Axial Fan Heater: Industrial Axial Fans for Hot Air
Axial Fan Heater: Industrial Axial Fans for Hot Air
In an axial fan heater, the fan has one job: moving a large volume of air across the heat source against low resistance.When that air is heated, the job comes with a condition: the fan has to run in it for years, and its motor must not pay the price.
CBI Group’s GAT Series is built for this duty. It is a belt-driven axial fan designed for temperatures up to 180°C, with the motor kept out of the airflow.
How an Axial Fan Heater Works
An axial fan heater pairs a heat source with an axial fan that drives air through it. The axial fan moves air parallel to its shaft, which makes it the natural choice when the duty calls for a high flow rate at low to moderate pressure.
Where the fan sits decides what it has to withstand. Upstream of the heat source it moves ambient air. Downstream, or in a recirculation loop, it moves the heated air itself, and that is where the drive arrangement becomes the deciding factor.
When long or complex ductwork pushes the pressure requirement up, a centrifugal fan is the better fit: CBI’s guide to high-temperature axial and centrifugal fans compares the two.
GAT Series: Design and Technical Data
The GAT Series is designed for industrial use where the nature of the fluid prevents the use of directly coupled fans.
Feature
GAT Series
Flow rate (max)
50,000 m³/h
Pressure (max)
600 Pa
Temperature
Up to 180°C
Sizes
12 sizes, impeller diameters from 400 to 2,240 mm
Impeller
Aerofoil blades in aluminium alloy: 10 pressure die-cast blades for sizes 40 to 100, 9 blades in extruded Anticorodal for sizes 112 to 224
Casing
Heavy gauge steel plate, rolled flanges with drilled holes, hot-dip galvanised as standard
Drive
Belt transmission, with an internal guard that keeps the belts out of contact with the fluid
Installation
Horizontal or vertical, with airflow always from pulley to impeller
Access
Inspection door from size 80 up
The aerofoil profile delivers high efficiency on both impeller types. Accessories include inlet bell, protection grille, regulating and non-return dampers, flexible connection, counter flange, rubber isolators and mounting feet. Special executions: stainless steel AISI, and ATEX on request hot-dip galvanisation.
In hot air duty, the position of the motor decides how hot the air can be.
Motor in the airflow
Motor out of the airflow (GAT Series)
Position
Inside the casing, in the air stream
Outside the airflow, connected through a belt transmission
Effect on the motor
Cooled by the fluid it moves, which sets thermal limits
Isolated from the heated airflow, which preserves its characteristics and extends its service life
Suitable fluids
Limited temperature and corrosiveness
Fluids up to 180°C
Maintenance
No pulleys or belts
Belts protected by an internal guard, never in contact with the fluid
Above 180°C, the fan is engineered around the process: CBI designs centrifugal fans built with a heavy-duty construction approach, and custom axial executions for elevated operating temperatures.
CBI Group: Engineering and Lifecycle Support
CBI Group has designed and produced industrial axial fans since 1963. When a standard series is not enough, it engineers the fan around the constraint: elevated operating temperatures, unusual duct geometry, integration into an existing installation.
Design and validation: CFD and FEM analysis, with aeraulic tests carried out in compliance with AMCA 210 and ISO 5801;
Service: installation, commissioning, maintenance and revamping, on-site or at CBI’s facilities, anywhere in the world;
