Newsletter Number 77
New space, a hub of success Students and staff of the University of Adelaide are enjoying the results of a multi-level all weather learning hub they helped design. Located in the heart of the University’s North Terrace campus, Hub Central is an initial point of contact for students, offering a wide range of informal learning spaces. It is a place where students can relax and exchange information. There’s a strong focus on student support whether it’s wireless connectivity, 24 hour access to computers, print stations, Skype booths, the post office or somewhere to purchase food. Architect firm Hassell spent more than 9,000 hours consulting with students and staff to ascertain their needs and the functional requirements of the space. The result, a 10,500 square metre hub spread over three levels.
August 2013
modules do this without adding moisture to the air and at a fraction of the running cost of traditional refrigerated methods. It slashes power use by up to 80%.” “One of the challenges of the project was to achieve comfortable air distribution without it feeling draughty. The key to achieving this was the use of twenty highly efficient Fantech Gamma EC roof mounted fans to supply air and a further 11 roof mounted variable frequency driven fans to exhaust air. Together they produce 465kW of cooling and supply 35,000 L/s of fresh air. Fantech sound attenuators fitted to the distribution system ensure minimal noise impact on the occupied spaces.” Natural lighting and ventilation to provide a healthy learning environment were important aspects of the design. The roof system, comprising screen-printed and transparent ETFE pillows, moves in response to external climatic conditions to let the sun in or provide shade. This places less pressure on the heating and cooling system and further enhances the energy efficiency of the system.”
Contracted to provide mechanical services, O’Connors worked closely with Project Manager Anthony Ranaldo from the construction company Baulderstone and the Mechanical Design Engineer Stuart Livingstone from Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR). Andrew O’Connor, Managing Director of O’Connors said the team opted for an indirect evaporative cooling system with energy efficient supply and exhaust fans, as there was limited chilled water capacity. “Indirect evaporative cooling has created an entirely new category of cooling and is typically able to cool hot ambient air up to 35°C,” Andrew said. “The heat exchanger
Mr O’Connor said the success of the project was highlighted by the popularity of the area by students. “It represents world’s best practice, addressing the problems of cooling large open spaces efficiently.” The innovative design of the project has been recognised by peers as a fantastic achievement and in 2011 was presented with the Gold Award for Built Environment by the Design Institute of Australia (DIA). In 2012, it also received a Commendation Award from the Australian Institute of Architects (SA) for Public Architecture and another Commendation at the Engineering Excellence Awards for Innovation/ Research and Development.
“ It represents world’s best practice, addressing the problems of cooling large open spaces efficiently.”
Want to keep up to date with Fantech’s latest news?
Follow us on twitter.com/fantech_austnz
Selecting the right fan
blade material for the job Part 1
Sometimes it can be difficult to identify which type of fan impellar blade material is required for a given application. Typical blade materials supplied by Fantech include GRP (Glass Reinforced Polypropylene), Aluminium, Nylon and Anti-Static Plastic. GRP
Aluminium
Nylon
Anti-Static
Temperature Limits
-40°C to 110°C
-40°C to 250°C
-40°C to 110°C
-40°C to 70°C
Strength Rating
Low
Highest
Medium
Lowest
Corrosion Resistance
Very Good
Good
Very Good
Very Good
The above table summarises the properties of each material used for Fantech axial impellers. While nylon blades can be useful for particular applications, in reality their use is very narrow and therefore we will focus on the remaining 3 blade materials.
Blade Stresses A rotating impeller blade will be exposed to a number of stresses. These include centrifugal and bending stresses during fan start up and running. To manually calculate stress on a blade requires knowledge of the blade profile, airflow, pressure, blade length, motor torque, speed and temperature. To simplify this process the Fantech Product Selection Program will automatically perform blade stress calculations and will not allow any selections where the blade stress is above allowable limits. While aluminium has the highest inherent strength of these materials, GRP blades contain fibre reinforced compounds that improve stress tolerance (even on large fans) and are cost-effective. The easiest method to determine the appropriate blade material is to select “Any” on the Impeller Type / Material option in the selection program. The program will then automatically select the lowest cost material that can withstand the stresses that are present in the selection.
Temperature Typically as temperature increases the strength of most materials will decrease. GRP blades will safely handle 70 °C, while Aluminium blades will handle 110°C. These temperature limits may be greatly exceeded (see table above) if the blades are de-rated from a stress perspective. When selecting a fan for high temperature applications such as a smoke spill, aluminium blades are required to handle the increased temperature. During a smoke spill test, temperatures can be above 300 °C. However our tests have shown that the aluminium fan blades can withstand these temperatures for short periods of time as long as they are not highly stressed. Under high temperatures, aluminium blades can exhibit a phenomenon called creep, where the centrifugal force causes the blades to stretch. In this instance particular attention needs to be paid to blade tip clearances to avoid blades tipping against the fan casing when a smoke spill event occurs.
