What are Air Handling Units or Fan Coil Units?

The air handling units are very important parts of the central air conditioning plants, packaged
air conditioning plants and also the roof mounted split air conditioning systems .

As the name suggests air handling unit is the box type of unit that handles the room air. It
comprises of the cooling coil over which the hot return air from the room flows, gets cooled
and flows back to the room to cool it. The circulation of the air is carried out by the blower.
The filter in the air handling unit enables cleaning of the air. The air handling units are also
called as fan coil units in case of roof mounted split AC units, since they comprise of the fan
and the cooling coil.

The air handling units are installed at the different places in the building to be air conditioned.
They are connected to the cool air supply and return air ducts which are laid in all the rooms
to be cooled. In case of the central air conditioning plants the air handling units are installed
on the floor, while in case of the split air conditioners, they are mounted on the roof inside the
room above the false ceiling. In case of packaged units they can be installed on the floor or the
roof.

Working Of An AHU – Air Handling Unit With HRU(Heat Recovery Unit)

Filter : - It is used to remove dirt particles present in the fresh air (95°F) entering into the
AHU.

Damper 1 :- This damper is used to control the flow of air through the AHU.

Energy Wheel :- The energy wheel turns and absorbs the heat and moisture from the outdoor
air(at II) that comes into the AHU through the duct which supplies the outside air to the
building. The exhaust air (cooler and partly conditioned) which has to leave the building, is
first made to pass through the energy recovery wheel. The moisture and heat absorbed by the
energy recovery wheel from the outdoor air from II is absorbed by the exhaust air which is
cooler and partly conditioned (at I), thereby lowering the humidity and temperature of the
outdoor air(at I) which is to be passed over the cooling coils and then to conditioned space.

Basically, an energy recovery wheel utilizes the partially conditioned exhaust air leaving the
building to condition the incoming outside air.

Other benefits of energy recovery wheels include:

• Removes moisture from outdoor air which reduces or prevents moisture and humidity
problems and it will also reduce mechanical cooling in the summer
 • Increases indoor air quality
• Improved health of the occupants inside the building resulting from better indoor air
quality. Better health of the occupants inside the building .
• Saves energy

NOTE : Due to this exchange heat and humidity of air between I & II by the energy wheel
the temperature of the fresh air(outdoor air) falls (ie to 80°F ), before blowing over the chilled
water coils due to which less energy is required to remove the heat of the air.

Mixing Box :- In the mixing box , part of the return air (8000 cfm) mixes with the fresh air.
The purpose of using a mixing box is that it helps to save energy.(Instead of allowing
10000cfm to be exhaust out of the building which is already conditioned we exhaust only
2000 cfm and the remaining 8000cfm is reused).

Chilled Water Coils :- Through these coils chilled water (ie the refrigerant) is passed. When
the fresh air passes over the coils , it gives up heat to the refrigerant passing through the coils
and thus the temperature of air falls (72°F) which is the temperature required in the
conditioned space(room).

Centrifugal Fan :- The fan draws the air ( ie at 72°F) and supplies it to the space to be
conditioned through ducts.

Damper 2 :- This damper is used to direct some of the return air into the mixing box, and the
rest passes through the filter.

Energy Wheel :- The exhaust air(which is cooler and partly conditioned at I) which comes in
contact with the energy wheel , removes heat and moisture from the fresh air being supplied to
the conditioned space and thus the temp of the air exhaust into the atmosphere(outside the
building) would be higher (78 °F) .

Centrifugal Fan :- The fan then discharges the air into the atmosphere (which is at 78°F).
AHU with Heat Recovery Unit (HRU)