Most of the fans we build are driven by electric motors, and this requires the fan wheel and/or shaft to connect with the motor shaft in some way. There are two broad classifications we use to describe this connection – 1) belt drive and 2) direct drive.
Belt Drive
Motor Bearings and High Horsepower Belt-Drive Fans
Over our years designing, developing and delivering custom centrifugal fans and blowers for industrial applications, we have learned that no detail is too small in the specification process. This holds true when we talk about motor bearings too. There’s a specific nuance to consider when selecting motors for high horsepower belt-driven fans.
What is an Arrangement 9 Fan?
Fan arrangements, based on AMCA standards, define the way a motor drives the fan, and how the motor mounts to the fan. An Arrangement 9 Fan is a belt-driven fan. In this arrangement, the motor mounts to the side of the fan pedestal with no unitary base required.
What is an Arrangement 1 Fan?
Fan arrangements, based on AMCA standards, define the way a motor drives the fan, and how the motor and other drive components mount to the fan. An Arrangement 1 Fan is a belt-driven fan with the motor mounted separately. In general, a belt driven fan is connected to the fan’s motor via one or more belts and the fan and motor are mounted on a unitary steel base.
Determining the Optimal Drive for Your Industrial Fan
What makes your industrial fan whir? It’s a motor connected to your fan in one of only two ways: direct drive or belt drive. In the former, the motor connects to the fan wheel with nothing in between. In the later, there is a belt (sometimes more than one) connecting the motor to move the fan.