Technically Speaking with Kerry Dumicich Resonance checks With speed control as standard on many ventilation applications, fans are operated at many different speeds. Each fan blade material will have a natural frequency which can experience a resonance condition at a specific speed where blade vibration will substantially increase. Natural frequency is dependent on the blade stiffness and its mass. Changing blade materials can sometimes be a simple solution to avoid blade resonance problems. The Fantech selection program will also block any selections where known blade resonances exist.
Corrosion There is no standard solution when considering which type of blade material is suitable for corrosion resistance. Different chemicals have different effects on different materials. GRP may have excellent corrosion resistance against Hydrochloric Acid, but can be severely affected by Chlorine. Antifreeze has a severe corrosive effect on both GRP and Nylon, while Aluminium has excellent corrosion resistance against this chemical. GRP blades have a good to excellent corrosion resistance against 78% of known chemicals. Aluminium has a good to excellent corrosion resistance against 63% of known chemicals.
“ T ypical axial fan blade materials supplied by Fantech include GRP, Aluminium, Nylon and Anti-Static Plastic.” As 20 to 40% of known chemicals will cause significant corrosive effects against GRP or Aluminium, it is important to ensure blade materials are suited to the application or else suitable protective coatings are used. A corrosion engineer may be also used to give guidance on specific corrosive applications.
Fans by Fantech
Product Selection Program with Stuart Bryson Fantech’s new Product Selection Program is full of powerful new features and is now available through your local Fantech office or agent. In each issue of TechTalk we will include tips which will hopefully save you time.
Hints and Tips: Viewing and Testing Fan Performance
When viewing any fan in the Selection Program, the Performance Data panel will show you the fan performance curve, your required duty point, and the point on the curve where the fan will actually perform, based on the system curve. You can change the duty point by dragging the red-cross hair, or typing new air flow and pressure values – the program will automatically recalculate the actual performance for you.
Air Design triumphs at AIRAH golf day Members of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air-conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) gathered for the Annual Queensland Golf Day. Air Design’s state manager Shawn Harris, an affiliate member of AIRAH, and Air Design’s air handling and energy recovery unit sales manager, Adrian Bartlett, were among the 70 members and guests who played the 18-hole four-ball Ambrose Tournament at Hillside St Lucia Golf Course in Brisbane. “I think it’s important for major suppliers to show their support for industry bodies such as AIRAH,” Shawn said. “In addition to sharpening our game of golf, participating in the event gave us the opportunity to invite some of our customers for a fun game of golf and the chance to socialise with other AIRAH members.” Shawn and Adrian teamed up with long-time customers Lindsay Rose from Coolmaster and Greg Costin from Precise Air Group to form the Air Design team. The Ambrose format is particularly good for social events because players do not have to be consistently good golfers, although some
School Wind Tunnel blows kids away A young teacher’s passion for physics is helping to bring science to life for students at Ballarat High School in Victoria. Students in years 7 through to 11 are discovering how air moves over and around objects by testing them in a wind tunnel. The tunnel was built by the school’s science teacher, Paul Natoli and his father Pete as a backyard project that took several months. Made from galvanised steel with a Perspex viewing chamber, the tunnel is almost 3 metres long and consists of a Compact 2000 series fan on one side supplying 0.8 cubic metres of air per second. A grill at the opposite end smooths the air while sensors measure air speed and movement. The unit also incorporates the use of dry ice to produce smoke patterns which enables the students to visualise the changes in air movement.
“ ...the tunnel has a real ‘WOW’ factor for the junior kids.” “We knew the wind tunnel was not a standard application and would be demonstrated in front of students, so a product that was both safe and reliable was required,” explains Paul. “So I contacted Fantech via AG Coombs, who works with my father, and asked them for advice.” Fantech’s National Business Development Coordinator Peter Cotterell recommended the Compact 2000 series of square plate axial fans to give the desired volume of air. The fan came with a variable speed drive which would enable Paul to regulate the speed of the fan and make demonstrations more interesting. Always eager to promote education, Fantech generously donated the fan and guard, and commended Paul for his efforts. He presented the concept to students in such an interesting and interactive format.
skill and a bit of luck certainly helps. Each player in the team tees off on each hole. The team then decides which shot was the best before taking their second shot from the position where the ‘best shot’ came to rest. The process of taking a shot from the best position continues until the hole is finished. Much to Shawn’s surprise Air Design won the tournament, with Bossair second and Hydrochem third. Bossair also won the ‘longest drive’ competition and ‘nearest to the pin’ competition. In addition to winning the event, the Air Design team became the envy of all other competitors as they traversed the course in style. “Our golf buggy got a flat tyre early in the course which consequently caused the battery to run out,” Shawn said. “The replacement was no less than the superintendent’s personal buggy, which was a first class ride and made for a few laughs.”
AIRAH hosts many highly informative, technical events throughout the year to help keep members up-to-date, but the golf day is a chance to have a bit of fun and network in an informal environment.
