Fans: Mixed flow vs. Regular flow?

[HeathBanks]

Can anyone tell me the difference? Are they used for different applications? Why is mixed flow so much more more money?

Are some fans designed more for scrubbing, and some are only meant to be used pushing and pulling air through ducts? Or does it not matter?

 

[Mate Dave]

There are fans for different applications yes, they are Axil and Centrifugal.

An axial flow fan moves air or gas parallel to the axis of rotation. Axial flow fans are better suited for low-resistance, high-flow applications. These fans can have widely varied operating characteristics depending on blade width and shape, number of blades and tip speed.

Centrifugal flow fans apply to high-pressure resistance, low-flow conditions. Centrifugal or radial flow fans move air perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Usually they can be mounted either vertically or horizontally as specified.

Blowers are name so because usually operate where the resistance to the flow is primarily on the downstream side of the fan.

Mix flow fans are not necessarily more expensive, it depends on the manufacturer and the components use to build the specific fan. If the fan is housed in a body the fan motor can be removable by means of 2 Clip Bands for ease of maintenance.

You can get Squirrel cage fans and Acoustic fans which work on the centrifugal principle accelerating air radially, changing the direction (typically by 90o) of the airflow. They are sturdy, quiet, reliable, and capable of operating over a wide range of conditions.

 

[queequeg152]

thats the best rundown on fans you are going to get lol, very good sir.


a cars turbocharger, or the impeller at least, is a fairly good example of what a mixed flow fan looks like, basically in between an axial and a squirrel cage type blower.

id like to add that "mixed" flow can also refer to blowers or fans that incorporate a venturi like mechanism to introduce outside air.
in every lab fume hood ive messed with, they had a "mixed flow" exhaust stack of some sort. i was told its to protect folks working on the roof who might be exposed to unpleasant vapors of some sort.