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Are there other names for HVLS Fans?

Does it matter if you get a celebrity's autograph or their John Hancock? Do you put your luggage in the trunk or the boot? More importantly, what's the name of that big thing hanging from your ceiling that keeps your facility so comfortable? As a society, we often use multiple labels to describe the same thing. The examples in the intro are referring to the same concept, yet the words are very different. When it comes to HVLS fans, one of these synonyms is Large Diameter, Low Speed.

What Names Are Used for Those Big Fans?

Let's take a look at the most commonly used names for large blade, low-speed industrial ceiling fans.

HVLS: High Volume, Low-Speed Fans

This name is probably the most commonly used term for big ceiling fans. The name comes from the high volume of air that these fans move when compared to smaller pedestal fans and the low speed at which they run.

Manufacturers that use the name HVLS include:

  • MacroAir – The inventor of this type of fan technology.
  • Rite-Hite – A company that sells many industrial products, including HVLS fans.
  • Big Ass Fans – A Kentucky-based manufacturer of HVLS fans.

Because HVLS fan is the most common name for this type of cooling solution, many companies and organizations refer to large ceiling fans as such.

LDLS: Large Diameter, Low-Speed Fans

This label is synonymous with HVLS but less commonly used among manufacturers and consumers. The large diameter refers to the diameter of the fan's blades which are much bigger than the blades of a standard box or pedestal fan.

Organizations that use the name LDLS include:

  • Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) – AME has used the large diameter, low-speed label in published reports on cooling solutions, and
  • Other companies have sometimes referred to these fans as LDLS.

HVLD: High Volume, Large Diameter Fans

A newer term in the market is high volume, large diameter. This is a combination of the original HVLS terminology and the LDLS label.

Organizations that use the name HVLS include:

The Bottom Line:

Whether you call them HVLS, LDLS, or HVLD, the name of the fans in your facility doesn't really matter. What does matter is the fan's performance and efficiency: how much air it moves, how much energy it uses, and how reliable it is over the long haul.