Slim line fan ideal for tight spaces
A speed controllable fan has been launched which looks ideal for use in control cabinets and enclosures where space is at a premium.
Air Control Industries' (ACI) new VBL9/9 fan, part of the company's 'Slimline' range, was originally developed for vending machines, but has since proven ideal for control cabinets and industrial enclosure applications.
The fan produces a maximum flow rate of 560cfm and a static pressure of 3.1 In SWG. The unit comes in 230V and 115V versions and so can be designed in for equipment that is intended either for home use or export markets. The fan also has a demountable inlet plate, which means the unit can be easily integrated with customer-made inlet arrangements.
The fan has a precision, gravity-die-cast impeller scroll that results in a slim profile design, which allows flush mounting of the fan on the cabinet inlet or outlet using tapped holes. The scroll impeller is also lightweight and quieter than conventional sheet metal fabrications.
As well as voltage regulation speed control, there's an optional DC control board for hook up to either PLC or PWM controllers.
Matthew Forknall, marketing director at ACI, told Eureka: "All our 'Slimline' fans include an external rotor motor built into the fan, with fully integrated bearings. This compact assembly helps to shorten the overall size of the fan and permits precision balancing. Efficient cooling is achieved as the assembly is located in the centre of the air stream generated, which enhances the unit's longevity."
Applications for ACI's fans are diverse. The company recently supplied an inverter-driven fan to the SPS Group, a specialist in design, print and finishing for retail companies. SPS needed to develop a snow machine for a window display at Vodafone's Oxford Circus store in London. SPS incorporated ACI's 3MS11 multi-stage fan into a standalone JetBlack Static Neutralisation DC controller to prevent problems of static with polystyrene flakes for the snow machine.
ACI is a British company based in Somerset. The firm turns over around £6 million a year, with most fans exported, but Forknall said the UK is still an important market.
