Role of HVLS Fans in Improving Workplace Comfort and Productivity

In an interaction with Industry Outlook, Mahesh T S, MD, Aadhya Airtek discusses the fast expansion of the HVLS (High Volume Low Speed) fans market in India. He describes how the growing emphasis on energy-efficient cooling, workplace comfort and automation is driving the growth of HVLS fans. He highlighted the benefits of HVLS fans over traditional options, their contribution to energy savings, and their effect on industrial productivity. With over 30 years of experience, Mahesh T S expertise in the fields of electrical, electronical and mechanical services industry.

How do you see the current evolution of HVLS fans market in India?

In India, there is a growing demand for HVLS (High Volume Low Speed) fans. HVLS fans have a number of advantages over conventional fans, including wall mounting fans and fans from other brands. Conventional fans use more power, are noisy, and give less airflow. Because of these factors, convention centers, industries, open auditoriums, and numerous other facilities are turning more towards HVLS fans. These fans offer more airflow at lower power consumption.

How do HVLS fans offer a value proposition by delivering superior thermal comfort, along with minimal energy usage?

HVLS fans consume much less power than conventional fans. In installations where several small fans are employed, the noise level is higher, power consumption is more, and the volume of air generated is less. Under such circumstances, one HVLS fan will do the work of about 40 small fans and will thus be a better option. For bigger areas, one or two HVLS fans are enough to generate the required airflow. Compared to conventional fans, HVLS fans can save up to 95% of power, hence being a popular option. And also in Toyota, SCWO and many places we have installed it. In the past, there have been many fans that consumed as much as 9.5 kilowatts of power, but with HVLS fans, the usage has reduced to 1.5 kilowatts. HVLS fans also contribute to comfort through enhanced air circulation and coverage. Due to these advantages, more industries and large buildings are using HVLS fans.

How do HVLS fans provide a cost-effective solution to maintain fresh air circulation in large facilities?

As a rule of thumb, a smaller fan consumes less suction pressure, whereas larger fans need higher pressure. Upon the initiation of air tumbling, the ambient temperature stabilizes. For example, if the ambient temperature is 35 degrees, operating an HVLS fan for one hour—broken into four cycles of 15 minutes each—can lead to a temperature variation of about 3 to 4 degrees.  This provides a consistent ambient temperature, which increases the comfort of the space for individuals. In industrial sector, better air circulation directly adds to increased productivity. In conference halls, where large rooms are occupied by people, HVLS fans assist comfort by effective air distribution across the room. Wall-mounted fan, smaller fans typically also have a smaller throw of 10 to 15 feet. If the area is broad—e.g., 60 to 80 feet in width—these small fans fail to reach the center effectively. HVLS fans, however, give complete air circulation, reaching every corner of the room.

How do HVLS fans differentiate themselves by directly contributing to improved productivity? What kind of change in the employee well-being have you seen by the implementation of HVLS fans?

In a specific industry, there were approximately 16 to 18 fans installed to supply airflow for 20 to 25 workers who worked on different machines. There was a fan per machine, and the total count was about 18 fans. These minor fans were not capable of giving sufficient airflow, used more power, and produced a lot of noise.

In such cases, we have installed only one fan, and this covered the entire working space successfully. All operators and employees received equal air distribution and better comfort while on duty. The HVLS fan served efficiently over coverage of around 6,000 to 7,000 square feet with equal airflow everywhere, no matter where employees moved or in which direction. Because of these benefits, a lot of industries are adopting HVLS fans nowadays.

How do HVLS fans balance the high performance along with the low operational noise?

For industrial use, we have an induction motor with a gearbox, which produce around 30 to 35 dB of noise. If it is a more height, that noise also will be negligible. And moreover, in the industries, the noise level will be somewhere around 120 dB. So our fan is 35 dB. So it's negligible for industry.

Yet, for auditoriums, or some many peaceful places, there are PMS (Permanent Magnet Synchronized) motors. They are zero-noise motors. In the same cases, for smaller fan applications, there are BLDC (Brushless DC) motors, which too run silently. Even ordinary home fans produce some form of noise, but there are BLDC and PMS motors that offer zero-noise. Where required, a choice of a PMS motor or a BLDC motor guarantees smooth and silent operation over more hours of continuous usage.

