Air Handling Unit
Air Handling Unit
Air Handling Unit
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Description Air handling unit (AHU)
Date
Source Own work
Author P199
Mouse over the animated pictures below to see messages which are referenced in more detail
below.
Pressure relationships between rooms is designated at the bottom of each room (with a plus for
positive and minus for negative pressure).
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2. Overcrowded Offices
1. [OCCUPANCY] As more people are crowded into offices, indoor pollution increases
unless outdoor air ventilation is also increased. Notice how pollution levels inside the
crowded offices have increased because of overcrowding without adequate ventilation.
The risk of disease transmission among occupants also increases because they are close
together. Overcrowded office space is not good for occupant health.
2. [OUTDOOR AIR] In order to maintain good indoor air quality, the outdoor air volume
must be increased when occupancies increase in order to provide adequate dilution of
indoor contaminants. But increasing the outdoor air in hot weather could strain the
cooling capacity of the HVAC system, and in cold weather, may call forth additional
demand for preheating incoming air to avoid coil freezing. Overcrowded office space is
not good for energy efficient building operations.
3. [AIR HANDLING UNIT CAPACITY] More people means additional outdoor air and
higher internal heat gains. This could strain the cooling capacity of the HVAC system.
Further, more outdoor air in cold weather could result in coil freezing. Building managers
should keep a close eye on the actual occupancy of the building relative to the existing
outdoor air settings and the HVAC system’s cooling capacity and preheat needs.
Overcrowding is not a good idea for HVAC equipment.
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3. Air Handling Unit Contaminated
1. [AN AIR HANDLING UNIT (AHU)] The AHU can release dirt, mold, or chemical
contaminants into the supply air stream. Dirty filters, filter changes when the fan is
operating, dirty coils or drip pans, excess moisture anywhere leading to mold,
deteriorating duct insulation, trash or housekeeping/maintenance products in the
mechanical room/mixing chamber—these are COMMON EXAMPLES of pollution
sources in the AHU. Does this describe your buildings? Good maintenance and
cleanliness not only keep the system running well, they also insure that the AHU does not
become a source of indoor air pollution. Who suffers from contamination in the AHU?
2. OCCUPIED SPACES: Notice how the contamination in the AHU spreads to every
occupied space serviced by the AHU through the supply air stream. If you have health
complaints that are widespread – consider whether the AHU or air ducts are contaminated
by improper building maintenance or from other causes.
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4. Outdoor Air Damper Opening Reduced
1. [OUTDOOR AIR] The outdoor air flow was reduced, ostensibly to save energy. As a
result, pollutants have built up in the offices. Do you think that this is the only effect?
What do you think has happened to the exhaust system?
2. [EXHAUST] Because total air flow out of the building can not exceed air flowing into
the building, the air that the exhaust fans are now capable of drawing out of the laboratory
is also reduced because the outdoor air dampers are closed. What will happen to the
laboratory chemicals?
3. [PRESSURE] Since the pressure differential between the offices and the laboratory are
reduced, laboratory chemicals may now migrate throughout the building.
4. [OCCUPIED SPACES] The reduction in outdoor air had multiple effects: It reduced the
dilution of contaminants in the offices; reduced exhaust and thereby increased pollution in
areas of high pollution loads such as laboratories, toilets, and copy rooms; and reduced
pressure differentials between the offices and laboratory, thereby allowing laboratory
pollutants to migrate into the office areas. Reducing outdoor air BELOW APPLICABLE
STANDARDS is a BAD IDEA.
5. [INFILTRATION] Because outdoor air flow is reduced, the building is no longer
slightly pressurized as intended, and is now depressurized. This causes air to infiltrate
from the outside into the office area.
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5. Exhaust Not Operating Properly
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6. Supply Air to Office Shut Off or Pinched Down
1. [SUPPLY AIR] Supply air to a given space may shut down for different reasons--a
mechanical failure, an ill conceived renovation (e.g. a renovation splits an existing room
but does not provide for supply and return to each room), or because of VAV pinch down.
In a VAV system, the supply air may be reduced because of thermal neutrality (i.e. the
room does not require conditioning), but the VAV box should be set with a MINIMUM
STOP high enough to provide ADEQUATE OUTDOOR AIR even when demand for
conditioning is low. Notice that contaminants in the space with diminished supply are not
diluted but rather build up. Occupants with inadequate supply air may suffer both excess
pollution exposure and thermal discomfort.
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7. Economizer Operating
1. [OUTDOOR AIR] The weather is cool outside. So the economizer is bringing in large
quantities of outdoor air to provide “free cooling”. Humidity is also being carefully
controlled. How does increased outdoor air effect pollution levels in the building?
2. [OCCUPIED SPACE] The increased outdoor air flow from the economizer provides
greater dilution of indoor generated contaminants in occupied spaces. However, indoor
concentrations of outdoor contaminants has slightly increased. As suggested in the
picture, except in cases where the outdoor air is highly contaminated, the net effect of
increasing outdoor air flow is usually to lower indoor air pollution.
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8. Contaminated Outdoor Air
1. [OUTDOOR AIR] The outdoor air is contaminated from nearby pollution sources
outside. This is why the LOCATION OF THE OUTDOOR AIR INTAKE relative to local
outdoor pollution sources is very important. Alternatively, the ambient air may be heavily
contaminated during an air pollution episode. How does the outdoor pollution affect the
occupied spaces inside?
2. [OCCUPIED SPACES] Outdoor pollution enters the building through the outdoor air
supply and is carried through the supply air ducts to the occupied spaces. It is not diluting
indoor sources but is adding to them. Overall pollution levels inside the building are
ELEVATED FROM BOTH THE INDOOR AND THE OUTDOOR POLLUTION
SOURCES.