High-Volume Low-Speed Industrial Fans

One of the most popular solutions for bringing relief to employees working in hot warehouses is the high-volume, low-speed industrial fan, also called the HVLS fan. Companies worldwide are praising the benefits of these unique fans and their ability to help workers be more productive—and doing it efficiently and cost-effectively.

What makes high-volume, low-speed industrial fans so appealing? How are they different from other cooling options? And will HVLS fans work for you?

Why High-Volume Low-Speed Industrial Fans Are Different

When it comes to solutions for helping your employees feel comfortable and stay productive in a hot warehouse, not all options are the same. High-volume, low-speed industrial fans differ from other potential solutions in a variety of essential ways.

Different from Standard Ceiling Fans

Perhaps the most obvious difference between high-volume, low-speed industrial fans and standard ceiling fans is their size and speed.

HVLS fans are significantly bigger than the fans you’d find in a bedroom or other living space in a home. While regular overhead fans typically range from three to four feet (1 to 1.5 meters) in diameter, high-volume, low-speed fans are three to ten times larger—anywhere from 8 to 30 feet (2.4 to 9.1 meters) wide.

High-volume, low-speed fans also rotate at a slower speed than standard ceiling fans. Since they’re designed to circulate a more massive volume of air, they don’t need to spin at high speeds like their smaller cousins.

Most importantly, HVLS fans are far more effective at moving much larger amounts of air throughout a huge space such as a warehouse. Standard ceiling fans can create airflow in rooms ranging from 75 to 200 square feet (7 to 19 square meters). HVLS fans, however, are capable of creating consistent airflow in rooms more than 15,000 square feet (1,400 square meters).

Different from HVAC

The purpose of both HVLS industrial fans and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems is to provide environmental relief from extreme temperatures.

The primary differentiation between high-volume low-speed fans and HVAC is the price. In warehouses and other large industrial facilities, installing an HVAC system can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to install. Running HVAC is expensive, too, especially in a huge room like a warehouse. One can expect to pay thousands—or even tens of thousands—of dollars every month in energy bills to operate HVAC in the hottest and coldest months.

High-volume, low-speed fans, however, cost far less than HVAC to install and operate. Fans use far less energy than air-conditioning and heat, yet provide significant relief to employees.

HVLS fans and HVAC also differ in the type of relief they provide. The purpose of heating and air-conditioning is to change the temperature in the room; for example, cooling an 82° room down to 72°. But the goal of HVLS fans is to make employees feel cooler. The airflow created by a fan flows across the sweaty skin of the workers below, causing an effect known as evaporative cooling, which makes the body feel less hot.

Purchasing the Right High-Volume Low-Speed Industrial Fan

Once you’ve decided that a high-volume, low-speed industrial fan is the right solution for your warehouse, how do you know which type of HVLS warehouse fan will work best in your building?

Several factors play a part in how effective a particular fan will work in any given warehouse. From the size and height of the building to the layout, equipment, and conditions inside, you’ll need to evaluate your warehouse and its needs before deciding which fan(s) to buy.

Fortunately, you don’t need to figure that out on your own. The airflow experts at Big Ass Fans can provide a free, on-site assessment of your warehouse using our computational fluid dynamics software called SpecLab®. It analyzes the space in your building and projects how a certain fan will affect air circulation. Armed with smart, personalized data, you’ll be prepared to choose exactly the right fan to bring major relief to your warehouse team.