Force Ventilation Fans

What Is A Force Ventilation Fan? 

Forced ventilation fans, sometimes known as FV fans, force vent fans or force vent units, are a cooling device that fits onto the non-drive end of an AC electric motor.  No matter the motor speed, a force vent fan provides constant cooling air across the body of the motor; keeping the motor cool whilst operating at low speeds.  This is because when you are using a motor at a lower speed, it is unable to pass enough airflow over itself to cool down.  We recommend using a force vent fan if you are using a motor with an inverter, which means your motor will be running at speeds of 50% or less for prolonged periods. 

Using a force ventilation fan will aid in avoiding; 

  • Loss of output power
  • Overheating
  • Nuisance trips
  • Premature motor failures.

 

Why Do I Need A Force Ventilation Fan?

  • Axis Controls stock Force Vents from a range of brands

    Axis Controls stock Force Vents from a range of brands

  • Learn more about Force Ventilation

    Learn more about Force Ventilation

  • Find out more about Force Vent Fans by Axis Controls.

    Find out more about Force Vent Fans by Axis Controls.

Most standard AC induction motors have a cooling fan mounted at the non-drive end of the motor shaft, covered by a fan cowl. The fan blade rotates at the same speed as the shaft. This fan provides optimum cooling performance when the motor is run at its standard design frequency of 50 or 60 Hz. 

Many electric motors are now controlled by variable speed drives or inverters. These devices can change the speed of the motor. By reducing the speed of the motor, the speed of the cooling fan also reduces, which in turn reduces the cooling effect of the standard fan. The use of a force ventilation fan guarantees adequate motor cooling irrespective of the motor shaft speed.

What Happens If I Don't Use A Force Vent Fan?

If you don't use a force ventilation fan on a motor that is running at less than 25 Hz, you may experience:

  • Motor overheating
  • Reduction of output power
  • Motor winding stress
  • Thermistor over-temperature faults
  • Reduced motor life

Axis Controls supply Force Ventilation Fans for most major brands of motors. However, if we don't stock the exact model to suit your requirements, please contact us as we have the capability to adapt a similar unit to your exact specification.