Development of an Innovative, High-Efficiency Radon Fan

Currently, radon represents a serious health risk within the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 deaths per year in the US, and is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon mitigation is typically performed using constant ventilation. However, these inefficient fan systems range in efficiency from 15%-20%, requiring excess energy and cost to operate. This grant application seeks to develop an innovative, highly efficient radon fan that is purposefully designed for the unique application of radon mitigation. This is achieved through an optimized design of the flowpath. By partnering with a radon fan commercial leader, precise requirements have informed the design, and a path to commercialization is clear. A baseline real-world radon fan was modeled and its performance characterized to coincide with actual test results. Multiple designs were then considered. Analytical models were built and optimized for radon mitigation conditions. Preliminary mechanical layout was performed. Based on these results, the project downselected to the proposed design. The design will be updated and then built for testing. Testing will be performed at an AMCA certified facility. Based on fan performance, the design will be updated and a detailed mechanical analysis will be performed. Additional manufacturing and cost analysis will prepare the product for full commercialization. The commercial application is for radon fan mitigation, currently with an installed base of over 1 million units. Additional benefits include the demonstrative effect of the potential energy savings to be realized through more efficient fan design in general, both from a standards setting perspective and a market attribute perspective.