Impeller Fan, Squirrel Cage, Multivane, Runner and Disc

Impeller Fan, Squirrel Cage, Multivane, Runner and Disc are all used to describe fans or blowers depending what country a person is from. In the United States, the terms used are blowers or fans. Typically a blower is a centrifugal device with some type of wheel and a fan is an axial device with a propeller.

The type of wheel in a blower is defined as radial, backward inclined, airfoil, multivane (squirrel cage), runner or disc. For photographs of the different wheel types, go to “blower wheels” at the bottom of our “Centrifugal Blowers and Fans” page. For photos of different propellers, go to “Propellers” at the bottom of our “Axial Fans” page.