What is the Fan Coil Unit system?
The Fan Coil Unit is a crucial piece of equipment in climate control systems. It is used alongside liquid coolers (Chillers) for climate control in large spaces. It is more efficient than conventional air conditioners for larger applications.
Using this type of equipment ensures that power needs are met while maintaining energy efficiency.
This is another product offered by Tecnogera and, together with the chiller, is used in climate control projects.
Fan Coil and Chiller are complementary. Therefore, it’s important to understand how each works to grasp the main solutions for climate control projects in large spaces.
Want to learn more about how the Fan Coil Unit system, the Chiller, and their main features work? Keep following our publication!
How does the Fan Coil Unit system work?
This type of system is one of the best options for ensuring climate control in large spaces. It consists of equipment similar to the common evaporator in air conditioning systems.
An important difference between the two is that instead of using refrigerant gas, the Fan Coil Unit uses chilled water to keep the system controlled and ensure the right temperature.
The name might sound daunting and even suggest a complex device, but when translated, it’s easier to understand its function.
The word Fan translates to ventilator and Coil to coil. So, the definition is ventilation coil – and that’s basically how the Fan Coil Unit operates.
As it passes, the hot air comes into contact with the coil containing chilled water inside. This way, the air is cooled and then returned to the environment through air ducts.
The heated water returns to the original system to be cooled again or can be used in another type of application.
And the Chiller?
The chiller is another example of equipment with a somewhat complex name, but the translation helps to understand its function. In Portuguese, it means cooler, making its role much clearer.
It is used to cool the water that passes through the system, being an important component of the refrigeration system. Unlike conventional air conditioners, in the Chiller, refrigerant gases are used to cool the water, not the air.
Once the water passes through the Chiller, it can then be sent to the Fan Coil Unit to control the air temperature in places like supermarkets, industries, shopping centers, and many others.
Chiller and Fan Coil Unit: why are they the main climate control solutions?
This is a necessary question with so many air conditioning options available for use.
However, with air conditioning, the larger the space, the lower its cooling capacity – and consequently, a larger or more powerful unit is needed.
The thermal capacity of the Fan Coil Unit is measured in TR, where 1 TR is equivalent to 12,000 BTU compared to a common air conditioning unit.
The size of the area to be climate-controlled ends up being directly proportional to the unit’s power.
In large spaces like a hypermarket, an industry, a large warehouse, a mall, and even an airport, the ceiling height is usually high. This completely rules out the use of traditional air conditioners.
Another relevant factor is the high foot traffic, which raises the temperature due to human heat and the maintenance of open parts of the location for movement.
There are even environments that require a completely controlled temperature with a high level of precision that a common air conditioner usually cannot meet.
In hotels and buildings that require a large number of air conditioning units, it’s a good demonstration of how costly and labor-intensive it would be to maintain all this machinery.
Thus, the Fan Coil Unit and the chiller are the main solutions for climate control in large or specialized environments due to their high application level and good temperature control.
The advantages of using specialized equipment
The first advantage of using specialized equipment for cooling large spaces like the Fan Coil Unit and the chiller is energy efficiency.
The numbers can reach up to double the efficiency compared to other options available on the market for the same size space.
If the company needs to meet some type of certification and focus on sustainability, this is the best option as it offers excellent energy savings in refrigeration projects.
This type of solution is also ideal for promoting some type of adaptation according to the environment’s needs and can deliver the required climate control demand.
Another important point and advantage of using the Fan Coil Unit and the chiller in environments is cost efficiency.
Since they can be shared among the different businesses, enterprises, and stores in that environment. If installed in a building, the division can be by floor or by office.
Thermal comfort is essential for a range of environments, and its importance can be understood when considering a shopping center scenario.
The more comfortable the customer feels, the longer they will stay in that location and consume at the stores present there.
It is worth noting that Chillers can be used without the Fan Coil Unit in industrial process cooling. To learn more about the industrial Chiller, click here.
Tecnogera has extensive experience working with Fan Coil Units and chillers for your climate control project. Contact our team and learn more!
