Product & Industry Updates
Carbon Loading Polypropylene to Prevent Electrostatic Discharge in ATEX Environments
To avoid electrostatic discharge, plastics needs to be electrically conductive or static dissipative. The most effective way of dissipating electrostatic discharge is to add conductive carbon black to your polymer matrix.For the context of this article, we’ll consider how our existing ...
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How are ATEX Corrosion Resistant Fans Used in Cement and Asphalt Production?
As with many process industries, corrosion resistant ATEX fans are used in the production stages of cement and asphalt manufacturing. The industrial fan, alongside other system components, ensures safety, increases plant efficiency, and in terms of combustion, helps to maximise product yield to ...
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The Fume Fan Specification Process
To ensure you have an accurate and comprehensive corrosion resistant fan specification in your fume extraction project documents we advise that you include the following data to allow additional stakeholders to source and find the right product for the project:
Product Name &...
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Corrosion Resistant ATEX Fans used for the Reduction of Waste Gases in Sulphur Recovery Units
Explosion proof fans are critical components for sulphur recovery units within oil and gas refineries. Integrated fans must be suitable to withstand extreme temperatures and provide protection against elevated levels of corrosion including high temperature corrosion, dew point corrosion, acid ...
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Axair’s 2023 Fundraiser: Ambulances for Ukraine
Since its incorporation in 1992, Axair has situated itself as a forward thinking, humanistic and philanthropic organisation. Charity initiatives have included community and environmental work, multiple charitable marathons runs, hair donations, gift donations, food bank contributions and ...
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Enhancing Precision in Fume Fan Specification: The Role of BIM, CAD, and STEP
In the realm of fume extraction systems, precision and efficiency are of paramount importance to ensure the safety and well-being of occupants in industrial and laboratory settings. The selection of the right fume fan plays a pivotal role in the overall effectiveness of such systems. However...
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The Importance of Industrial Fans in 3 Common Fume Extraction Systems
A properly designed fume extraction system will collect the air that contains contaminants, make sure they are contained and taken way, and if necessary, clean the air and discharge safely into atmosphere. In this section we’ll look at the main extraction systems that you’ll come across. These ...
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A Complete Guide to Fume Fan Selection in Fume Extraction Systems
The selection of an appropriate fan for a fume extraction system is crucial for achieving effective and efficient extraction. One of the most important things we’ll ask is for you to consider if you’ll ever want to speed control the fan, this will determine the voltage, whether single or three ...
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What is BS EN14175?
BS EN 14175 is a British Standard related to the safety and performance requirements of Fume cupboards. It is part of the European standard series EN 14175, which specifies safety and performance requirements for fume cupboards used in laboratories.
The standard outlines ...
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Energy Efficient Fans, MVHR and The Passivhaus Standard
The Passivhaus standard is widely recognised in the construction industry and provides specific criteria to increase the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings in line with future sustainability and net zero goals. The overall design and construction of a building including the integration ...
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The Significance of Velocity Pressure in Selecting Fume Extraction Exhaust Fans for Ducted Systems
In fume extraction systems, ensuring the safe and efficient removal of hazardous airborne contaminants is the primary task. Properly designed exhaust fans are instrumental in achieving this objective. Among the critical factors to consider during the fan selection process, velocity pressure ...
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The Importance of Hazardous Area Classifications in ATEX Fan Selection
In many of the industries our customers operate in, there are explosive or dangerous hazards present, whether continuously, occasionally, or rarely. Hazards such as leakage of flammable gases, dangers of gases accumulating in confined spaces, release of toxic gases, or exposure to aggressive ...
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Mechanical Design Criteria of Fans for Explosive Atmospheres: Clearance of Rotating Parts
Section 4.4.1 of the standard EN14986:2017, known as the design of fans working in explosive atmospheres, describes how industrial fans should be designed to make them suitable for placement on the EU or UK market, in explosive atmospheres. This standard provides guidance on design, ...
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Understanding Intrinsic & Extrinsic Protection Principles
Intrinsic Protection
Intrinsic protection refers to the built-in safety features or mechanisms that are inherent to a components design. These features are designed to protect the equipment itself and ensure its proper operation. Intrinsic protection can include various elements such as thermal ...
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The Importance of Auto Ignition Temperatures in ATEX Fan Selection
ATEX protection is all centred around preventing an explosion from happening when there is a presence of combustible dust or flammable gas, this means considering all potential ignition sources. When looking at sources, most people will look for sparks and flames as an obvious risk, but the gas or ...
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Axair Support the Development of Mobile Incineration Units
Mobile incinerators are designed to be on a trailer, truck bed or in a container. They play a key role in the waste management industry allowing for rapid response to sudden outbreaks of disease or mass pollution and the safe and sterile incineration of potentially hazardous waste.
