Nearly every HVAC equipment manufacturer is chasing peak efficiency, regardless of the component or product. OEMs are striving to improve efficiencies at all costs and seeking ways to offer better options and improved solutions to consumers. However, in the blower marketplace, tightening global regulations are forcing manufacturers to create products that cater to highly-specific consumer needs based upon different requirements in different regions.
Jennifer Heerschap, national sales manager, wholesale products division, Continental Fan Mfg. Inc., said that although there have been slight modifications in certain types of fan impellers (e.g. serrated edges on leading or trailing edges), the focus today is on improving motor efficiencies. “Europe has been using electronically commutated motors (ECMs) and DC motors for some time as a result of tighter regulations,” she said. “In North America, we’ve been hearing for the past decade about the shift to greater efficiencies using ECMs and DC motors, but it seems that only recently have these technologies become assets in the residential HVAC market. Certain industries in North America have been using this technology with ventilation for some time, but now it’s making its way into people’s homes.”