Bladeless Fans ELI5: Hidden Science & Are They Really Better?
Title Idea: "The Secret of Bladeless Fans: How They Really Work (Explained Simply!)" or "ELI5: Bladeless Fan Magic DEBUNKED!"
Content Description:
- Visually demonstrate (using animations, diagrams, or a physical cutaway if video) that "bladeless" fans actually have blades, typically hidden in the base.
- Explain the basic principle: a small, high-velocity motor and impeller (fan blades) in the base draw air in.
- Show how this air is then forced out through a narrow slit around the ring/loop.
- Crucially, explain the "air multiplier" effect: the jet of air exiting the slit creates a low-pressure area that pulls surrounding air through the loop and along with the initial airflow, amplifying the total volume of air moved.
- Use simple analogies (e.g., a fast-flowing river pulling in water from its banks, or how blowing over the top of a piece of paper makes it rise).
- Briefly touch upon why this design might be preferred (e.g., smoother airflow, perceived safety, aesthetics) but keep the core focus on the "how it works."
Why it could be popular:
- ELI5 Appeal: Targets a broad audience looking for clarity without jargon.
- Common Household Item: Many people have seen, own, or are curious about these devices.
- "Magic" Debunked: Content that demystifies a seemingly magical or highly advanced piece of everyday tech often performs well due to curiosity.
- Visual Potential: The concept lends itself extremely well to visual explanations (animations of airflow, cutaways of the fan).
- Brand Association: Often associated with Dyson, a well-known brand, adding to the intrigue.
Target Audience:
- General consumers curious about how their gadgets work.
- Individuals considering purchasing a bladeless fan.
- People who enjoy "how it's made" or "explain like I'm five" style content.
- Tech enthusiasts interested in the practical application of physics principles in everyday objects.
Origin Reddit Post
r/explainlikeimfive
ELI5: Bladeless fans??? How do they work?
Posted by u/fthrcool•06/02/2025
I don’t understand the science behind bladeless fans… lol how tf do they work and are they better than normal fans?
Top Comments
u/LivingEnd44
I owned one once. They are not actually blade less. It was a lie.
But the blades are housed inside the unit. So I guess it's safer than a normal fan?
u/weinerschnitzelboy
While it's true that it has blades internally, the majority of the air produced doesn't come from the motor itself, but by Bernoulli principle. The air flowing out of the thin slots creating
u/Trollygag
The blade is in the base and pushes air through tiny holes very fast, which then creates a low pressure area in front that pulls air through the ring shape and following the air flow from the
u/RoboNerdOK
When it comes to CFMs for the amount of power consumed, they’re pretty terrible though. The question is whether that smooth airflow is worth the extra money.
u/bjanas
Yup. They're made of LIES.
u/--Ty--
Well hey now they DID call them "BladeLESS", not "Bladenone".
u/CantaloupeAsleep502
They're nice because the end result is no beating.
u/ltmikepowell
[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/062-tfptAcM](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/062-tfptAcM)
This video explained bladeless fan perfectly. It does have blade, but Dyson want to market it and mak
u/DookieShoez
No, dude, it’s a magical breakthrough in…..physics……or some shit.
$1,000 please.
-Dyson
u/Cawdor
That’s definitely a huge plus but my Dyson vacuum sucks (heh) compared to my shopvac which also doesn’t require a bag
u/Dangerous-Bit-8308
"bladeless" has become a mere marketing ploy, with hidden blades, but this was not always the case.
