures reach 212 degrees (as in the case of a fire), the soft metal plate fails, breaking the linkage, and a heavy counter weight swings the damper into the “open” position.

For additional information please refer to http://buffalofan.com/fanblower.html.

Oleg Tchetchel
Canadian Process Design Engineer
Buffalo Fan Co.
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