Are you an EPFL student looking for a semester project?
Work with us on data science and visualisation projects, and deploy your project as an app on top of Graph Search.
Concept
Fan coil unit
Summary
A fan coil unit (FCU), also known as a Vertical Fan Coil-Unit (VFC), is a device consisting of a heat exchanger (coil) and a fan. FCUs are commonly used in HVAC systems of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings that use ducted split air conditioning or with central plant cooling. FCUs are typically connected to ductwork and a thermostat to regulate the temperature of one or more spaces and to assist the main air handling unit for each space if used with chillers. The thermostat controls the fan speed and/or the flow of water or refrigerant to the heat exchanger using a control valve.
Due to their simplicity, flexibility and easy maintenance, fan coil units can be more economical to install than ducted 100% fresh air systems (VAV) or central heating systems with air handling units or chilled beams. FCUs come in various configurations, including horizontal (ceiling-mounted) and vertical (floor-mounted) and can be used in a wide range of applications from small residential units to large commercial and industrial buildings.
Noise output from FCUs, like any other form of air conditioning, depends on the design of the unit and the building materials surrounding it. Some FCUs offer noise levels as low as NR25 or NC25
The output from an FCU can be established by looking at the temperature of the air entering the unit and the temperature of the air leaving the unit, coupled with the volume of air being moved through the unit. This is a simplistic statement, and there is further reading on sensible heat ratios and the specific heat capacity of air, both of which have an effect on thermal performance.
Fan Coil Unit covers a range of products and will mean different things to users, specifiers, and installers in different countries and regions, particularly in relation to product size and output capability.
Fan Coil Unit falls principally into two main types: blow through and draw through. As the names suggest, in the first type the fans are fitted behind the heat exchanger, and in the other type the fans are fitted in front the coil such that they draw air through it.
Official source
About this result
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
Related lectures (10)
Introduction to HVAC Systems
Covers the basics of HVAC systems, including thermal comfort assessment, psychrometric processes, and key components, with practical examples and exercises.
IAQ Controls
Delves into IAQ controls, covering ventilation strategies, filtration, and air cleaning, emphasizing the impact of indoor climate on human health and productivity.
Related publications (31)
Related people (2)
Related concepts (4)
Diffuser (thermodynamics)
A diffuser is "a device for reducing the velocity and increasing the static pressure of a fluid passing through a system”. The fluid's static pressure rise as it passes through a duct is commonly referred to as pressure recovery. In contrast, a nozzle is used to increase the discharge velocity and lower the pressure of a fluid passing through it. Frictional effects during analysis can sometimes be important, but usually they are neglected. Ducts containing fluids flowing at low velocity can usually be analyzed using Bernoulli's principle.
Fan (machine)
A fan is a powered machine used to create a flow of air. A fan consists of a rotating arrangement of vanes or blades, generally made of wood, plastic, or metal, which act on the air. The rotating assembly of blades and hub is known as an impeller, rotor, or runner. Usually, it is contained within some form of housing, or case. This may direct the airflow, or increase safety by preventing objects from contacting the fan blades. Most fans are powered by electric motors, but other sources of power may be used, including hydraulic motors, handcranks, and internal combustion engines.
Chiller
A chiller is a machine that removes heat from a liquid coolant via a vapor-compression, adsorption refrigeration, or absorption refrigeration cycles. This liquid can then be circulated through a heat exchanger to cool equipment, or another process stream (such as air or process water). As a necessary by-product, refrigeration creates waste heat that must be exhausted to ambience, or for greater efficiency, recovered for heating purposes. Vapor compression chillers may use any of a number of different types of compressors.