FE2owlet from Ziehl-Abegg is an efficient, low-noise fan that has winglets and serrated edges to reduce noise and save energy.
Benefits
- Reduced costs
- Reduced energy consumption
- Decreased noise
- Increased flexibility
- Increased efficiency
Applications
- HVAC
- Refrigeration
UN Sustainable Development Goals Addressed
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Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities
The Challenge
Energy generation is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases, but it’s necessary for many day-to-day operations. Fans are often hidden, but essential, elements of many appliances, and require a large amount of energy to be kept constantly running. Additionally, the noise of fans in many facilities can lead to occupational noise exposure.
Innovation Details
The FE2owlet fan is an improvement on previous models. It features winglets added to the blade tip and serrated trailing edges on the individual fan blades, similar to the design of owl wings. These updates resulted in a more aerodynamic fan that uses less energy and creates less noise.
Biological Model
Owls are able to approach their prey silently at high speed by managing turbulence. Most of the noise that occurs as an object moves through the air originates at the trailing edge, as air flowing above and below the object meet. This can also increase drag. Many owls have a flexible fringe on the trailing edge of their wing feathers which serves to minimize that noise-generating turbulence.
