Directive sets new standards for fan efficiency
In 2013, as part of the European Union’s Energy-related Products (ErP) directive, new efficiency standards for fans come into force that will mean around 30 per cent of existing fan types have to be taken off the market.
The regulations will tighten further in 2015, with an even greater impact.
What are the regulations?
The new rules are being introduced under the ErP directive, aimed at helping to meet Kyoto Protocol obligations.
Historically, the directive has applied to numerous energy-related products, such as fridges, TVs and washing machines, and has now been extended to the level of components, such as electric motors and fans.
Is the fan or the motor affected by ErP?
Both of them are: the 2013 ErP regulations for fans apply to the complete fan impeller and motor combination.
This includes both external rotor motor designs, where fan and motor come as one assembly, as well as separate impeller and motor combinations, where the fan is driven by a shaft or drive belt.
Motors used in isolation have to meet their own ErP efficiency standards, which came into force in June 2011.
It is also important to note that companies that source separate motors and impellers and combine them into fan systems are deemed to be fan manufacturers under the ErP regulations. As such, they are responsible for assessing their fans to ensure they comply with the regulations.
How are equipment manufacturers affected?
Fans that do not meet the minimum ErP requirements in 2013 and 2015 will not be allowed to be placed on the market in Europe after these dates.
This applies both to fans operating as standalone devices, and those used as a component within a system or other equipment. In other words, if a product uses a fan that is less efficient than is specified by the ErP directive, it will be illegal to sell it after the effective dates.
Which fans are affected?
The ErP directive applies to axial, centrifugal (forward and backward curved), cross-flow and diagonal fans with a power input of between 125 W and 500 kW. The different types are put in separate categories and each has different efficiency limits.
How do I know if a fan meets the requirements?
It is the responsibility of the fan manufacturer to assess its own products against the formula provided for each product category to determine whether they pass or fail. Details of the product efficiency will then be displayed on the data label.
How is the efficiency calculated?
The efficiency of a fan is the ratio of electrical power in against air power out. So if the power input to a fan is 3 kW and the air power output is 1.5 kW, the fan efficiency equals 1.5 kW/3 kW x 100 = 50 per cent. For the purposes of the directive, efficiency is measured
at the best operating point.
Every fan manufacturer is likely to have some products affected by the new ErP regulations, which will then have an impact on equipment manufacturers.
Fortunately, high-efficiency EC fans are available for most applications which already meet the 2015 efficiency standards, but it is vital that the industry starts checking now to allow enough time to introduce alternative products.
Robert Harness is business development manager for ebm-papst
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