man with drill
The term fan shaft has two meanings. The most common refers to the rotating spindle on which a fan blade is mounted. The blade is usually mounted on one end of the fan shaft, and the other end is connected to the motor, which is usually powered by electricity. The term is also used to denote a type of ventilation duct found in industrial settings, especially mining. The fan shaft differs from passive ventilation in that a fan is mounted on the shaft to actively move air.
Most of the electric motors used to drive fans have a shaft that is integrated into the motor itself and on which the fan blade is mounted, without the intervention of other parts or mechanisms. While there are several modifications to this basic design, all fans work on the basic principle of a blade rotating around a central axis. Blades, regardless of fan configuration, are almost always mounted radially around the fan’s axis.
An axial fan moves air in a direction parallel to the axis, while a cross-flow fan moves air in a plane perpendicular to the axis and usually has a hood or vent mechanism to direct the flow. A centrifugal fan also moves air perpendicular to the fan’s axis, but differs from a cross-flow fan in the intake configuration. A cross-flow fan draws air along an axis perpendicular to the axis, while a centrifugal fan draws air along its axis, usually at one end.
In industrial settings, a fan shaft is a type of ventilation duct used to maintain air quality in an enclosed space, such as a mine or other underground facility. A fan is mounted on the hub to increase airflow and move the flow in a certain direction. Most fans of this type are axial fans and some of them can be extremely large. The driving mechanisms of this type of fans can vary and can be electric, internal combustion or hydraulic. The method of power transfer can also vary, and these fans can be driven by belts, gears, or even a chain and sprocket assembly.