Laws of affinity?

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The laws of affinity are a set of rules for describing the interrelated relationships between velocity, flow, power and pressure observed with fans, turbines and similar devices. These rules are essential for installers of heating and cooling systems, who must select products suitable for their needs and calibrate them correctly. They are also useful in the design of other systems where turbines, fans and pumps may be used. These laws are published in industry textbooks and are typically taught and discussed in training.

One of the laws of affinity is the simple stipulation that engine speed and flow are proportionate. As the engine slows down, it also slows down the flow of air or other materials through a turbine. To increase flow, you need to increase speed. The amount of pressure is also subject to laws of affinity; the pressure will be equal to the engine speed, squared.

Horsepower can be an important factor in design. The faster an engine goes, the more power it requires. The laws of affinity argue that the power required to operate a fan or similar device is equal to the cube of the engine speed. Other topics covered by the affinity laws are impeller diameter and the effect it can have on flow, power, and other performance issues. These rules are consistent across many types of systems, reflecting the basic physics behind fan design.

Installers of systems subject to affinity laws must think about the uses of the system and install the appropriate equipment and supporting infrastructure. High power draw, for example, must be handled with a suitable power source. The installer takes into account the maximum stress of the system and takes this into account in the design, such as for example in the case of air conditioning in a very hot climate where the user can bring the system to maximum in the event of a heat wave. Not taking into account the maximum stress could cause problems, such as system failure in case of heavy demand.

Affinity laws can also be important in research and development. Researchers work with airflow and pressure in research and experimentation to explore topics such as aerodynamics. They must design repeatable and quantifiable experiments so that they can report results accurately. Part of this process includes fully describing the conditions of the experiment, such as a vortex formed in an experimental chamber with fans to observe how aircraft behave in windy conditions.

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