“As a demonstration tool, the tunnel has a real ‘WOW’ factor for the junior kids,” Paul said. “We look at the aerodynamics of sports cars like Ferrari and compare them to buses which are not built for speed. The students get quite excited. When a new car comes on the market we get a model to test its performance.” “The senior students are able to perform their own experiments in the tunnel.” Paul adds, “For example, they may be given an outline to create a space shuttle and asked how they would make it aerodynamic. They carve the shape out of polystyrene and compare the results. It’s a lot of fun!” Paul says the ability to demonstrate basic wind testing in the tunnel has made it much easier for students to understand the concept rather than relying on textbooks.
Fantech Farewells
Long Serving Staff Members Fantech has farewelled two of its key staff members, Stuart King and Dawn Pink. They have collectively been part of the Fantech team for more than 40 years and decided to retire earlier this year. With a background in Research and Development Stuart was a fantastic asset to the engineering department when he joined Fantech in 1989. For more than 17 years he managed the engineering department developing many of the prominent, high performance fans that Fantech still sell today. It was also the development of systems and machinery to help assemble the fans in the most efficient and safe method that was his real passion. These include impeller assembly jigs with the correct pitch and his latest creation, a jig to make air filters. “My greatest achievement was the development and implementation of the QA system which made Fantech the first Australian fan company to become accredited to the Australian standard,” Stuart said. “I can remember the factory was happy because all our suppliers also had to comply with the standard. The result was a system that created new efficiencies, worked in well with existing processes and was not too intrusive. “I actually retired about six years ago, but Fantech asked me to stay on till the end of that year, and I’m still here. Although it’s only part time,” he joked. “It’s been a great place to work and that’s largely because of the culture Fantech founders Jack Pirie and Glen Harries had started. But I’m looking forward to full retirement, travelling outback in my 4WD and racing my Clubman sports car.” Import/Export Coordinator Dawn Pink is also retiring after 19 years with Fantech. About three years ago she began the transition
“Stuart King and Dawn Pink have collectively been part of the Fantech team for more than 40 years” to retirement, moving to a job share arrangement with another colleague. “My husband and all my girlfriends have retired. So I thought it was time for me to join them,” she said. During her career with Fantech, Dawn has spent the majority of her time in the shipping department. “I love international freight and its challenges,” she said. Through her determination to solve problems and find solutions, Dawn has played an integral role in streamlining import/export processes by improving computer systems and documentation. “Fantech is just like a big family where everyone helps one another,” Dawn said. “I feel privileged to have worked with founders Jack and Glen and Operations Director Brad Ackehurst. And I will miss all the people I have worked with.”
Would You Like More Information?
Fantech Contacts
Please send me a “Keen to be Green” fan installation Mouse Mat
Please send me a “Keen to be Green” fan installation Poster
Please send me a copy of the Fans by Fantech Product Selection CD
Please send me a copy of the BladeTec brochure
Please send me a copy of the Rickard Diffuser range brochure
Australia Adelaide Albury Brisbane Canberra Coffs Harbour Darwin Hobart Launceston Melbourne H.O. Melbourne CBD Newcastle Perth Sydney Sydney CBD Sydney South Townsville Wollongong
(08) 8294 0530 (02) 6025 1866 (07) 3299 9888 (02) 6280 5511 (02) 6652 9435 (08) 8947 0447 (03) 6273 6455 (03) 6344 6888 (03) 9554 7845 (03) 9696 3044 (02) 4961 6088 (08) 9209 4999 (02) 8811 0400 (02) 9698 8130 (02) 9153 6005 (07) 4775 5222 (02) 4226 5133
New Zealand Auckland H.O. Christchurch Wellington
(09) 444 6266 (03) 379 8622 (04) 566 0532
We know you enjoy Tech Talk. How would you prefer to receive it? Please tick one, complete your contact details and return it to us I would prefer the electronic version of Tech Talk only I would prefer to get both electronic and printed versions of Tech Talk I would like to be removed from the Tech Talk distribution list
Have you relocated? Please help us keep our records up to date by including your new details NEW DETAILS Name:......................................................................... Position:..................................................................... Company:.................................................................. Address:..................................................................... ...................................................................................
OLD DETAILS (if applicable) Name:............................................. Position:......................................... Company:...................................... State:..............................................
Suburb: ................................... State:........................ Postcode:.............................................. Tel: .......................................... Fax:........................... E-mail:.................................................... Photocopy this form and mail, fax or email the information to: Fantech Pty. Ltd., 42 - 62 Pound Rd West, Dandenong South, Vic. 3175, Australia. Fax: 61-3-9554 7833 or E-mail: rmayen@fantech.com.au
Fantech - a member of the Elta Group of Companies
Asia For agents in the Asian region call (603) 7846 0340 or visit www.eltafantechasia.com
Visit our website at www.fantech.com.au