Fan Base Types¶

Run the Fan Base Types MicroSim Fullscreen

About This MicroSim¶

This MicroSim puts six numbered markers on FanPedia's drawings of the three base types for centrifugal fans (pages 131 and 132). The top row shows two fans; under them, the middle row shows the unitary base and the isolation base on their own, each carrying only a motor. The bottom row shows the bare inertia base above its optional bottom pan, and a fan on an inertia base. The fans themselves carry no marker.

The six parts are the unitary base, the isolation base, the spring isolators under it, the inertia base, its reinforcing rods (rebar) and the bottom pan. On a wide screen a label column with leader lines sits to the right of the drawing; on a narrow screen the labels move below it as a numbered list.

The quiz describes each part by its job ("Select the base the customer fills with concrete.") instead of naming it, in a shuffled order. You get two attempts per prompt. The first wrong answer shows a hint about where to look; the second reveals the part and counts as missed. Mastery is 5 of 6 correct on the first attempt. Explore mode is never scored.

How to Use¶

Explore mode (the starting mode). Point at a numbered marker, or Tab to it, to see the part's name and description in the panel below the drawing. Click it (or press Enter) to open it; opened parts get a ✓ in the label list and the counter shows how many of the 6 you have visited. Clicking a name in the label list opens that part too.
Quiz mode. Press Quiz. The labels and leader lines disappear and a prompt describes one part:
- Correct: "✓ Correct:" with the part name and its description; the marker turns green with a ✓ badge and its label comes back.
- Wrong on the first attempt: "✗ Not quite.", the name of the part you picked, and a hint. The hint never names the answer.
- Wrong on the second attempt: the answer is marked "Answer" and named, and the prompt counts as missed.
Press Next prompt after each answer. The toolbar shows "Parts correct: n of 6".
After the sixth prompt, the summary shows your first-attempt score, whether you reached mastery (5 of 6), and each missed prompt with its answer. Retry missed practises only the misses (not scored), Start over reshuffles and resets the score, and Back to explore returns to the labels.

Keyboard: Tab moves through the markers in number order and then the buttons; Enter or Space selects a marker. After an answer, focus moves to Next prompt, so Enter goes on.

Data label: "Drawing: FanPedia, Twin City Fan, pp. 131-132", shown under the drawing.

Iframe Embed Code¶

You can add this MicroSim to any web page by adding this to your HTML:

<iframe src="https://moroshek.github.io/FanTASTIC-textbook/sims/ch22-fan-base-types-overlay/main.html"
        height="723px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan¶

Learning Objective¶

The learner will identify the unitary, isolation and inertia bases, the spring isolators, the reinforcing rods (rebar) and the bottom pan on FanPedia's base drawings, given each part's function (Bloom: Remember, verb: identify).

Audience¶

Adult professional development: new application engineers, sales staff, representatives and facilities staff.

Duration¶

10 minutes

Prerequisites¶

Chapter 22, sections "Fan Bases", "Unitary Base", "Isolation Base" and "Inertia Base".
Chapter 22, "Vibration Isolation", for what an isolator does.

Activities¶

Explore (3 min): Open all six parts. Say which of the three bases is designed for use without isolators, and what the inertia base adds to an isolation base.
Quiz (4 min): Switch to quiz mode and find all six parts from their jobs without going back to explore mode.
Review (3 min): Read the missed list, open those parts in explore mode, then press Start over for a new order. Then try Fan Base and Isolation Selector to pick a base for a job.

Common Misconceptions Addressed¶

Any fan base can go on isolators: the unitary (channel) base is designed for use without isolators; the isolation and inertia bases are the ones built to sit on them.
An inertia base ships full of concrete: it ships as steel and rebar, and the customer fills it with concrete; the optional bottom pan makes that pour easier in the field.
An inertia base is a different kind of frame from an isolation base: FanPedia defines it as an isolation base with reinforcing rods, filled with concrete.

Assessment¶

First-attempt score shown in the summary as "First-attempt score: n of 6"; mastery is 5 of 6 on the first attempt.
Pointing at markers and opening infoboxes in explore mode is exploration, not evidence.
Follow-up question: a long direct-drive fan on springs must keep its motor, coupling and bearings aligned. Which base on this drawing fits, and what does the customer have to supply for it?

References¶

FanPedia: The Fan & Blower Encyclopedia (PDF) - Twin City Fan; pp. 131-132 hold the base type drawings used here, and pp. 175-176 give the technical descriptions of the three bases.
FanPedia online - Twin City Fan's online version of the encyclopedia.
Chapter 22: Fan Bases and Vibration Isolation - the section "Inertia Base", where this MicroSim is embedded, and the sections "Unitary Base" and "Isolation Base".
Fan Base and Isolation Selector - recommends a base and isolation for text scenarios.