5900 m3/h EC Axial Fan for Industrial Condenser Units Case Study

What the refrigeration OEM needed

A European maker of commercial refrigeration systems was designing a compact industrial condenser line and needed a 500mm EC axial fan for it. Initially the target was 5,900 m3/h at free air.

The intent was stated openly. They wanted a direct replacement for an incumbent European part, at lower bill-of-materials cost, and without a performance penalty. In other words, a fair test to be measured against.

Here the end use is air-cooled condensers on commercial walk-in freezers. Consequently a failed fan means spoiled stock rather than an inconvenience.

• 230VAC single phase at 50/60Hz.
• Mounting depth under 180mm, since the housing was already fixed.
• 0-10VDC control, so the fan talks to their PLC directly.
• Under 60 dB(A) at the main operating point, because commercial zoning rules say so.
• IP54 minimum, together with an operating range from -20C to +60C.
• Performance verifiable to ISO 5801, as well as CE, RoHS and REACH.

The temperature range is not decoration. An EC axial fan on a freezer condenser must start reliably on a frozen morning. Equally, it must still run at full load in August.

Choosing the right EC axial fan

Our LWAE3G 500mm platform was, obviously, the right family. Therefore the real work was picking the motor and blade combination that gives the best performance for the money.

Why not an AC fan with a drive

We looked at an AC motor first. However, it would need an external VFD to give the speed control the customer requires. Consequently it raises total cost, adds a failure point, and creates integration work against their PLC. An EC axial fan with the drive built in avoids all three.

Why not the bigger 560mm fan

A 560mm model gives more airflow headroom, which sounds like a free upgrade. In practice it is not. Once the guard is included, the assembly evidently exceeds the customer 570mm limit. The constraint was mechanical, so the extra airflow was simply unavailable.

Why not the 400W motor

This is the more interesting rejection. A 400W motor on the same 500mm frame produces a curve poorly matched to the job. Namely, it generates far more static pressure than a low-impedance condenser coil ever asks for. It spends energy doing so, too.

A fan running well to the left of its best efficiency point is basically wasteful, not powerful. Consequently the standard 200W configuration was the correct answer: 900 RPM, 5900 m3/h, and no watts spent on pressure nobody needs.

What shipped

Meanwhile the specified part was the LWAE3G500SS-5PKW-15. Notably, its integrated SmartEC drive reads the 0-10VDC signal from the customer control system without an interface board.

The -20C to +60C window comes chiefly from our ThermoFlex approach to motor parts and materials. That is what makes a cold start dependable. Meanwhile IP54 as standard covers the dust and moisture an outdoor-facing condenser will meet.

Technical Specifications

First, look at the input power row alongside the airflow row. Two hundred watts for 5900 m3/h is the whole reason this selection beat the alternatives.

Technical Documentation

Here the full technical specification sheet contains performance curves (P-Q), dimensional drawings, wiring diagrams, and a complete list of operational parameters for the LWAE3G500SS-5PKW-15.
View LWAE3G500SS-5PKW-15-00 (PDF)

A high-resolution product image shows the fan’s construction, including the 5-blade impeller, motor hub, and protective guard.

The editable source document is provided for system integrators who need to incorporate technical data into their own project documentation.
Get LWAE3G500SS-5PKW-15-00 (DOCX)

Why the OEM switched supplier

Meanwhile the OEM was replacing an established supplier. Consequently the case had to be solid on four fronts.

• Price, with the engineering intact. A materially lower unit price against the incumbent was the commercial driver. Crucially, nothing was given up on L10 bearing life, IP rating or control functionality to get there.
• Lead times that free working capital. Standard models like this EC axial fan ship on 15 to 30 day production lead times, against the 12 to 16 weeks typical of imported European brands. That difference changes how much stock an OEM must hold.
• Certification already on file. We hold the CE certificate from TUV NORD. Furthermore, ISO 5801 performance data let the customer engineers qualify the part immediately rather than paying for third-party validation.
• A path to custom versions. This project used a standard model. Even so, our structured 90-day NPI process gives the customer a route to a higher IP rating or a different supply voltage far faster than their previous supplier offered.

Browse our EC axial fan range, or the condenser fan series for refrigeration duty. Test methods are set out in ISO 5801.

Questions about this fan

What L10 life and warranty apply in continuous condenser duty?

The fan is specified at 40,000 hours L10 at a 40C ambient, with a standard 12-month warranty from factory receipt. For high-volume OEM partners we negotiate 18 to 24 month terms and MTBF commitments up to 60,000 hours inside a frame agreement.

How does the controller handle PWM against 0-10V?

Here the SmartEC controller detects either signal automatically on the same input pin. Valid PWM frequency runs 1 kHz to 10 kHz, and analogue control works across 1 to 9.5 VDC. The harness also carries a +10VDC output at up to 10 mA, which drives an external potentiometer directly, so many designs need no separate control supply.

Will it start reliably at -20C?

Yes, and that is a bearing grease question more than a motor question. This EC axial fan uses low-temperature grease and materials chosen for the range. That is what stops a cold morning becoming a stalled rotor and a tripped protector.

Why is a smaller motor better here?

Because a condenser coil is a low-impedance load. Fan efficiency peaks at a particular point on the curve, and an oversized motor pushes the operating point away from it. Consequently you pay for the extra watts and get very little extra airflow. That is the opposite of what the customer wanted.