An air handling unit also referred to as an AHU, is a system of various components housed in a large, accessible box-shaped unit called a module. The module houses the appropriate ventilation requirements for the air-conditioning, purifying, or renewing of the air in an indoor space.
Air handling units are designed to control the air quality in areas where there is little to no natural ventilation combined with a high number of occupants at any given time. These areas include but are not limited to:
- Convention centers
- Conference halls
- Shopping malls
- Restaurants
- Hotels
- Office buildings
- Apartment buildings
Additionally, air handling units can be used in applications that require high levels of hygiene such as:
- Laboratories
- Pathology labs
- Hospitals
- Intensive care units
- Operating theatres
- Clean rooms
- Medical manufacturers
WHAT COMPONENTS MAKE UP AN AIR HANDLING UNIT AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
- Air Intake: An AHU collects air from outside and treats it before distributing it throughout the building through the air intake component.
- Filter: This component is used to filter out airborne particles such as bacteria, viruses, dust, pollen, odor, and other air pollutants. The type of filter fitted into the AHU will depend on the air purity requirements of the building.
- Fan: The fan is an electromechanical system that pushes the air from the AHU to the ducts responsible for filtered air distribution.
- Heat exchangers: These components transfer temperature between two fluids which are separated by a solid barrier.
- Cooling coil: The cooling coil cools the air that passes through it. This process causes condensation which is collected in a condensation tray.
- Silencer: Air handling units can be pretty noisy, and the silencer deals with this issue so that it does not disturb the occupants.
- Plenum: This is empty space in which the airflow is homogenized.
