Finding the Right Dock Fan for Your Building
It can be hard finding the right dock fan for your building. First off, doing a google search will get you lots of fans for a computer, which will be no help for loading and unloading a semi-trailer. Secondly, many companies will try to sell any type of fan they make as a dock fan, regardless of it’s design. Fortunately, Moffitt can help you find the right dock fan to circulate the air as you load and unload your shipments.
What is a Moffitt Dock Fan?
Semi-truck trailers get extremely hot while sitting on the loading dock. A powerful blower, with a high-velocity outlet nozzle, will blow a strong, narrow stream of cooler air along the top of the trailer. This will force the hot air towards the bottom of the trailer, and out to the floor level of the work area. Personnel working in the trailer experience a powerful cooling effect as the high velocity air evaporates moisture from their skin.
Comparing Options for Cooling your Dock
A caged-type axial propeller fan produces a low-velocity air stream. It is very inefficient when used for dock cooling. It will only blow air directly near the truck opening. (illustration to the right). In fact, it produces a rapidly dissipating stream of air that ultimately forms an air dam. This dam then entraps the hot air in the forward section of the trailer. As a result, it pushes the hot air deeper into the trailer, making it hotter the longer the workers have to unload.
This poor air circulation is why you need a fan designed for the loading dock. A dock fan like the Model RTC is designed to push air along the ceiling of the trailer. This powerful gust of air penetrates deep into the truck with a column of cool air. Then, as this breeze reaches the far wall, the air sinks to the ground and pushes the warm air out of the trailer. This effect is immediately felt by the workers unloading the trucks. It provides a huge temperature improvement and can improve efficiency and productivity during he loading / unloading process. Moffitt offers two types of dock fans to solve this problem. The Model R-DF and the Model RTC.
Model R-DF
The Model R-DF utilizes a specially designed housing, or bell, to direct the air in a steady stream into the building. Combined with a powerful direct-drive motor, it can throw cool, fresh air deep into a trailer. Affectionately known as the “Romulator”, this fan comes in two sizes.
A 14″ diameter model (R-DF-14) and an 18″ diameter model (R-DF-18). We like the bright yellow look of these fans, but they can be custom painted to match your building needs.
Model RTC
The Model RTC delivers a piercing high velocity stream of air deep into the trucks trailer. The air stream is so powerful that it can be felt at the nose of a 53’ trailer.
Best of all, in addition to delivering a powerful gust of air, the Model RTC has a unique space-saving design. This model is ideal for situations where the customer may have just have enough room to poke a small fan through on the top.
Finding the Right Fan for your Dock
Moffitt now offers a complete line of dock fans. Manufactured by Romlair, a recent addition tot he Moffitt family, these dock fans keep the air moving throughout the truck loading process. Whether you know the exact type of dock fan you want or you need help finding the right solution, Moffitt can help. If you know the size and style you want, our team can sell, schedule, and ship the order to you right away. We can also discuss your needs with you to find the best solution if you don’t know. Our team can even develop a CFD model to analyze the air-flow patterns and help you make the perfect selection. So contact us today to find the right Dock Fan for your facility.