Air Flow formulas

CFM = Duct area sq ft x Velocity

(Mercury)

Standard Air= 70F @ 29.92 HG

1 cubic foot of standard air = 0.075 pounds 13.3 cubic feet of standard air =
1 pound

FAN LAWS:
Remember RPM is interchangeable for CFM
Note: new is the same as 1 and old is the same as 2
Fan Law #1

CFMnew RPMnew

=
CFMold RPMold
Formulas for problem solving

RPMnew
CFM new = CFM old X

RPMold

CFMnew
RPM new = RPM old X

CFMold

Fan Law #2

CFMnew

CFMold

SPnew
CFMnew
Or

SPold
CFMold

SPnew
SPold

Formulas for problem solving

CFM new = CFM old x

SPnew
CFMnew
SP new =

SPold
CFMold

Fan Law #3
3

BHPnew
CFMnew
CFMnew
or
=
=

BHPold
CFMold
CFMold

BHPnew
BHPold

Formulas for problem solving

CFM new = CFM old X

BHPnew
BHPold

CFMnew
BHP new = BHP old x

CFMold

Volume calculations:
Air Changes Per Hour =

CFMx60
Cubicfeet

CFM = Room Volume x

Calculating Outside Air quantities:

AirChangesperhour
60

(MATx100) (% RAxRAT )

OAT =

%OA

O=Outside A=Air R=Return M=Mixed

T=Temperature

(RAT MAT )
(RAT OAT )

%OA =

MAT =

x 100

(%OAxOAT ) + (% RAxRAT )

RAT =

100

(MATx100) (%OAxOAT )
% RA

Velocity and Velocity with density correction:

For Standard Air (70F @ 29.92"):
V

VP =
4005
V = 4005 VP
530
BAR

Den = 0.075
460 + T 29.92

For Other Than Standard Air:

VP
Den

V = 1096.7

Airflow stations flow:

CFM = CV P(inches) H 2o

Cv = 3

CFM
P(inches) H 2o

CFM
P(inches)H 2o =

Cv

Air Thermal calculations:

sp.ht = 0.24
13.3 cu.ft. = 1 lb.
0.075 lbs. = 1 cu.ft.
.075 lbs. x 60 min. = 4.5 lbs per hour
4.5 x 0.24 = 1.08
BTUH = M sp. ht . T

M = Mass Flow Rate in Lbs. per Hour.

F.

BTUH ( Sensible)
108
. T ( DryBulb)
BTUH
T =
108
. CFM

CFM =

sp.ht. = Specific Heat in BTU/Lb. per Degree

BTUH = CFM 108

. T

BTUH (Total ) = CFM h 4.5

Den
0.075

Den
0.075

h = Enthalpy in BTU per Lb.

BTUH
= MBH
1000

Fan calculations:
FanBHP =

Static fan efficiency:

FanTipSpeedFPM = RPM

RPM =

Ts( FPM ) 12
Circ.(in.)

BL = 2C + ( 157
. ( D + d )) +

Circ.(in.)
12

CFM SP
6356 SE

Circ.(in.) =

( D d)2

Ts( FPM ) 12
RPM

FanRPM = MotorRPM

4C

d
D

D
MotorRPM = FanRPM
d

BL = Belt Length (in.) C = Distance between shaft centers (in.)

(in.)
d = Motor Sheave dia. (in.)

D = Fan sheave dia.

ExsistingFanSheaveDia.

Max. (min.) Fan sheave Dia. =

3

Max.BHP
ExsistingEstimatedBHP

Max. Motor sheave = Existing Motor sheave Dia. X 3

Max.BHP
ExsistingEstimatedBHP

 RPMnew
New Motor Sheave size Diameter new = Dia.old x

RPMold
RPMold
New Fan Sheave size Diameter new = Dia.old x

RPMnew

2005, National Energy Management Institute Committee. All rights reserved.