Introduction
The industrial world is changing. Whereas in the past the main focus was on reliability and acquisition costs, today it is increasingly about efficiency, energy savings and sustainability. Companies are constantly looking for ways to optimize their processes without compromising on performance. This is precisely why blower technology is increasingly in the spotlight.
Whether drying packaging, aerating water basins, cooling products or generating process air, behind many industrial processes is a blower installation. And although these installations often operate trouble-free for years, closer examination regularly reveals that there is much to be gained in terms of energy.
In recent years, we at DOVAC have seen a clear shift in the market. More and more companies are switching from traditional blower technology to modern turbo blowers. Not because existing technology no longer works, but because turbo blowers can work significantly more efficiently in many situations.
As exclusive distributor of both Master Blower and Galex Air for the Benelux, we see daily how this technology helps companies reduce energy costs, improve processes and future-proof installations.
In this blog, we dive deep into the world of turbo blowers. We explain exactly what a turbo blower is, how this technology works, what the differences are from roots blowers and side channel blowers, and why turbo blowers are increasingly used within airknives, water treatment, aeration and industrial process air.
What is a turbo blower?
A turbo blower is an advanced blower that moves air using a high-speed impeller. This impeller runs at very high speeds and accelerates the air in a highly efficient manner before it is fed to the process.
Unlike many traditional blower techniques, air is not moved mechanically, but is accelerated aerodynamically. This creates a more efficient process in which less energy is lost.
This may sound like a technical detail, but in practice it makes a huge difference.
The high speeds allow turbo blowers to deliver large volumes of air from a relatively compact machine. In addition, modern turbo blowers often have variable speed drives that allow continuous capacity adjustment to match the current air demand.
This creates a system that produces no more air than is actually needed.
And that is exactly where the biggest gains lie.
Why energy consumption has become more important than purchase price
When a company invests in a new blower system, the first thing often considered is the purchase price.
That makes sense.
But with blower systems, the purchase price is often only a small part of the total cost over the life of the system.
The real cost is usually in energy consumption.
A blower that runs eight hours daily quickly makes more than 2,000 running hours per year. In fact, within many manufacturing plants, water treatment plants and process plants, a blower runs 24 hours a day.
As a result, relatively small differences in assets can make thousands of dollars difference on an annual basis.
A blower that consumes only a few kilowatts more than it needs can cause many times its purchase price in additional energy costs over its lifetime.
This is precisely why more and more companies are looking at energy-efficient alternatives.
Turbo blowers play an important role in this.
Not because they are necessarily cheaper to buy, but because they often use significantly less energy over their lifetime.
Turbo blower versus roots blower
Roots blowers have been used within the industry for decades. They are robust, reliable and suitable for a wide range of applications.
Many companies have been operating roots blowers for years without problems.
Still, every technique has its limitations.
A roots blower works with two rotating lobes that move air mechanically. That system works very well, but it also involves internal losses. In addition, roots blowers produce a relatively large amount of heat and noise.
A turbo blower works fundamentally differently.
Aerodynamically accelerating the air creates a more efficient process. Moreover, modern turbo blowers can continuously adjust their capacity to the actual air demand.
That means no longer having to work continuously at maximum capacity.
Especially in installations that run day and night, this can make a big difference.
It is important to emphasize that roots blowers are by no means obsolete. For certain applications, they remain an excellent choice.
But increasingly we see situations where a turbo blower proves to be more efficient.
Turbo blower versus side channel blower
Side channel fans also play an important role within industrial air technology.
DOVAC has supplied side channel fans for many years for applications such as vacuum lifting, aeration, air transport, drying and process air.
They are reliable machines that perform excellently in many situations.
Yet an interesting playing field is emerging here as well.
When an application requires relatively high pressures or vacuum levels, a side channel fan often remains the most logical choice.
However, when very large volumes of air are needed, a turbo blower can offer advantages.
That’s why at DOVAC we always look at the full application.
It is not the technology that is the focus, but the process.
The question is not which blower is best.
The question is which blower best suits the application.
Compressed air: the most expensive form of process air
Many companies have an extensive compressed air network.
This often creates a tendency to use compressed air for a variety of applications.
From cleaning to drying.
From product cleaning to cooling.
Yet the amount of energy required to produce compressed air is often underestimated.
Compressors must compress air to high pressures. That process takes a lot of energy.
When this expensive compressed air is then used for applications that actually require mostly air volume, a relatively inefficient situation arises.
This is precisely why turbo blowers are increasingly used as an alternative.
Especially with air knives, we regularly see that a turbo blower can provide the same or even better performance at significantly lower energy costs.
Turbo blowers and air knives: an ideal combination
If there is one application area where turbo blowers have gained strong ground in recent years, it is air blades.
Air knives are used for drying, cleaning and cooling products.
Consider, for example:
- bottles
- pots
- packaging
- vegetables
- fruit
- plastic parts
- metal components
An air knife creates a powerful and even air film over a product. This allows efficient removal of water droplets, dust particles and other contaminants.
The remarkable thing is that an air knife especially needs a lot of air volume.