There were truly bladeless ionic fans. Ionic fans create a negative and a positive electri
u/alternate_me
But it’s important that the air that it’s blowing doesn’t really come from the base, it’s not just hidden. The fan in the base creates a low pressure zone that sucks in air and causes an ampl
u/Gnaxe
See also https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion-propelled_aircraft
u/PembyVillageIdiot
They typically take the spinning blades and put them into the base or tower then pipe the air to the “bladeless fan” part
u/--Ty--
Well hey now they DID call them "BladeLESS", not "Bladenone".
u/zicher
They aren't bladeless. They just hide the blades.
u/ImTooSaxy
I am a wizard and I work on a factory line producing bladeless fans. I don't know what all these people are talking about, but it takes several incantations done in a very specific order to m
u/zicher
They aren't bladeless. They just hide the blades.
u/DookieShoez
No, dude, it’s a magical breakthrough in…..physics……or some shit.
$1,000 please.
-Dyson
u/Miserable_Smoke
Everyone saying the blades are hidden are correct. There is a completely separate, unrelated phenomenon that some fans try to piggyback their marketing on, called ionic, (or electric) wind, w
u/Desdam0na
100%
The only thing to add is that blowing air fast out of the ring then pulls air inside and outside the ring along with it, leading to it moving a larger volume of air than it is blowing.
u/high_throughput
They have blades, they're just smaller and hidden in the base of the fan. They spin correspondingly faster, and the air is forced out holes in the fan's ring.
u/spidereater
There are blades. The blades are inside the body of the fan. The air cones out little slots. The air forces through the slots then pushes the air around it. There is sort of a volume multipli
u/uForgot_urFloaties
There's no ELI5 here, just LIE5.
u/Dangerous-Bit-8308
"bladeless" has become a mere marketing ploy, with hidden blades, but this was not always the case.
There were truly bladeless ionic fans. Ionic fans create a negative and a positive electri
u/MintyFreshMC
Which bladeless fan did you buy?
u/high_throughput
They have blades, they're just smaller and hidden in the base of the fan. They spin correspondingly faster, and the air is forced out holes in the fan's ring.
u/Ragingman2
They also create ozone which is not particularly good for you to breathe.
u/CantaloupeAsleep502
They're nice because the end result is no beating.
u/_tjb
Bernoulli?
u/uForgot_urFloaties
There's no ELI5 here, just LIE5.
u/ziltchy
They are definitely quieter
u/jamcdonald120
you appear to have forgotten about the vacuum cleaner you DONT have to keep buying bags for
u/ElectricShuck
Baseless? Wait until I tell you about this hoverboard!
u/somethingknotty
After a quick search, none of the responses mention entrainment or iducement. As top comments mention there is a bladed fan in the base, that forces air through the ring. As a result, fluid
u/alternate_me
But it’s important that the air that it’s blowing doesn’t really come from the base, it’s not just hidden. The fan in the base creates a low pressure zone that sucks in air and causes an ampl
u/PembyVillageIdiot
The typically take the spinning blades and put them into the base or tower then pipe the air to the “bladeless fan” part
u/Nazerith1357
I can't speak for the power consumption, but the bladeless fan I recently bought is way quieter while delivering a much more focused flow of air at a longer distance that feels way nicer than
u/Desdam0na
100%
The only thing to add is that blowing air fast out of the ring then pulls air inside and outside the ring along with it, leading to it moving a larger volume of air than it is blowing.
u/Nazerith1357
I can't speak for the power consumption, but the bladeless fan I recently bought is way quieter while delivering a much more focused flow of air at a longer distance that feels way nicer than
u/vwin90
Yeah I view Dyson products as novelty/gimmicky BUT they’re definitely cool from a science/engineering perspective (and therefore I’ll actually buy their stuff from time to time not because th
u/CantaloupeAsleep502
Tuning instruments under beating air is extremely annoying.
u/mildpandemic
Wouldn’t want to catch a case of fan death now would we?
u/ziltchy
They are definitely quieter
u/TheQueq
And yet the impeller actually has more blades than a traditional oscillating fan
u/Trollygag
The blade is in the base and pushes air through tiny holes very fast, which then creates a low pressure area in front that pulls air through the ring shape and following the air flow from the
u/bjanas
Yup. They're made of LIES.
u/mullet85
Thanks but I just ate