How Does A Bladeless Fan Work? (do they have blades)
Bladeless fans have many advantages over the more traditional electric fans. They look more pleasing on the eye, take up less space and are safe around little childrens inquisitive fingers.
They’re also a common sight nowadays, but have you ever wondered how a bladeless fan works? If you have, you’ve found the right article.
Because in this article we’ll be looking into how bladeless fans work and explaining our findings in plain English.
We promise to keep the technical jargon to a bare minimum. So, let’s get started.
Does A Bladeless Fan Have Blades?
That sounds like a stupid question right? How can a bladeless fan have blades? If you think it’s a stupid question, you just might be in for a surprise.
Before answering the question, we need to get slightly technical first. You see, bladeless fans draw air in through the base which is then forced out from a narrow split which runs all around the hoop at the top.
Here comes the shocker: Inside the base of the bladeless fan, there is a small brushless electric motor which runs a small fan. Yep, that’s right, inside the bladeless fan’s base are blades – fan blades.
It’s called a bladeless fan because none of the blades are visible (or reachable with childrens fingers).
In fact the leading bladeless fan manufacturer, Dyson, doesn’t call them bladeless fans, they call them air multiplier fans. And this leads on to the how they work section of this article.
How Do Bladeless Fans Work?
Remember how we told you that there’s a small brushless electric motor that runs a small fan inside the base of the fan? Well that small fan has mismatched blades, or what the technical team call “asymmetrical blades”.
As these mismatched blades turn, they draw air in through the base unit which is directed up to the top ring. The air then passes through narrow slits in the ring and over the edge.
That edge is shaped a lot like an aeroplane wing which is sloped at a 16-degree angle.
This directs the cool air out from the circle which through more scientific principled stuff creates the force of the air as it blasts from the circle.
That blast of air is the air multiplier effect working as it should.
How Does The Air Multiplier Work
Due to the way air is forced out through a narrow slit, the air speed is increased. Think of it like blocking the nozzle of a garden hose partially with your thumb.
This causes the air speed to be increased, but it doesn’t end there, there are more multiplier effects on the air too.
Due to the shape of that aeroplane wing edge and the way the air is forced out it spreads around the curved surface and sucks more air from outside the ring through with it.
In case you want to get technical this action is called “inducement” and is part of the principle of fluid dynamics. As is the next multiplier action which is known as “entrainment”.
This is where the air around the edge of the tube is drawn in the same direction as the air being propelled by the fan.
How Much More Air Flows Using The Principles Of Fluid Dynamics?
Using these processes the air is increased by around 15 times. Dyson claims that their fan can draw around 20 litres of air every second.
Which means their bladeless fans can force out roughly 300 litres of air by accelerating around 20 litres.
How Exactly Does This Process Work?
The bladeless technology works through a series of events and this is where it does get slightly technical. It’s not our fault, it’s just that it is, well… technical. But we’ll explain in terms that we can all understand.
For the bladeless fan to work in the way that it does, it has to push air through 4 steps which are;
- Suction
This starts with the internal fan sucking air in through the base of the fan. It is estimated that the brushless motor can draw around 27 litres of air per second. It works on the same principle as a jet engine or a car’s turbocharger and generates a powerful airflow stream. - Acceleration
As the air flows into the base of the fan, it is forced upwards through various narrowing channels and then over the 16-degree aeroplane wing shaped ramp and then forced into the hollow ring. - Inducement
The air is forced around the hollow tube and is then pushed out through narrow slits. - Entrainment
This is where air surrounding the hollow ring is drawn in at high speed which can increase the air flow rate by upwards of 15 times.
SEE ALSO: The Best Bladeless Fans You Can Buy Right Now!
Why Do Bladeless Fans Work Better Than The Old Fashioned Fans?
The old fashioned or regular fans work on the principle of rotating blades of equal size. These blades force air through from back to front.
That air is then passed through a metal cage which is there to prevent someone from losing a finger or two. However, that protective metal cage slows the airflow down.
Reducing the already limited air flow which reduces the cooling power of the fan.
Also the blade action on a regular fan causes it to chop the air into small pieces as it passes through the blades.
Whereas bladeless fans force the air out in one huge blast including extra air that has been picked up along the way.
We hope this article has been helpful in answering the question “how does a bladeless fan work?”. If you have any questions, let us know in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
The main disadvantage of a bladeless fan is the price. They are far more expensive than regular fans.
Bladeless fans are not air conditioners and as such don’t cool the air to the same level as an A/C unit. But they do make the room feel cooler due to the smooth airflow that they produce.
Due to their design, bladeless fans collect far less dust than regular fans. Plus many bladeless fans come with air filtration systems.
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