What Is the Difference Between a Fan and a Blower?

While many individuals think a blower fan and exhaust fans are on in the same, they each have their unique properties that make them vastly different. Both of these devices are engineered to circulate air throughout a space. The main difference between these fans is the way they complete air circulation. This blog post will cover the differences between blower fans and exhaust fans so you can make an informed decision on which device is right for your application.

Blower Fan Explained

Blower fans effectively circulate air throughout a space by using impellers. These impellers direct air toward a specific location in an area. Using a moderate pressure setting and centrifugal force, these blowers can move quite large volumes of air at a time.

Exhaust Fans 101

Exhaust fans operate using blades that spin and circulate air in every direction. This creates a continuous airflow while only using low pressure. The flow of the air is directed by the axis of the blade and rotor.

Blower Fans vs Exhaust Fans

When it comes to selecting the right device for your application, you need to consider the size and energy efficiency. More often than not, blowers and larger than fans. If you do not have a large amount of space, exhaust fans may serve your application better than a blower fan. When energy efficiency is concerned, fans usually consume less energy than blowers. This does tend to provide a lower operating cost. However, blowers are able to produce more airflow than fans, so you could see a lower operating cost by utilizing one or two blowers versus four or more fans.

Each application and specification is different, so there is no definitive answer is fans or blowers are the better option. It is important to understand the differences between the two so you can make the most information decision possible when selecting which device to operate in your facility.

To summarize the differences:

• Size: Fans are smaller than blowers.
• Energy: Fans require less energy to operate.
• Airflow: Blowers circulate more air.
• Operation: Blowers use impellers while fans use blades.

Whether you seek National Fan Co. blowers or devices from any of the great manufacturers you can find in our inventory, our team at Industrial Fans Direct can help you find the size and model that best fits your needs. You can request a quote if you know which product and brand you desire, or you can contact us with any of your questions. In order to give you the best answer possible, please let us know the size of the space you need to circulate air through along with the number of individuals you expect to be in that space. Once we have this information, we can explain why a blower fan or exhaust fans will better serve your needs.