They are ...
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Introducing the STORM 18: High Power Corrosion Resistant Fans for Elevated Pressure Applications
The new storm 18 (ST18) polypropylene fan is the largest of Axair’s storm range of high pressure optimised forward curved centrifugal fans manufactured from chemical resistant polypropylene. The storm, ST range provides a wide range of relatively low airflows against elevated pressures ...
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Understanding Laboratory Types & their Differing HVAC Requirements
In our previous article detailing BREEAM laboratory credits from using energy efficient EC fans, we discussed how incorporating low energy design strategies and highly sustainable features could contribute to a buildings overall sustainable features, to contribute towards a good or outstanding ...
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HVAC Fan Failure Monitoring
A method of detecting fan failure within fan coil units in heating and ventilation.
The undetected failure of fan coil units is a long standing problem in heating and ventilation. Fan coil units like the types found in H&V applications tend to be unmonitored and system fan failure can often go ...
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The WIMES Project & Odour Control Exhaust Fans for the Water Industry
Reliability is one of the critical factors within water industry procurement, so for those specifying industrial fans within the water treatment industry, it is important to understand the WIMES project.
WIMES stands for Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Specifications and is the...
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Understanding SFP in Air Handling Units
The air handling HVAC market is highly competitive, with a large number of AHU manufacturers working hard to improve the energy efficiency of client’s systems, improve sustainability, reduce carbon emissions and gain a competitive edge in the market. Therefore, the better their systems, the better...
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ATEX Fans in Agricultural Silos
Silos are an effective storage solution for large scale food sources and various other materials. For example, the agricultural industry relies heavily on silo storage units for the preservation of wheat, grains, or fermented foods to feed livestock. They are a common fixture in the farming ...
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ATEX Explosion Protection & Ignition Properties of Hydrogen Gas
Hydrogen technologies are undergoing a significant period of growth as their widespread introduction is planned in the energy generation and production industries. Those of you with the knowledge of the properties and flammability of hydrogen will recognise that hazards due to explosive atmospheres...
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BREEAM Laboratory Credits with Energy Efficient EC Fume Fans
Laboratory areas are defined as highly serviced spaces where physical, biological, or chemical processing or testing is carried out. Such areas will have inherently high energy demands including ventilation, air handling and containment or fume extraction. To achieve a good or outstanding BREEAM ...
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Non-Corrosive Polypropylene Chemical Resistance
Polypropylene plastic fans manufactured by our principal manufacturing partner SEAT, are specifically designed to work in areas with, and provide protection against, corrosive substances in harsh environments.
The molecular structure of polypropylene is very compact and in order, it remains ...
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Reducing Scope 2 Carbon Emissions with AHU Fan Upgrades
The greenhouse gas protocol establishes a set of comprehensive, standardised frameworks to measure and manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from private and public sector operations. In accordance with the GHG protocol, UK universities must now record their Scope 1 & 2 carbon ...
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Ventilation & Dilution of Hydrogen Leaks with Exhaust Fans
Hydrogen is a colourless, odourless, and tasteless gas, therefore small gaseous leaks are difficult to detect by human senses. Small leaks are common due to the small size of hydrogen molecules and usually do not present a problem since the tiny amount of mixture will not be enough to cause a ...
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BREEAM Credit-Worthy Air Handling Units with EC Plug Fans
Air handling unit manufacturers typically focus on a few key factors when designing and producing their finished units, including energy efficiency, reliability, customisation, ease of maintenance and compliance with industry regulations. We’ve been working with air handling unit manufacturers, ...
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What is an Aerofoil Bladed Impeller?
An aerofoil bladed impeller is part of a centrifugal fan that is specifically designed to provide higher efficiency and minimal noise due to the function and profile of its curved aerofoil blades, which enhance its overall performance. They are suitable for clean air or low dust applications with a ...
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A-Z of ATEX Concepts
Understanding ATEX concepts can be a bit of a minefield when there are so many terms and a huge amount of jargon thrown around. With changing legislation, relating to protection levels, certification and deadlines around labelling and certifications, we completely understand when our customers don&...
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A Guide to Inverter Selection and Fan Speed Control
Speed control is often overlooked when specifying fans, however significant savings can be had by the use of the correct speed controller and fan combination. These are not just direct savings in energy consumed by the fans but indirect savings from ancillary equipment. The addition of a fan speed ...
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Reduce Sparks & Friction Explosions with Permissible Material Pairings for ATEX Industrial Fans
Mechanical sparks and friction are one of the most common causes of ignition of flammable gases and dust clouds. Accident statistics in Germany indicate that mechanical sparks and friction as an ignition source occurred in 32.7% of incidents*1. Billange (1979) presented an overview of 66 incidents ...
