For maximum quiet airflow, you would want as large of a fan as possible, moving slowly, rather than a small fan spinning like crazy. Think of the difference between the airflow of a Big Ass Fan in a larger room, vs 1 or many more smaller fans running like crazy, moving the same volume of air, but making a lot of noise doing so.
Can you install a large ceiling fan rather than using a smaller desk fan?
If you live in an environment that isn't too humid, you could also look into evaporative cooling. Those can be quite effective at cooling a space with relatively low cost and doing it quietly.