People always want to know about process fans, but it’s really all about process air. The term “process air” means air movement needed in an existing or new process to produce something else such as paper or chemicals. It’s a required element at some point in many industrial production operations.

It’s the process fan that turns “air” into “process air” by making it move through a system using forced draft or induction. From clean to erosive or corrosive, process air always has a job to do.

What do Process Fans Enable Process Air to Do?

Manufacturing systems take raw materials through various processes resulting in an end product. Each step in the process contains an element of change in the materials, assembly or environment.

Driven by process fans within the operating equipment, process air acts as a change agent across various types of transformations within an industrial system, for example:

  • Combustion: Burning something to transform it
  • Treating: Improving the air quality
  • Compression: Storing or transmitting energy
  • Heating: Changing the temperature of an area or item from lower to higher
  • Cooling: Changing the temperature of an area or item from higher to lower
  • Tempering: Reheating and then cooling
  • Drying: Removing excess moisture
  • Humidifying: Adding moisture
  • Material Handling: Moving pieces or particles from one place to another via air OR mechanical systems
  • Pneumatic Conveyance: Moving pieces or particles from one place to another using air

The Bottom Line: Why is Process Air So Crucial for Manufacturers?

Air is continuous, predictable and maintenance-free, making it a valuable medium for manufacturing systems. But it’s not “process air” until it’s moving. The process fans push or pull the air through the system to create a jet stream from one end to the other with multiple impacts on operations and production.

Additional Information on Industrial Process Fans

For more information related to process fans, please see these other pages and blogs:
Forced Draft vs. Induced Draft
Forced Draft Fans for Industrial Applications
Induced Draft Fans for Industrial Applications
Centrifugal Fans & Blowers

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