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AMCA Report Gives COVID-19 Guidance On Running Large Ceiling Fans

Arlington Heights, IL, Nov. 2021 — Air Movement and Control Association International (AMCA International) released a new report on a year-long study giving Covid-19 guidance on running large diameter ceiling fans in warehouse spaces.

AMCA International, in collaboration with Concordia University, and an elite team of scientists and engineers, just released the new report: “AMCA COVID Guidance for UNDUCTED Fans – Modeling Ceiling Fans”. The goal of this study was to understand the effect of large-diameter (larger than 7ft) ceiling fans on COVID-19 exposures in warehouses (Ivanovich, Gunzner, & Arnold, 2021). The study was based on over 200 simulations conducted in a 330ft x 150ft x 28ft warehouse. Below are the major conclusions.

 

AMCA Report At A Glance 

Confirmations:

  • Operating a large diameter ceiling fan (LDCF) at the highest speed in a downward direction is the most effective option to help reduce the concentration of airborne particles from loud speaking (shouting) in a sparsely populated warehouse setting (Wang, 2021). 
  • There was also a reduction in airborne particle concentration when a fan was running in the reverse direction at the highest speed in a sparsely populated warehouse setting (not as great of a reduction as in a downward direction) (Wang, 2021).  
  • Operating a ceiling fan at a slower speed will show a slight reduction in the concentration of airborne particles from speaking loudly when occupants are close to the fan, but not as much as at the highest speed and not outside the fan region (Wang, 2021).  
  • Reducing fan speeds and running in reverse could slow all airflow, thus actually increasing the concentration (Wang, 2021).

Guidance:

  • No matter how far the workers are from the fans (in summer months), operate fans downward at the highest appropriate speed (while still keeping people comfortable) in either direction – forward or reverse (Wang, 2021).
  • No matter how far the workers are from the fans (in winter months), operate fans downward at the highest appropriate speed (while still keeping people comfortable), OR operate the fans in reverse at the highest appropriate speed (Wang, 2021).
  • Open windows and doors in your warehouse and operate ceiling fans wherever possible (Wang, 2021).
  • Do not locate employees directly next to each other for long periods (Wang, 2021).
  • Operate ceiling fans at the highest possible rate in either direction while still keeping your employees comfortable.

 

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References

Ivanovich, M., Gunzner, A., & Arnold, S. (2021). AMCA COVID-19 Guidance for Large-Diameter Ceiling Fans (1-11). AMCA International. 

Wang, L. (2021, October 26). AMCA COVID-19 Guidance for Large-Diameter Ceiling Fans. Cube: AMCA covid-19 guidance for large-diameter ceiling fans. Retrieved November 8, 2021, from https://users.encs.concordia.ca/~leonwang/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=13.