Getting to Know The 3 Main Types of Ventilation Fans

There’s more than just one type of ventilation fan—exhaust fans, attic fans, inline fans, and a lot more. All have the same purpose: to improve air circulation and get rid of stale air.

However, there are only three main types of ventilation fans: axial, cross-flow (or what’s known as tangential), and centrifugal (also known as radial).

Axial Ventilation Fans

Axial fans are the most common type of ventilation fan out there. Perhaps because they’re very straightforward to operate: the blades located parallel to the shaft draw in air in a straight line along the center or “axis” of the fan.

Imagine the fan blades like airplane propellers; they spin around a central shaft. When the blades turn, they pull air in and push it out in the same direction as the spinning motion. The axial airflow makes this type of ventilation fan efficient in moving large volumes of air in a straight line.

If your goal is to remove hot or stale air from your space, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and industrial facilities, an axial ventilation fan is your best choice. They are also cost-effective and come in different sizes—from portable to large industrial units.

One of the major downsides of axial fans is they have a limited ability to generate high pressure. That makes them inefficient to use in situations where air needs to be pushed through ducts.

Axial fans can be designed to operate with alternating current or direct current power sources, so you’ll find axial fans that are both AC and DC-powered.

Cross-Flow Fans

Cross-flow (tangential) fans have blades that rotate around a cylindrical shaft. They draw in air from one side and expel it from the other.

Unlike axial fans that expel air in a straight line, the airflow of cross-flow fans is more evenly distributed over a wider area. They’re best suited for applications where a broader and gentler air circulation is preferred such as air conditioners, heaters, and ventilation systems.

They are also compact in design which makes them ideal in smaller spaces. Just like axial fans, cross-flow fans may face limitations when it comes to generating high-pressure airflow. They can also be designed to work in different power sources including AC or DC.

Centrifugal Fans

Centrifugal fans, also known as radial fans, differ significantly from both axial and cross-flow fans.

First, this fan type uses a blade wheel mounted within a scroll-shaped housing. As the blades rotate, they draw air into the center of the wheel and then force it outward at a right angle to the intake direction. In simple words, they work by creating a spinning motion to move air.

Second, they can generate higher air pressure which makes them perfect for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems, industrial ventilation, and other situations where ducts, filters, etc. are used.

Like axial and cross-flow fans, centrifugal fans can be an AC fan or a DC fan depending on which power it has been designed to operate on.

High-Quality Ventilation Fans

Tosunlux is your go-to source of quality ventilation fans. Whether you’re looking for an AC fan, DC fan, axial, cross-flow, or centrifugal fan, we’ve got it.

 Contact us for a quote or visit our website for more information.