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Air Handling Unit - Definition and Configuration Types

An air handling unit (AHU) is a central air conditioning station that handles and treats air delivered to buildings through ductwork. It filters, cools/heats, humidifies/dehumidifies the air. AHUs come in various types like compact, modular, residential, and rooftop mounted. They have insulated casings housing components like fans, filters, cooling/heating coils, and heat recovery systems. Common AHU configurations include inline, double-deck, side-by-side, U-shape, and L-shape units that supply either 100% outdoor air or mixed air to buildings.

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192 views6 pages

Air Handling Unit - Definition and Configuration Types

An air handling unit (AHU) is a central air conditioning station that handles and treats air delivered to buildings through ductwork. It filters, cools/heats, humidifies/dehumidifies the air. AHUs come in various types like compact, modular, residential, and rooftop mounted. They have insulated casings housing components like fans, filters, cooling/heating coils, and heat recovery systems. Common AHU configurations include inline, double-deck, side-by-side, U-shape, and L-shape units that supply either 100% outdoor air or mixed air to buildings.

Uploaded by

Ahmad Hamouda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Air Handling Unit - Definition and Configuration Types

Often people in the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) sector, don't have a clear idea what is an Air Handling
Unit.

Definition
An Air Handling Unit (most of the times abbreviated to AHU), or Air Handler, is a central air conditioner station that handles the
air that, usually, will be supplied into the buildings by the ventilation ductwork (connected to the AHU).
Handling the air means that the air will be delivered into the building spaces with thermo-hygrometric and IAQ (Indoor Air
Quality) treatment. The accuracy of the treatment will depend from the specificity of each project (offices, schools, swimming-
pools, laboratories, factories with industrial processes, etc). This means, the Air Handling Unit treat the air by filtering, cooling
and/or heating, humidifying and/or dehumidifying.

There are several types of Air Handling Units: Compact, Modular, Residential, DX integrated, Low Profile (ceiling), Packaged,
Rooftop mounted (typically on the roofs of buildings, with special weather protection), etc.

DISCOVER THE BEST AIR HANDLING UNITS AROUND THE WORLD

Construction
Usually the Air Handling Units have a casing (also known box) constructed by a framing system and double skin insulated panels
(also known as insulated sandwich panel).
The most common framing materials are galvanized steel, AluZinc or aluminium. Regarding the panels skin, the most common
materials are galvanized steel and AluZinc. In hygienic AHU's the inner skin usually is made from stainless steal or AluZinc with
a special painting finishing.
The materials used to insulate the panels are 99% of the times mineral wool (also known as stone wool or mineral fiber) or PU
(Polyurethane). Some manufacturers choose the mineral wool and some the PU, it all depends the compromise between thermal
characteristics, acoustic attenuation, mechanical strength and production costs that each one is looking for the final product.
All the components will be installed inside the casing. The casing is installed on top of a base (or chassis).

AHU Sandwich Panel - Galvanized steel double skin with PU foam insulation. Click to zoom.
AHU casing structure - profile structure with base. Click to zoom.

Components
To be considered as an Air Handling Unit a minimum of components must considered, to know: at least 1 filtration section, 1
heat transfer component (cooling/heating coil or heat recovery system) and 1 fan.

The Air Handling Units can have several components, depending on the complexity and requirements, such as energy efficiency,
of each specific building and application.

Some of the most known components are:

- Fans (Plug Fans, Double Inlet, Single Inlet, Axial, etc)


- Filters (Plate Filters, Bag Filters, Compact Filters, EPA Filters, HEPA Filters, ULPA Filters, Carbon Filters)
- Cooling/Heating Coils (water/steam/Direct Expansion DX/electric/gas fired)
- Heat recovery systems (cross flow plate heat exchangers, cross flow plate heat exchangers, heat wheel/rotating heat exchangers,
run around coils and heat pipes, etc)
- Humidifiers (Adiabatic/Evaporative Pad, non-pressurized Steam, pressurized steam)
- Dehumidifiers (DX coil, desiccant rotor)
- Ultraviolet UV disinfection lamps
- Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) air cleaners
- Sound attenuators
- Mist/Droplet eliminators
- Dampers
Example of a typical Plug Fan used in Air Handling Units. Click to zoom.

AHU with some components (fans, filters and a combined cross-flow and counter-flow heat exchanger. Top and bottom panels mounted, side panels are
missing. Click to zoom.

Configuration Types
Most common configurations are:

Inline - Supply 100% Outdoor Air

Configuration: Inline - Supply 100% Outdoor Air. Click to zoom.

Inline - Supply Mixed Air


Configuration: Inline - Supply Mixed Air. Click to zoom.

Inline - Double Flux (with Mixing Air)

Configuration: Inline - Double Flux with Mixed Air. Click to zoom.

Double-Deck - 100% Outdoor Air

Configuration: Double-Deck - 100% Outdoor Air. Click to zoom.

Double-Deck - Mixed Air

Configuration: Double-Deck - Mixed Air. Click to zoom.

Side by Side - 100% Outdoor Air


Configuration: Syde by Side - 100% Outdoor Air. Click to zoom.

Side by Side - Mixed Air

Configuration: Side by Side - Mixed Air. Click to zoom.

U Shape - Supply 100% Outdoor Air

Configuration: U Shape - Supply 100% Outdoor Air. Click to zoom.

L Shape - Supply 100% Outdoor Air


Configuration: L Shape - Supply 100% Outdoor Air. Click to zoom.
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