A fan coil unit is essentially a self-contained packaged air conditioner.
A fan coil unit is essentially a self-contained packaged air conditioner. It contains the compressor, condenser coils, evaporator coils, tubing headers and controls in one cabinet. The units are available in horizontal or vertical configurations. Depending on the manufacturer, they may be built to suit many applications including, but not limited to, space cooling/heating, low / high-temperature water heating or glycol water heating (underfloor heating). They are often used for space conditioning in commercial buildings.
The fan coil unit (FCU) is a standard commercial air conditioning equipment. The fan coil unit may be ducted or self-contained and electric, gas, oil, water or steam-powered. A common application would be in hotels and offices where there is a large number of rooms to heat and cool and the space available allows installation in the ceiling void over the rooms.
Cooling or heating coils, fan coil unit systems and air handling unit systems circulate air in the same piping loop in a cooling coil that is floor mounted in a larger central aircon system. This also circulates air in other central aircon systems in any building management system.
Standalone aircon system have good energy efficiency and low power and energy consumption. A complete HVAC system with fan coils and a central plant for speed control and temperature control offers multiple small spaces efficient cooling with affordable installation costs.Chilled water coils are usually installed in high rise buildings and small to medium offices because they are energy efficient given proper maintenance.
The typical fan coil unit components include the below.
The compressor is located at the bottom of the unit containing all electrical components necessary to run the system when connected to power. Includes outdoor fan, indoor fan motor and all electrical components.
This is located at the top of the unit containing the condenser coil(s), drier, control valves and hot gas bypass valve (if applicable). Also includes a compressor discharge line.
All piping necessary to connect the above sections and any other components such as a water-cooled condenser (in cooling only models), fan speed controllers and pneumatic controls.
All wiring and electrical components necessary for valves, switches, pumps, motors and other accessory devices that activate or control various functions of machine operation. Includes pneumatic (or electronic) controls used to start/stop compressor(s), change air direction, change fan speed, etc. Also includes defrosting controls that shut off the outdoor fan during defrost cycle and indoor fans when the desired set point has been reached after defrost cycle is over.
Three-phase power supply cord, power entry module (PEM), disconnects, service switch.
Air Handling Units (AHU's) are typically installed for larger commercial applications (e.g. office buildings, schools, supermarkets etc.) whereas fan coil units are often employed in residential or hotel type environments.
The main difference between the two is that the AHU will usually include additional components such as heating, ventilation and/or dehumidification coils which aren't included on FCU models.
Fan coil units are highly customisable and may be sold as a standard unit or customised to meet your needs. The average cost of an FCU is $1,100 per ton on the low end to $2,200 per ton on the high end depending on configuration and supplier/brand.
The size of the unit generally correlates with price; small units (e.g. 1 ton) are generally more affordable than larger units (e.g 2-5 tons). Larger applications will likely require multiple fan coil units which can increase the cost even further or incorporate additional components for heating. It's best to budget carefully prior to installation of any HVAC system to avoid costly surprises after the purchase of equipment has been made. For more information on residential heating and cooling, take a look at the Australian Government's YourHome website.Fan Coil Units are most commonly found in office buildings, hotels, motels and residential homes. They can also be found in other applications such as retail stores, supermarkets and restaurants where environmental control is desired by the building operator. Also known as a "Fan Coil Unit" or "FCU", this is an HVAC system device that is typically installed indoors in an air-conditioned space and which takes in fresh air from outside, cools it down using chilled water or sometimes with just the help of evaporation, then distributes it to the interior of the building.
There are different types of fan coil unit systems depending on their cooling source. For instance, there are those that use Chilled Water through either an open or closed chiller system where water is circulated directly to each FCU unit.
Another type provides cold via evaporative cooling pads attached within the FCU where water is applied to the pads giving them a chance to absorb heat from incoming airstreams.
The FCU can also be installed with an indirect cooling system where outside air enters into the condenser coils and is then cooled through contact with a refrigerant-to-air heat exchanger located either in front or on top of the unit. This is usually more efficient than an open chiller system unless you don't find yourself needing it to run constantly or very frequently.