RACA Journal I October 2026 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za 33
FANS AND DUCTING
This is potentially valuable in applications such as data centres, where airflow management is closely linked to cooling efficiency. Instead of treating fans as fixed-speed devices, operators can increasingly adjust airflow according to changing thermal loads. The same principle applies to commercial buildings and industrial facilities, particularly where occupancy or process loads vary during the day.
Retrofitting is another opportunity. ebm-papst reports energy savings of up to 50 % in one example involving the replacement of belt-driven AC fans with EC centrifugal fans, although actual savings will depend heavily on the application and system conditions.
BRINGING MORE OF THE FAN HOME While technology is evolving internationally, South Africa is also seeing renewed interest in local manufacturing.
Fan Movement provides one example. The company moved from distribution into manufacturing in 2024, bringing production of cased axial-flow fans in-house. According to founder and mechanical engineer Zinziso Xhallie, approximately 60 % of component value in certain product lines is now produced locally. The motivation is not simply localisation for its own sake. Local production can provide greater control over manufacturing, reduce dependence on overseas lead times and allow products to be adapted more readily to local requirements.“ We have developed internal quality control systems to check every fan that we manufacture,” Xhallie says.
The company has also invested in testing equipment capable of recording parameters such as amperage and speed, while developing fan-selection software to provide engineers with more detailed performance information. That emphasis on measured performance is increasingly important as consultants look beyond airflow and pressure to consider absorbed power and efficiency when specifying equipment.
EFFICIENCY VERSUS THE REAL WORLD Multi-Wing South Africa illustrates another side of the fan market: efficiency is important, but it cannot be separated from the environment in which the equipment has to operate. The company ' s experience is particularly rooted in mining and heavy industry, where fans can be exposed to vibration, dust, high temperatures and demanding operating conditions.
Manager Kevin Jones explains that the company ' s engineered axial fans are configured according to the specific requirements of each application. In high-vibration environments, for example, the construction of the fan itself becomes critical.“ Thin or rolled flanges would fail in these environments.
Manufacturing of an axial fan.
We design fan units with thicker, fully welded flanges to ensure longterm reliability,” he says.
Multi-Wing also supplies fans for cooling large electric motors, compressors and pumps, as well as engine and powertrain cooling applications where space, temperature and vibration can impose severe constraints.
The lesson is that fan selection cannot simply be reduced to a comparison of efficiency figures. A fan that performs exceptionally well under controlled conditions but cannot withstand its operating environment is unlikely to deliver good lifecycle value.
AVAILABILITY IS PART OF PERFORMANCE The same argument applies to maintenance and spares.
Multi-Wing supplies cooling-tower manufacturers, OEMs and the replacement market, maintaining stock of impellers used in equipment already operating in Southern Africa. Rapid availability can be particularly important in industrial applications where fan failure can affect production or equipment cooling.
Local manufacturing can offer a similar advantage. By bringing more production in-house, Fan Movement aims to reduce its reliance on external supply chains and shorten turnaround times. This may become increasingly significant as customers place greater emphasis on total cost of ownership. The cost of a fan is not simply its purchase price or electricity consumption; downtime, replacement lead times, maintenance and the availability of technical support all contribute to its real cost.
A MORE IMPORTANT COMPONENT The humble fan is therefore becoming a more strategic part of the HVAC & R system. EC technology is pushing efficiency and controllability forward, while digital connectivity is giving engineers more information about how fans operate. At the same time, South African manufacturers are looking for opportunities to increase local production and reduce supply-chain dependence, while industrial applications continue to demand equipment capable of surviving harsh conditions.
Supplied by Multi-Wing feature
RACA Journal I October 2026 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za 33