Features to look in AHU for maintaining optimal indoor air quality

HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air conditioning) systems are designed to maintain a healthy level of indoor air quality. AHU (Air Handling Unit) is one of the most vital components of the HVAC system.

The choice and design of the air handling unit control the indoor air quality. With work and lifestyle getting organized, people spend almost 90% of the time indoors. It becomes essential to have a dedicated plan to improve indoor air quality. Indoor air quality can be 2-5 times more polluted than the ambient air. Poor Indoor air quality results in sick building syndrome with stale and impure air causing low productivity, absenteeism, low energy, etc.

Fortunately, with the advent of new technology in HVAC systems, air handling units can take care of poor indoor air quality. In basic terms, AHU pulls in outdoor air, condition it and then supplies the same through a series of ducts and ceiling grilles. Most of the stale indoor air is removed and based on the required temperature of the incoming air, it is heated or cooled using refrigerant, water or dielectric heaters. Choosing an Air handling unit can be a challenging task if you are not aware of their working and technologies. Below we have listed some points to look out for while choosing an AHU for your premises.

• Efficiency: Energy efficiency should be the first thing to look out for. Some of the best AHUs consist of heat recovery elements that capture heat energy heating the incoming air thus reducing the amount of energy needed to bring the fresh air up to the required set point temperature. The use of EC (Electronically Commutated) fans has been gaining prominence over the last few years. The use of EC fans significantly improves the operational efficiency of the AHUs. The use of brushless EC motor in a backward curved motorized impeller makes it inherently more efficient than the traditional centrifugal fans.
• Filter Quality and Types: Indoor air can contain all kinds of pollutants (PM 2.5, pollen, Mould, Fungus, VOCs. chemical gases & microbial including coronavirus). The best AHU contains some of the best filters (pre-filter, HEPA filter and Activated carbon filter) to trap even the smallest pollutants with a size of 0.3 microns keeping the indoor air fresh and pure. Apart from filters, humidifiers can also be added to the air handling unit. Humidity level also is a factor when deciding the comfort inside living space. Dry air is especially a problem during the winter season and in areas with continuous low temperatures. A Humidifier helps in maintaining an optimal level of moisture inside the indoor spaces.
• Size: With the evolution in technology, the size of the AHU has become smaller and smaller with the same efficiency and quality of operation. In urban centres size is always a constraint. A smart AHU must do the job in the smallest box possible.
• Minimal Noise: Fresh air intake in the past simply meant opening doors, windows or other ventilation sources. Along with fresh air, the action also brought in pollutants and increased noise levels. AHUs filter the air and circulate it inside the living space using ductworks, there is no chance of noise coming in from the outside. Selecting an AHU with a low noise level is important so that the outdoor unit is not producing its own noise pollution and irritating persons in the surroundings.
• Easy Maintenance: An ideal AHU should be easy to maintain over the years. An AHU may be perfect in its operation and efficiency; however, a complex, time-consuming maintenance process may take some of the shine away from it. Easy access to all the elements of the AHU is the first step towards easy maintenance.

Importance of AHU maintenance for better indoor air quality

With time AHU elements gather dirt and require constant maintenance. With a lot of air passing through the system, debris gets trapped in various parts of the unit. Some of the common problems are fan blades becoming dirty over time, moisture build-up in coil and condensate pans that gathers dust. This causes microbial growth within the AHU that can pass into the air stream. A large portion of time in AHU maintenance involves cleaning such parts to eliminate the chances of mould and bacteria growth.

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