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Summarized AMCA COVID-19 Guidance for Large-Diameter Ceiling Fans

For building owners and operators, the AMCA International study makes recommendations for LDCF operation.

Background
During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous government agencies along with professional institutions issued guidance regarding the operation of circulating fans. This guidance recommended that building owners and occupants avoid operating circulating fans based on an assumption that the circulation generated by the fans would lead to increased transmission rates within a building if an infected individual was present. This recommendation was not rooted in research or prior practice for other airborne diseases. As temperatures reached record highs in 2020 and 2021, this guidance further increased heat stress and the frequency of heat-related illness among essential workers in challenging work environments. A significant number of quantitative and numerical studies have been performed regarding the performance of circulating fans and the best application of the fans in a typical installation in a large industrial space. However, few to none of these studies have examined the potential effects of fan operation on airborne disease transmission in these spaces. This knowledge gap became all the more noticeable and led to premature guidance regarding the use of circulating fans.

In response, Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International commissioned a numerical computational fluid dynamics study of particle and aerosol transmission in a typical warehouse space with large diameter ceiling fans (LDCF—fans greater than 7 feet in diameter). These midsize warehouse spaces are the backbone of manufacturing supply chains and e-commerce fulfillment systems, both of which have been important in responding to and weathering the COVID-19 pandemic. These facilities are also often under-conditioned in the summer months and can expose workers to significant heat stress and heat illness risk.

To ensure the integrity and accuracy of the study, AMCA formed one team of experts across the HVAC industry to ensure the proper selection and application of the products and another team of experts in airflow modeling, infectious disease transmission, and indoor air quality. Members of these teams include leading academics, members of the ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force, and notably, engineering leaders from Big Ass Fans, a proud member company of AMCA International.

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