Aerotech Fans
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Aerotech Fans
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Technical answers to common questions about air handling units.
A Fan Coil Unit (FCU) uses a 2-way or 3-way modulating PICV (Pressure Independent Control Valve) to strictly regulate the flow of chilled water through the coil based on real-time thermostat demands. This precise throttling prevents overcooling and maintains strict sensible heat ratios in the occupied zone.
Yes, modern industrial AHUs feature onboard PLCs equipped with native BACnet/IP or Modbus RTU communication protocols. This allows the central Building Management System (BMS) to remotely monitor chilled water valve positions, VFD frequencies, and filter differential pressures in real-time.
In a draw-through AHU, the fan is located downstream of the cooling coil, placing the coil under negative pressure (requiring a deep P-trap for condensate drainage). In a blow-through AHU, the fan is upstream, pushing air through the coil under positive pressure, which improves air distribution but adds motor heat to the conditioned air.
The Sensible Heat Ratio (SHR) is the proportion of sensible cooling (lowering temperature) to total cooling (sensible plus latent/moisture removal). In a data center, the SHR is nearly 1.0 because there is no moisture load. In a crowded theater or humid factory, the SHR drops to 0.6, requiring the AHU coil to run much colder to condense the heavy humidity.
Industrial Air Handling Units are typically engineered for a chilled water Delta-T (temperature differential) of 10°F to 12°F (e.g., entering at 44°F and leaving at 54°F). Maintaining this exact Delta-T ensures the coil effectively strips latent heat (humidity) without causing the central chiller plant to operate inefficiently (Low Delta-T syndrome).
In sub-zero climates, drawing 100% outside air can instantly freeze and burst hydronic cooling coils. FAUs require a pre-heat coil (electric or hot water) installed upstream, or the chilled water system must be dosed with a precise concentration of Propylene Glycol to lower the fluid's freezing point.
Electronically Commutated (EC) motors have integrated microprocessors that continuously output rich telemetry via Modbus. The BMS can actively monitor real-time RPM, precise power consumption (Watts), internal stator temperature, and fault codes, enabling a fully digitized, smart-building HVAC architecture.
While an enthalpy wheel recovers general moisture for comfort cooling, an active desiccant dehumidification wheel utilizes a highly reactive silica gel matrix and a heated regeneration sector to aggressively strip moisture from the air, achieving the ultra-low dew points required for lithium-ion battery or pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Double-skin Air Handling Units utilize Polyurethane Foam (PUF) injected between two galvanized steel sheets. While primarily designed to prevent thermal bridging, the dense PUF core acts as a massive acoustic dampener, significantly reducing the breakout noise from the high-static centrifugal blowers inside.
To prevent moisture carryover into the supply ductwork, the maximum face velocity across a standard AHU chilled water coil should not exceed 500 Feet Per Minute (FPM). If spatial constraints require higher velocities, specialized droplet eliminator plates must be installed downstream.
A terminal HEPA filter is located at the very end of the ductwork, right at the ceiling diffuser of the cleanroom. This ensures the air is sterilized of 99.99% of particles down to 0.3 microns immediately before entering the occupied zone, preventing contamination from ductwork shedding.
IE3 designates Premium Efficiency AC induction motors, while IE4 designates Super Premium Efficiency (often achieved using Permanent Magnet or EC technology). Using IE4 motors in continuous-duty AHUs or FCUs can reduce electrical losses by an additional 15% compared to IE3.
