EC Fans

Electronically commutated (EC) fans are being used to meet the more stringent energy efficiency standards in place in both the U.S. and European markets. Suitable for new and retrofit designs, replacing existing fan systems with advanced energy-efficient motors results in a substantial reduction in energy usage and cost. EC fans represent a significant advancement in power savings technology, providing cooling and air flow solutions for today’s demanding applications that require increased electrical efficiency.

EC fans offer a low power, energy-efficient cooling solution for large, power hungry equipment. The AC input fans utilize a brushless DC motor and incorporate voltage transformation within the motor for significantly lower power consumption. DC motors can be up to 50% more efficient than AC motors due to its inherent design that uses permanent magnets to generate a secondary magnetic field rather than copper windings.

EC motors are controlled by external or onboard electronics that convert the incoming AC power signal to the DC voltage needed by the motor.

By maintaining the same interface between the fan and the appliance, EC fans are a drop-in replacement for AC fans while offering the same or higher airflow capacity — all with significantly less power.

EC fans have longer service life due to the smaller heat losses and lower operating temperatures. When compared to AC motors, which tend to have peak efficiency at a single speed, EC motors offer a wide operating window of fairly constant efficiency over a range of speeds due to their variable fan speed control. In addition, EC motors require little to no maintenance and provide increased reliability.  Since EC fans have lower operating costs, this leads to shorter payback periods for new equipment.

EC fans are ideal for use in commercial and process controls, refrigeration, electronic enclosures and cabinets.

Orion Fans EC Fan Series includes 60mm, 80 mm, 92mm, 120mm, 172mm, 250mm and 254mm models. Most models are available with a universal voltage range and the 250mm fans are available with dual speed functionality in 115V and 230V versions. Since EC fans eliminate sparking and EMI in brushed motors, the EC Fan Series also includes 60mm, 120mm, 172mm and 254mm models with IP68-ATEX ratings for applications involving explosive atmospheres or flammable gases.