SYSTEM SURGE, FAN SURGE AND PARALLELING

The three main reasons for unstable airflow

in a fan systems are (1) System surge,
(2) Fan Surge and (3) Paralleling.

System Surge
System surge occurs when the system
resistance and fan performance curves do
not intersect at a distinct point but rather
over a range of volumes and pressures. This
situation does not occur with backward
inclined (BI), airfoil (AF), and radial fans.
However, it can occur with a forward curve
centrifugal fan when operating, as shown in
Fig. 22.

In this situation, because the fan curve and Fig. 22 System Surge
system curve are almost parallel, the
operating point can be over a range of airflow
and static pressures. This will result in unstable
operation known as system surge, pulsation,
or pumping.

System surge should not be confused with Fig. 23 Fan Surge Explanation
“paralleling,” which can only occur when
two fans are installed in parallel.

Fan Surge
Fan surge is different from system surge, they may or may not occur at the same time.
(Fig.23)

For any fan, the point of minimum pressure occurs at the center of rotation of the fan wheel
and the maximum pressure occurs just at the discharge side of the wheel. If the wheel were
not turning and this pressure differential existed, flow would be from the high pressure
point to the low pressure point. This is opposite from the direction air normally flows

18
through the fan. The only thing that keeps the air moving in the proper direction is the
whirling of the blades.

Stall occurs unless there is sufficient air entering the fan wheel to completely fill the space
between the blades.

This shows up in Fig. 24 as fluctuation in

air volume and pressure. This surge can
both felt and heard and occurs in nearly
all fan types, to varying degrees, as
block-tight static pressure is approached.
The radial blade is a notable exception.
While the magnitude of surge varies for
different type of fans, (being greatest for
airfoil and least for forward curve),the
pressure fluctuation close to block-tight
may be on the order of 10%. For example,
a fan in surge developing about 600 Pa of
total static pressure might have pressure
fluctuation of 600/10 of an Pa. This
explains why a large fan in surge is in
tolerable. Equipment room walls have Fig. 24 Fan Surge
been cracked from the vibration of ducts
serving a fan in surge.

Selections should not be made to the left of the “surge point” on the fan curve. This point,
which defines a system curve when all operating speeds of the fan are considered, varies
for different fan installations. For instance, stable operation can be obtained much further
to the left when the fan is installed in an ideal laboratory type situation. These conditions,
of course are seldom encountered in field applications. Consequently, most manufacturers
do not catalogue operating ranges all the way to the surge line. However, since the
catalogue cut-off point is basically one of engineering judgment, conservative catalogue
performance data will provide operating ranges, which will allow stable operation with
any reasonable field ductwork design.

19
PARALLELING
The third cause for unstable operation is
paralleling, (Fig. 25), which can occur only in a
multiple fan installation connected with
either a common inlet or common
discharge, or both in the same system,
particularly when large volume of air
must be removed. The combined air
flow-pressure curve in this case is
obtained by adding the airflow capacity
of each fan at the same pressure. (Fig. 26)

Fig. 25 Unbalanced Parallel Operation

Fig. 26 Parallel Fan Operation

20
The total performance of the multiple fans will be less than the theoretical sum it inlet
condition are restricted or the flow into the inlets is not straight.

Some fans have a “positive” slope in the pressure-air volume curve to the left of the peak
pressure point. If fans operating in parallel are selected in the region of this “positive” slope,
unstable operation may result.

The closed loop to the left of the peak pressure point is the result of plotting all the possible
combinations of air volume at each pressure. If the system curve intersects the combined air
volume pressure curve in the area enclosed by the loop, more than one point of operation is
possible. This may cause one of the fans to handle more of the air and could cause a motor
overload if the fans are individually driven. This unbalanced flow condition tends to reverse
readily the result that the fans will intermittently load and unload. This “pulsing” often
generates noise and vibration and may cause damage to the fans, ductwork or driving
motors.

Fig. 27 Effect of Scroll Dampers

Fig. 28 Elimenation of Paralleling

This requires the installation of scroll volume (outlet volume) dampers (Fig. 27). It serves to
change the shape of the fan scroll and thus, for each position of the damper, there is a
corresponding different performance curve.

The fan curve resulting from various positions of the outlet volume dampers is shown in
Fig. 28. The purpose is to change the fan curve sufficiently such that the sum of the

21
difference curve will intersect the single fan curve at A’ and provide stable operation. The
performance may be reduced slightly and a corresponding increase in RPM should be made
to achieve the specified conditions. However, this is rarely done since difference is typically
negligible.

To correct, the scroll volume damper is merely pushed down on both fans until the static
pressure and noise level pulsation disappear. Generally, they are then left in this position
permanently. The curve generated by the damper at this point is so shaped that the sum of
the differences curve intersects at only one point.

Fans operated in parallel should be of the same type, size and speed otherwise undesirable
performance complications may result. It is strongly advised that the advice of the fan
manufacturer be sought when considering the use of fans in parallel.

The use of axial flow fans in parallel presents very real potential noise problems unless
special measures are taken at the design stage; add-on noise control is not normally
possible.

A noise problem often encountered with fans operating in parallel is beating. This is caused
by slight difference in speed of rotation of the two theoretically identical fans. The resulting
low frequency beating noise can be very annoying and difficult to eliminate. The problem
can be likened to the stroboscopic effect of a fluorescent light illuminating a rotating wheel
with a slight difference between the frequencies of rotating of the wheel and the AC supply
to the light.

22