Industrial fan systems for furnaces: The need for efficiency and maintenance

Efficiency is critical when it comes to industrial fans for furnace facilities, and this is something we’re particular about at Industrial Fan Services.

An efficient industrial fan is designed to move large volumes of air while consuming less energy which in turn, reduces operational costs. We know this first hand − one of our customers in the glass manufacturing industry was able to reduce their energy consumption by a staggering 40% with an energy efficient fan system from Industrial Fan Services (we share more about this later in this blog). Upgrading your system to something more efficient means you can reduce carbon emissions, which is also important in helping meet Government targets for the country’s carbon footprint.

What are the main benefits of using industrial fans in the furnace industry?

• Improved Safety: Furnaces generate a vast amount of heat and exhaust, and industrial fans can help to ensure that these byproducts are safely vented away from the furnace and the surrounding environment.

• Increased airflow: Industrial fans provide a consistent and powerful flow of air, which is necessary for effective heating and cooling processes in furnaces.

• Reduced energy bills: Industrial fans can help reduce the energy consumption of furnace systems by circulating hot air throughout the furnace more efficiently.

• Improved Productivity: The ability to maintain a constant temperature within the furnace allows for improvements in productivity by ensuring that the furnace is operating at optimal conditions.

• Compliance: Furnaces generate a lot of heat and exhaust. Industrial fans can help to ensure that these byproducts are safely vented away from the furnace and the surrounding environment. This also helps to work towards the Government’s net zero strategy.

Why is vibration monitoring important for industrial fans in furnace environments?

Industrial fan systems operate at high speeds, typically between 900 and 3600 RPM (depending on their specific application, design, and size) which in turn means the system is subject to high stress levels. By carrying out regular vibration monitoring, the levels of vibration in the fan can be analysed to detect any abnormal patterns or trends which can indicate a range of issues such as worn bearings, unbalanced blades, misalignment, or mechanical looseness.

What are the benefits of vibration monitoring for industrial fans?

• Early detection of faults: Effective vibration analysis is essential to maximising machinery uptime, and regular monitoring can ensure this by detecting issues in good time before they potentially have catastrophic consequences. Unexpected downtime from industrial fan failure or breakdown can have severe impacts on business operations and competitive edge.

• Informs maintenance schedules: Regular vibration monitoring can help inform your maintenance schedule for your critical rotating machinery proactively rather than retrospectively. Vibration monitoring in conjunction with machine condition monitoring will allow you to predict potential issues with your industrial fan and plan maintenance in advance. Be sure to monitor excessive or unusual vibration, heat and noise, as well as bearing health checks for wear and tear.

• Increases reliability: Worn bearings can result in excessive noise, heat, increased energy consumption and more critically, premature catastrophic machine failure. Therefore, regular vibration monitoring and a proactive maintenance schedule will ensure your industrial fan is operating smoothly and reliably, increasing efficiency and productivity.

How can Industrial Fan Services help?

We have worked extensively designing and manufacturing industrial fans for furnace applications, supplying BC (Backward Curved), BL (Backward Lamina) and PB (Paddle Blade) fans to customers in the furnace industry as they are more robust and suitable for these high temperatures. We design and manufacture these fans in mild steel up to 400°c, stainless steel up to 650°c, incoloy up to 800°c and alloy 330 up to 1000° depending on the requirements.