ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - November 2024 - 33

and pressure of a given operating point.) Essentially, that
translates to a 175-hp (129 kW) to 200-hp (147 kW) motor.
Fan Energy Index
The metric for determining compliance under the regulation
will be fan energy index (FEI). For ease of use in
codes and standards, FEI is a non-dimensional value
refl ecting the electrical-power consumption of a given
fan at a specifi c operating point relative to the electricalpower
consumption of a " reference fan " at the same operating
point, with a minimum defi ned effi ciency baked
into the calculations:
FEI =
Reference Fan Electrical Input Power
Actual Fan Electrical Input Power
For a more in-depth understanding of FEI, refer to
ANSI/AMCA Standard 214-21, Test Procedure for Calculating
Fan Energy Index (FEI) for Commercial and Industrial
Fans and Blowers (available to download free of
charge at https://bit.ly/AMCA_214). The reference fan is
explained in Section 5.
So that it is applicable across a broad range of fan
types, FEI relies on electrical-power measurement at
the wall (wire-to-air [W2A] principle), rather than at
the traditional fan-shaft. This will result in a corresponding
shift in power values in catalogs and selection
software.
FEI has been utilized in commercial-construction
can be found at www.regulations.gov.
The regulation will apply to makers of complete fans
manufactured or imported for sale in the United States. It
will indirectly impact system designers, as certain operating
points for certain fans no longer will be compliant.
It is expected to become effective in late 2029-fi ve years
after the energy-conservation standard is fi nalized-and
apply to all fans manufactured on or after that date. It will
not apply to replacement fan components but will apply
to equipment manufacturers that source wheels and inlet
cones from fan suppliers and incorporate them into their
own fabricated fan housings and plenum assemblies.
The power range of the regulation is 1 hp (0.74 kW) at
the fan shaft to 150-hp (110 kW) fan output power. (Fan
output power is a value calculated with the flow rate
www.amca.org
codes and standards for years, with the typical requirement
for general fans and blowers being an FEI greater
than or equal to 1.0. It should be noted that, distinct from
these codes and standards as well as Title 20, Public Utilities
and Energy, of the California Code of Regulations,
the DOE regulation introduces nine primary equipment
classes with different FEI requirements:
■
axial inline
■ axial panel
■ axial power roof ventilator
■ centrifugal housed
■ centrifugal unhoused
■ centrifugal inline
■ radial housed
■ centrifugal power roof ventilator, exhaust
■ centrifugal power roof ventilator, supply
2024 AMCA inmot ion 33
https://bit.ly/AMCA_214 http://www.regulations.gov http://www.amca.org
ASHRAE Journal Supplement - AMCA InMotion - November 2024

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