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ebm-papst: Confusion over ErP regulations made simple
There has been a lot of noise in the fan industry over the past couple of months surrounding the impending 2013 ErP regulations, but ebm-papst, Europe’s leading manufacturer of fans and motors and a pacesetter for the ultra-efficient EC technology, has been compliant for many years.
Robert Harness, Business Development Manager at ebm-papst UK, says: “From 2013, new efficiency targets for fans come into force under the European Union’s Energy-related Products (ErP) directive, which will mean that some types will have to be taken off the market.
“The regulations will tighten further in 2015, with an even greater impact. We’ve been good to go for years and all of our EC fans meet the standard for 2015, but you should still check with us if you are in any doubt.”
The ErP directive affects axial, centrifugal (forward and backward curved), cross-flow and diagonal fans with a power input of between 125W and 500kW and it is down to the fan manufacturer to assess their own products to determine if they pass or fail.
The new regulations apply to the complete fan impeller and motor combination. This means both external rotor motor designs and separate impeller and motor combinations, where the fan is driven by a shaft or drive belt.
Anyone who sources separate motors and impellers and combines them into a fan system is deemed to be a fan manufacturer under the ErP directive and as such, they will also have to test their fans to ensure they comply with the regulations.
“Having calculated the efficiency of a fan as a ratio of electrical power in against air power out, whether it passes or fails is determined by its category and the limit set by the ErP directive. For each fan type, there is a corresponding formula to calculate whether a fan meets the minimum efficiency requirement,” explains Robert.
ebm-papst has a simple Q&A about the new regulations, which can be found on its website: www.ebmpapst.co.uk/pages/content.asp?s_74,p_3.
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