And that’s exactly what a turbo blower excels at.
Master Blower: designed for maximum efficiency
Within DOVAC’s product range, Master Blower occupies a special position. Not only because DOVAC is exclusive distributor for the Benelux, but especially because this technology perfectly matches the challenges that many production companies face today.
Master Blower was developed with one clear goal: to move large volumes of air at the lowest possible energy consumption.
It sounds simple, but in practice this is a huge challenge. As air volumes increase, many traditional blower technologies also significantly increase energy consumption. Especially for systems that run many hours a day, this becomes immediately apparent on energy bills.
Master Blower’s turbo blowers are designed precisely to address this problem. By using modern high-speed technology, high efficiency can be achieved even when large volumes of air are needed.
This creates an interesting solution for companies that not only need more capacity, but at the same time want to reduce their operational costs.
Why air knives are increasingly combined with Master Blower
At DOVAC, we have been supplying air knives for a variety of applications for many years. As a result, we see the challenges companies face on a daily basis.
A product needs to dry faster.
A conveyor belt widens.
A production line runs at higher speed.
Or a company wants to get rid of the high energy consumption of compressed air.
In all these situations, air supply plays a crucial role.
Many people look first at the air blade itself, while the blower behind the system is often just as important.
An air knife functions optimally when it has a large amount of air evenly distributed along the entire length of the profile.
That is precisely where Master Blower’s strength comes in.
Delivering large air volumes efficiently creates a powerful air film that can be used to dry, clean or cool products quickly and effectively.
Especially within the food industry, packaging industry and plastics processing industry, we increasingly see combinations of air knives and turbo blowers.
Case study: drying packaging
A common application is drying packaging after a rinsing or cleaning process.
Packaging that enters a labeling machine wet can cause problems. Labels adhere less well, codings become less readable and packaging processes can be disrupted.
Traditionally, this was often solved with compressed air.
That worked fine.
But energy costs were high.
By switching to a combination of air knives and an energy-efficient turbo blower, the same or even better drying results can often be achieved at significantly lower operating costs.
The beauty of this is that the savings come back every day.
Not just once at purchase, but throughout the life of the installation.
Energy conservation in practice
One of the first questions we get when a company expresses interest in turbo blower technology is:
“How much can we save?”
This, of course, varies by application.
Yet we regularly see impressive results.
Suppose an existing plant is operating with a 13 kW blower.
If the same application can be performed with a 5.5 kW turbo blower, a savings of 7.5 kW per operating hour is created.
At an electricity price of €0.50 per kWh, this means:
- €3.75 per hour
- €30 per day
- €600 per month
- approximately €7,200 per year
For companies with multiple plants or 24-hour production, these amounts can be even significantly higher.
And in doing so, we looked exclusively at energy consumption.
This does not even include benefits such as less heat generation, lower maintenance costs and a more stable process.
Galex Air: intelligent turbo blower technology
In addition to Master Blower, DOVAC also represents Galex Air within the Benelux.
Whereas Master Blower focuses heavily on efficiently generating large air volumes, Galex Air emphasizes intelligent control and process optimization.
The Axion One series is designed for companies that want to maintain maximum control over their process.
More and more plants today are controlled by data.
Sensors measure oxygen levels.
PLC systems monitor processes.
Energy management systems record consumption.
Within this environment, a need arises for blower technology that can respond flexibly to changing conditions.
And that’s exactly where Galex Air excels.
Why frequency control is becoming increasingly important
Many traditional blower systems run at a fixed capacity.
Whether much or little air is needed, the blower continues to deliver the same power.
This is easy, but not always efficient.
A modern turbo blower works differently.
When the air demand decreases, the blower automatically reduces its speed.
When more capacity is needed, the blower increases its performance.
This ensures that energy is used only when it is actually needed.
Especially within installations with varying loads, this can make a big difference.
Not only in terms of energy consumption, but also for process stability.
Turbo blowers for water treatment
One of the main application areas for Galex Air is within water treatment.
Within biological wastewater treatment plants, oxygen plays a crucial role.
Bacteria use oxygen to break down pollutants. Without sufficient oxygen, the efficiency of the purification process drops.
Therefore, large amounts of air are introduced into the water.
The problem is that aeration is often one of the largest energy consumers of the entire plant.
In some cases, more than half of the total energy consumption is directly linked to the aeration process.
This is precisely why interest in turbo blowers is growing.
By producing air more efficiently ánd controlling it smarter, energy consumption can be reduced significantly without sacrificing performance.
More oxygen with less energy
The ultimate goal of aeration is not to produce as much air as possible.
The goal is to get enough oxygen into the water.
That seems like a small difference, but it is essential.
An efficient turbo blower ensures that just the right amount of air is delivered at the right time.
This creates a stable oxygen level while avoiding unnecessary energy consumption.
For water treatment plants, process plants and industrial aeration systems, this can be an important step toward lower operating costs.
Turbo blowers in horticulture
Interest in turbo blowers is also growing rapidly within horticulture. This is not surprising. Modern horticultural companies are constantly investing in more efficient processes, lower energy costs and better water quality.
