Ceiling Fan Airflow Sensor

November 3, 2022 | Posted By: Degree Controls Inc.

Do you need an air velocity sensor to CFM test your ceiling fans?

The UAS1000 OD (“omnidirectional”) air velocity and temperature sensor is purpose-built for CFM (cubic feet of airflow per minute) testing of ceiling fans. Optimized for circulating air and applications where the predominant flow vector is well known, the UAS1000 OD is calibrated for a single airflow direction and temperature compensated across its entire velocity range. With no housing to disrupt the velocity profile, the UAS omni accepts airflow from all directions, providing ceiling fan manufacturers with fast response time and precise ceiling fan airflow measurement.

Typically, UAS1000 OD sensors are installed at regular intervals on a rotating sensor arm, or four fixed sensor arms, to take airflow measurements along four axes. During testing, air velocity sensors are located at a specific distance from ceiling fan blades to measure the discharge of air in the downward direction. UAS omni sensors are connected directly to °C Port multi-channel data acquisition instruments with convenient USB connectors. °C Port, paired with Windows® based AccuTrac™ datalogging software, allows up to 180 measurements of airflow to be collected and analyzed in real time.

With UAS1000 OD air velocity measurement, fan manufacturers can determine the CFM volume of air a fan moves, as well as the speed of the air movement which affects cooling felt by occupants. Multipoint UAS1000 OD test systems are much faster than moving a sensor probe from point to point and collecting measurements one at a time. They are designed for plug and play operation; USB sensors can be added to multipoint test setups at any time, even during an ongoing experiment. Further, the UAS1000 OD is capable of measuring with ± 3% accuracy and offers choices for air velocity range.

Ceiling fan airflow

Invest in your product line, easily collect the air velocity measurements needed to evaluate ceiling fan performance, and grow your business. Learn more about Degree Controls multipoint sensing and instrumentation.

Notes on standards related to ceiling fan airflow:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently published an amended test procedure for ceiling fans. Final rule changes are mandatory for product testing starting February 13, 2023.


ASHRAE 216 covers test methods for determining application data of overhead circulator fans for occupant thermal comfort.

How may we help?