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Understanding Electrostatic Discharge in Potentially Hazardous Applications
As fan integration experts, we’re always talking to consultants and contractors about explosion protection for new hydrogen initiatives, upcoming bio-methane projects, and multiple applications that involve the presence of hydrogen gas. This includes laboratories, energy generation and ...
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ATEX Fans Crowned Winner of The Net Innovation Award 2023
We are delighted to announce that our range of ATEX fans for IIC hydrogen exhaust have been selected as the winner for the Net Zero Innovation Award as part of the HazardEx Awards 2023. Axair have been recognised for our application knowledge covering a range of renewable technology systems ...
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UKEX Scheme That Could Have Replaced ATEX for the UK Market
As explained in our previous article about the European CE marking being replaced by a UK recognised body under UKCA, we only touched on the ATEX element of this new system. Under the new UKCA documentation, there had to be a piece of legislation that covered products that could be legally place on...
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Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) - Basic & Quality System Differences
Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) is increasingly used for controlled ventilation in new and existing buildings. The tightness of buildings and lack of ventilation leads to problems such as mould and poor air quality, in addition to reduced comfort for occupants. High rise buildings...
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The Prextur is On for Solution Led ATEX Fan Selections
Download PDF Case Study
Market Sector: Containment
Axair Department: Industrial
In the case study below Axair demonstrate how our collaborative team work addresses the technical skills gap within the industry to delievr solution led fan selections and added value to our UK customer base.&...
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Computational Fluid Dynamics in Fan Development
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an advanced tool constructed within computer-generated simulation software. CFD is commonly used to accurately predict the airflow performance of industrial fans.
Industrial fan manufacturers, such as our supplier; Rosenberg, utilise the software to ...
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Energy Saving EC Forward Curved Fans for Air Curtains
Air curtains are devices that are designed to reduce energy consumption and increase comfort. They’re generally powered by EC forward curved centrifugal fans and work to produce a barrier of air, usually over an open doorway of a building to maintain the indoor temperature and block outdoor ...
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GDS V8 180x180L: The School MVHR Fan Ideal for Ceiling Voids
Product: U03-A4 – GDS V8 180x180LIdeal Application: MVHR in Ceiling Voids
Main Requirements of Customer: Low noise & Low power consumption
MVHR is a form of continuous ventilation which supplies fresh outdoor air into a building while extracting stale air from the building, recovering...
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Corrosion Resistant Paint Grades for Industrial Fans: C3, C4, C5 and CX
When selecting a fan for a corrosive environment it is important to have some knowledge of how corrosive atmospheres are categorised, this ensures that a selected fan is deemed suitable for use in harsh environments that are at risk of steelwork corrosion, coating failures, and a reduction in the ...
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Zone Two ATEX Fans Designed to Equipment Category 3G
Zone 2 ATEX fans designed to the exacting standards required for category 3G are suitable for gas environments where there is a rare or abnormal chance of an explosion occurring. Our Zone two classified range of metal, stainless steel and polypropylene fans are available from our enhanced ATEX ...
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ATEX Concepts: What is BS EN 14986:2017?
Even though Britain has left the European Union, there are still European laws, legislative pieces and standards that have been adopted as a British standard or as formal guidelines. One example is the European standard EN 14986:2017 which has the status of a British standard through BS EN 14986:...
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ATEX S50: Fume Extraction for Potentially Explosive Environments
Axair are excited to announce that their S50 polypropylene fans; the largest and most powerful fans in their ‘S’ range, manufactured by SEAT, are now available in ATEX suitable for zone 2 gas environments.Responding to increased demand, the ATEX S50 fans have been designed to remove ...
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Corrosion Resistant Fans for Oxygen Rich Environments
Corrosion resistant fans are a necessary component for oxygen rich environments such as the aquaculture and fish farming industry. They are required to remove high concentrations of oxygen from the facilities which is accumulated during the oxygenation process.
During the oxygenation ...
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7 Advantages of using a Multiple Fan Array in a FanWall Configuration
What is a Multiple Fan Array?
A multiple fan array is exactly as it sounds, instead of running a large single belt drive as the work horse of the ventilation system, multiple fans are used in parallel to one another. This can be any configuration that is needed to achieve the overall system duty. ...
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A Comprehensive Plug Fan Range
A plug fan is a variant of a centrifugal fan that over many years, has become the industrial fan of choice for many efficiency conscious applications. Plug fans are characterised by lightweight, aerodynamically designed, backward curved aerofoil blades powered by EC motors and are geared towards ...
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Zone One ATEX Fans for Category 2 Gas Environments
Zone one ATEX fans suitable for gas environments, are available from our wide range of industrial fans designed and constructed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. In this article we cover some of the protection requirements that ensure a fan is suitable for zone one, category 2 ...
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