After all, water plays a crucial role within virtually every crop.
Many farms use water basins, silos and recirculation systems in which water is stored and reused. To maintain the quality of this water, sufficient oxygen is essential.
When oxygen levels drop, it can have negative effects on water quality and ultimately on the crop.
This is why aeration systems are increasingly used.
Traditionally, this was often done with roots blowers or other conventional blower technologies. While these systems still work, we see more and more companies switching to modern turbo blowers.
Not only because of energy savings, but also because of better controllability and higher efficiency.
Especially within larger horticultural companies where plants run day and night, this can lead to significant cost savings.
Aeration of water basins
Aeration seems simple at first glance.
Air is introduced into the water and with that the job is done.
In reality, there is much more at play.
The amount of oxygen that actually enters the water is influenced by several factors such as:
- air capacity;
- the pressure;
- the depth of the basin;
- the diffusers used;
- the distribution of air;
- operating conditions.
Therefore, a well-designed aeration system is not about producing as much air as possible.
It’s all about efficiently transferring oxygen to the water.
Modern turbo blowers were developed with that very purpose in mind.
Their high efficiency allows them to deliver large volumes of air without requiring excessive energy.
This creates a more stable process as well as a lower energy bill.
Case study: more oxygen and lower energy consumption
We saw a great example of this at a company operating within industrial water treatment.
The existing blower system was still functioning, but the results were not optimal. Oxygen levels were lagging and, at the same time, energy consumption continued to increase.
The first thought was to overhaul the existing blower.
After analysis, however, it appeared that the technology itself had become the limiting factor.
Together with the client, a modern alternative was considered.
After switching to a turbo blower, several advantages immediately arose.
Oxygen levels in the water improved significantly.
The process became more stable.
And energy consumption fell sharply.
What this situation shows above all is that the biggest gains are often not achieved by simply replacing an existing installation with the same type of machine.
The real gain comes from looking at the complete application.
That is precisely where the power of modern turbo blower technology lies.
Less noise, less vibration and less maintenance
When companies consider a new blower installation, the focus is often on capacity and energy consumption.
That makes sense.
Yet other benefits are regularly underestimated.
Many traditional blower systems produce a relatively large amount of noise. Certainly older roots blowers are known for their characteristic noise and vibration.
Within production environments, this can lead to a less pleasant work environment.
Turbo blowers tend to have a much quieter character.
Their modern design creates less vibration and lower noise levels.
Not only does this provide greater comfort, but it can also help extend the life of the system.
In addition, modern turbo blowers are designed with reliability in mind.
Less mechanical stress often also means less wear and tear.
For companies where downtime costs money directly, this is a significant advantage.
Why DOVAC looks beyond just the blower
At DOVAC, we don’t believe in simply delivering a machine.
After all, a blower is only one part of a complete installation.
Final performance is influenced by many more factors.
Consider, for example:
- pipe diameters;
- filters;
- silencers;
- air knives;
- control technology;
- operating hours;
- process conditions.
Therefore, good advice always begins with understanding the application.
What needs to be done?
How much air is really needed?
What technique is currently being used?
How much energy is consumed?
What improvements are being sought?
Only when these questions are answered does a complete picture of the possibilities emerge.
Sometimes a Master Blower turns out to be the ideal choice.
Sometimes Galex Air fits better.
And in other situations, a side channel fan or other blower technology remains the most logical solution.
The goal is not to sell a blower.
The goal is to improve a process.
Why turbo blowers will play an important role in tomorrow’s industry
The industry faces major challenges.
Energy costs continue to rise.
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important.
Companies must remain competitive in a market where efficiency is key.
As a result, there is a growing need for technologies that not only work well today, but are ready for the future.
Turbo blowers fit this trend perfectly.
Through their combination of:
- high efficiency;
- low energy costs;
- intelligent control;
- high reliability;
- low maintenance requirement;
they are a logical step toward modern industrial processes.
Whether for airknives, process air, water treatment, aeration or other industrial applications, turbo blowers will play an increasing role in the coming years.
Conclusion
Turbo blowers are much more than an alternative to traditional blower technology.
They are a modern solution for companies that want to reduce their energy consumption, optimize their processes and be prepared for the future.
Master Blower is distinguished by powerful air displacement and maximum efficiency in applications with large air volumes, such as air knives, drying processes and process air.
Galex Air adds intelligent control and advanced process control, making this technology particularly interesting for water treatment, aeration and other dynamic processes.
Which solution fits best depends entirely on the application.
That’s why DOVAC looks beyond just the blower. By analyzing the complete process, we can recommend which technology provides the highest efficiency, greatest energy savings and best performance.
Want to know more about Master Blower or Galex Air?
Wondering how much energy you can save with a turbo blower?
Or would you like to know if a Master Blower or Galex Air is right for your application?
DOVAC is happy to advise you on:
- turbo blowers;
- air knives;
- process air;
- water treatment;
- aeration;
- energy savings;
- industrial blower systems.
Feel free to contact us for technical advice or an analysis of your current installation.
Together we look at how your process can become more efficient, sustainable and energy efficient.
