The Value of an Air Handling Unit

Construction Tech Review | Tuesday, February 14, 2023

The air handling unit handles ventilation by collecting outdoor air and room air and filtering the air, adjusting temperature and humidity, and distributing a comfortable and refreshing supply of air conditioners through ductwork inside the building's rooms.

FREMONT, CA: The air handling unit (AHU) is a classic piece of equipment found in industrial and commercial buildings of various sizes. They are responsible for giving fresh air to

different building regions.

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THE PURPOSE OF AN AHU

The AHU is intended for venues such as hotel dining halls, function rooms, restaurants, and conference or convention centers with limited natural ventilation due to their high visitor density.

It is also suitable for places with stringent hygiene rules, such as manufacturing facilities, clean rooms, medical operating rooms, and laboratories. AHUs can also ventilate spaces with underfloor heating or air conditioning radiators.

IMPLEMENTATIONS OF AHU

AHUs can be installed on the roof, in the basement, or along the exterior building wall. It generates cooled or heated air and distributes it to rooms for cooling/heating purposes. In contrast to standard industrial air conditioners, AHUs are typically tailored to the needs of each individual or business.

AHUs can be customized by adding a filter, humidifier, and other components to control temperature, humidity, airflow, and cleanliness.

COMPONENTS OF AN AHU

Air intake: The component that draws in, cleans, and distributes outside air within a building. Additionally, they can pull in "recycled" indoor air.

Filter: Depending on the air purity requirements, the air filtering equipment employed will have a higher or lower retention of particles, viruses, germs, odors, and other air pollutants. The filter will need to be replaced frequently.

Blower or ventilator: This electromechanical system forces air from the AHU into the ducts distributed throughout the rooms.

Heat transfer mechanisms: Heat exchangers facilitate temperature transmission over a solid barrier between two fluids, in this case, air and coolant.

Heating coil: This module's airflow is cooled by the cooling coil. The built-in droplet separator enables the collection of water droplets in a condensate tray if they are formed during this procedure.

Silencer: These coatings considerably reduce the noise level of the installation.

Plenums: Airflow is homogenized in vacant areas when plenums are installed.

AHU TYPES

Horizontal and vertical units: Typically, vertical units require less floor space.

Units with draw-through and blow-through ventilation: The AHU may be a blow-through or draw-through device, depending on where the fan is positioned. The later AHU is the most prevalent.

Air from the outdoors (makeup air) or mixing units: While mixing units can utilize recirculating air and outside air, makeup air units solely use outside air.

Single-zone and multi-zone units: Frequently, a multi-zone AHU is utilized for dual-duct systems.

Indoor and rooftop units: There are AHUs explicitly designed for outdoor use. Typically installed on the roof, they are corrosion-resistant. However, the vast majority of AHUs are installed indoors.

Custom-made and on-site units: Standard units are less expensive and faster to deliver. Custom-built AHUs offer greater flexibility and can be designed to be the most energy-efficient choice.

THE FUNCTION OF AN AHU

The primary purpose of an AHU is to improve energy efficiency. In conjunction with heat exchanger cooler units and specialized "run around" coils, the AHU collects and reprocesses heat that has been discarded. This feature reduces the heating coils' workload and controls energy usage.

During the cooling process, indoor and outside air are combined to lessen the severe hot/cold contrast when the air reaches the cooling coil and enable the unit to create cool air using the least amount of energy.

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