The construction sector is the primary source of China's energy consumption and carbon emissions. It is well documented that the energy consumption of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems accounts for 40% to 50% of the total energy consumption of buildings, and fans are a key component of such systems with great energy-saving potential. In daily operation, aging ventilation systems frequently suffer from multiple problems related to efficiency, noise and maintenance, which are outlined as follows:
1. High energy consumption: Traditional alternating current (AC) fans are driven by asynchronous motors, whose energy conversion efficiency mostly ranges between 50% and 60%, leading to substantial energy waste.
2. High noise level: AC fans driven by traditional belt pulleys generate significant noise.
3. Cumbersome maintenance: Such fans feature complex structures and their components are prone to wear.
4. Inadequate regulation capability: They are characterized by slow response, low regulation accuracy, and limited adjustment range, which makes it difficult for them to match real-time load demands, resulting in poor operational flexibility.
