Vehicle ventilation expertise from Flettner
Ventilation specialist Flettner offers a variety of solutions for commercial vehicle applications, and has been designing and manufacturing rotary ventilators for vans since 1931.
Mounted on a van roof, the movement of air around a Flettner ventilator, caused by either the movement of the vehicle or the wind itself when the van is stationary, will cause the roof vent to spin and therefore ventilate the van without the need of any auxiliary power or an electrical connection.
Citing reliability and performance as key benefits of the range, the company says its roof ventilators are used throughout the world in all climates, and for a variety of applications.
“We sell our products in over 20 countries and have a global network of distributors,” said Flettner.
It highlights the importance of good ventilation in removing potentially deadly fumes and flammable gases, combating excess heat to help tackle driver fatigue, and removing condensation which can compromise all-round vision.
“Owners and operators of commercial vehicles have a duty of care to their employees and a legal responsibility for the safety of the public,” said the company.
“The provision of adequate ventilation is mandatory in most countries.”
The firm also specifically highlights the environmental credentials of the range.
“Unlike most other ventilation products on the market, Flettner Ventilators are entirely wind-powered,” said Flettner.
“This eliminates the need to connect them to any kind of power source and means they will spin even when your vehicle is not turned on, subject to a light breeze. Of course being wind-powered means the energy source powering the ventilator is entirely renewable and eco-friendly.
“Adding to Flettner’s eco-friendly credentials is the fact that all of our products are designed and manufactured in the UK.”
Options include the Flettner 2000, said to be a simple, easy-to-fit and highly cost-effective wind-powered rotary ventilator.
“The Flettner 2000 provides maintenance-free air extraction, and is designed to be tough and durable,” said the company.
“Properly installed, it will provide years of problem-free ventilation…
“With its enviable quality record, the Flettner 2000 has even be used in Antarctica by the British Antarctic Survey.”
Said to be ideal for small to medium-sized vehicles, it is fitted extensively to animal transportation vehicles and trailers around the world. Flettner adds that it has been the main ventilator specified by fleet managers, converters and upfitters for many years. It is available in black or white and comes with a lifetime warranty.
Also available is the Flettner Slimline low profile ventilator (LPV), which has been specifically designed for customers who deal with height issues such as roof-racks that need a lower ventilator to fit underneath it.
“Due to smart engineering Flettner has designed the Slimline in such a way that it fits any roof,” said the company.
“The new ventilator has a good balance between an aesthetically pleasing design and excellent functionality. Installation could not get any simpler with this model; it comes with four 3mm bolts that secure the shutter on the inside of the vehicle roof.
“In terms of technical specifications, this model has a diameter of 252mm and a height of only 58mm.
“For vehicles with an inner lining, an adapter is available to bridge the gap between the outside and the inside of the roof. The adapter allows the ventilators to be fitted to vehicles which have double skinned roofs and acts as a rigid bridge between the inner lining and the shutter.”
Meanwhile, the Flettner TCX-2 is said to offer an advanced option, created to maximise rotational efficiency and torque to produce very powerful extraction rates – almost twice those of the Flettner 2000 – which the firm says makes it particularly suited to being fitted to larger vehicles.
“Incorporating an integral air concentrator and an ultra-efficient centrifugal fan, the Flettner TCX-2 not only leads the way in operational efficiency: it is also much simpler to fit than other ventilators – cutting installation times by as much as 50 per cent,” said the firm.
“Moreover, everything is included with the ventilator – integral bolt fixing, full fitting instructions and template, gasket and shutter – Nothing more to buy, no messy adhesives and no sourcing of fixings.”
Flettner cites TCX-2’s high-quality construction as a key benefit, from the grades and composition of the plastics used through to the choice of the highest grades of machined stainless steel in the shaft and bearings.
It is available with two different roof base types, a standard base with a diameter of 145mm or 5.75″ and a narrow base with a diameter of 108mm or 4.25″. The narrow base version is suitable for vehicles with a ribbed roof.
For vehicles which have an inner lining, adapters are available for Flettner’s roof vents to bridge the gap between the outer skin and the inner lining.
In addition, the company offers the Flettner Floor Vent, designed to be installed on the floor of the vehicle in order to extract low-hanging gases such as benzene and argon from within the cabin.
“When a Flettner Floor Vent is installed in combination with a rooftop ventilator it creates a vertical draft which makes the rooftop vent perform even better,” the firm added.