How do HVLS fans complement the existing HVAC systems?

In an air conditioning system in HVAC, consistent cooling of large spaces with high ceilings is a problem. One of the most important considerations is the tumbling of air. Cool air, as it is discharged from the duct and flows down towards the floor, tends to cover a distance of approximately 10 to 20 feet. At the same time, hot air will be flowing up, thus having a circulation pattern. But in a few minutes, the temperature of the cooling air can vary with this tumbling effect.

In order to maintain the whole space cooled, the air conditioner has to be cooled at a lower temperature, usually at 18 degree temperature. At such setting, the compressor runs constantly without turning off, resulting in greater energy consumption. Through the integration of an HVLS fan with the HVAC system, the circulation of air is greatly improved. With the HVAC temperature at 24 degree or 26 degree and the use of HVLS fans, airflow distribution becomes more effective. The fan works to push down cool air and ensure good circulation.

Is there any difference in its application in different industries like because of the unique air circulation needs like specialized environments such as food storage or aviation hangers or gymnasiums? Is there any specification or customization required?

We customize our HVLS fans according to customer specifications, considering their structural design and production part. In production part, airflow is mostly required at the front of the machines where employees are located, but the back area usually does not need ventilation. So the people will ask for customized sizes. Similarly, in food storage plants and warehouses, clients often need HVLS fans to maintain consistent temperatures. These facilities have even used PUFF panels or PUFF sheets in place of their roof structure, which offer low heat-transfer rates.

Customization also applies to mounting options. Certain areas have no ceiling space for standard installations, necessitating side-mounted fans instead. We do these custom requests and are also working on movable HVLS fan solutions for added flexibility. We have also set up our own motor manufacturing division to ensure more production. By manufacturing our own motors, not only do we lock in our supply chain but also we give other companies the help of custom-made BLDC motors. This expansion enables us to move into the B2B market.

How much percentage of the production is of the customized? What percentages of orders are for the customized HVLS fans?

About 10% of the customers ask for entirely customized HVLS fans according to their own needs. But the most common one—about 90%—goes for standard units, since most commercial establishments already have pre-determined fan installation areas. For these standard installations, we perform a site visit to evaluate the space and suggest the right fan size. We also help choose easy-to-maintain colors. Although we offer customization for all our customers, only around 10% of the orders need full customization.

How do you ensure that new technologies are implemented? How do HVLS fans integrate IoT and smart building systems to optimize the air circulation automatically or dynamically?

We generally use Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) in our HVLS fans to interface easily with automation systems. VFDs find widespread usage in most installations to facilitate automatic fan shutdown and turning on, particularly in companies operating shifts. In such cases, we have made use of timer circuits to manage fan operation efficiently.

Further, some customers require advanced control systems, i.e., Human-Machine Interface (HMI) touch screens, which we have effectively integrated. We are implementing remote control systems in our next motor models and substituting VFDs with specific PCBs. Temperature-controlled speed modulation is also available for individualized installations, where fan speed varies automatically with ambient temperature. In terms of power efficiency, our VLDC motor-run and BMS fans consume significantly less power compared to traditional induction motors.

For more energy saving, we have also included timers and human sensors. The sensors sense presence and turn off the fan when no one is present, thus optimizing power efficiency. All these are designed to meet the specific customer needs for efficient and intelligent fan operation.

How do you see the future of this market? How is it going to evolve further in the in the near future?

In the near future, there is a high demand for HVLS fans with aesthetic wise. Owing to the wide size of our fans, it is not possible to use sheet metal because it is too heavy. We are rather using aluminum that is light but strong. To address customer needs, we provide different finishes like anodizing, powder coating, and spray painting. Moreover, we are now launching PVC wings filled with PUFF material, which lightens the weight considerably while maintaining structural strength and avoiding sagging. In addition, we are now diversifying our product line to introduce green products.