HVLS or high-speed fans at high volume took the old idea and applied it in new ways to save energy, providing efficient cooling or heating in modern buildings.
Almost everyone is familiar with the humble fan, a device that has been around for centers that cool us when they are hot. With the advent of electric motors, powered fans have been used in numerous applications from the most basic table fan to the highly developed models used in large-scale air conditioning systems.
Everyone knows that a cool breeze on a hot day provides improved comfort for people, but few know why. When we sweat in still air, a layer of moisture is formed near the body, preventing evaporation, the natural process of cooling the body. Even gently moving air breaks the adjusted air layer, preventing evaporation from evaporating, and we feel colder. The solution is too hot to move the air, but how to do it effectively?
The basic principle of the fan is that energy is supplied through a mechanical device; in this case the blades to move the air. Let's take a look at the physics of air movement to see why large, slow moving fans provide the most air movement for the least energy input. A larger volume of air movement is more efficient than a smaller volume. Friction between moving and stationary air occurs at the boundary, and since a larger volume has a proportionally smaller surface area, the smaller, the less friction and, consequently, less energy needed to maintain motion. Simply put, one big fan is up to 6 times more efficient at moving air than an array of smaller fans. HVLS fans use this efficiency ratio to provide the maximum amount of air for the least amount of energy spent.
In this article, I focus on the use of fans in relation to maintaining human comfort in buildings and improving energy efficiency, which can be obtained in comparison with traditional heating and cooling systems. In short, heating or cooling air in buildings in summer and winter uses large amounts of energy. With larger buildings, such as shopping malls, air conditioning is the largest consumer of electrical energy, above all. In other buildings of such plants the cost of energy is so prohibitive that it is not allowed to install any form of heating or cooling.
HVLS fans can create a cooling effect of up to 6 degrees Celsius when installed in buildings without air conditioning. When used in conjunction with air conditioning in large open buildings, thermostat settings can be increased in hot weather without compromising comfort, saving up to 15% of the cost of electricity. In winter, thermostats can be turned off for similar savings, as large fans gently reduce the warm air that rises to the ceiling through natural convection.
HVLS fans in the world, constantly increasing energy costs and concerns about climate change, provide comfort with increased efficiency.
