The HVAC sector has experienced many technological upgrades over the years, but none have been as significant as the implementation of FanGrid technology in Air Handling Units (AHUs). Before, AHUs have depended on a large single fan to push air around inside buildings or manufacturing facilities. FanGrid systems, where multiple small fans are located within a modular grid, are rapidly emerging as the new norm, providing unrivaled levels of energy efficiency, system uptime, and operational versatility.
Companies such as AAD Tech are leading the way through this transition by assisting commercial and industrial buildings in embracing FanGrid-based AHUs. It’s more than an incremental improvement in the design and maintenance of ventilation systems.
What is FanGrid Technology?
FanGrid, or fan arrays or multiple-fan systems, substitutes a large fan in an AHU with multiple fans of lower size but greater efficiency that are placed in a grid-like configuration. Independent from each other but coordinated together, each fan in the grid works to ensure that there is optimal airflow as well as pressure within the ventilating system.
This modular design is revolutionary in both new HVAC installations and retrofit applications, allowing for more accurate airflow control, greater redundancy, and reduced maintenance requirements.
Advantages of Fan Grid Technology Over Conventional AHUs
1. Enhanced Energy Efficiency
Traditional AHUs tend to waste energy at partial loads, which is where most HVAC systems spend most of their operating time. FanGrid systems are capable of load matching, however. By utilizing only the quantity of fans needed at any one time, energy use can be minimized. This not only reduces running costs but helps towards sustainability targets by minimizing the carbon footprint.
AAD Tech has installed FanGrid solutions in a number of commercial and industrial facilities, with customers achieving energy savings of up to 30% when replacing traditional AHUs.
2. Embedded Redundancy and Reliability
In a single-fan AHU installation, fan failure usually means system shutdown. FanGrid technology provides redundancy integrated into the product, if a fan fails, others can share the load to keep the air flowing until it is serviced. This is vital in applications such as hospitals, data centers, and pharmaceutical manufacturing where uptime and constant air quality are indispensable.
3. Space and Design Flexibility
FanGrid fans also have a lower profile than conventional fans, requiring less depth for installation. They are well suited for retrofits in compact mechanical rooms or in older buildings. The fans are also easier to ship, install, and service due to their modular design, which allows easy handling even in spaces where space availability is limited.
To designers and managers of buildings, this flexibility means more effective utilization of space and reduced installation costs.
4. Noise Reduction
Smaller fans operating in parallel tend to be quieter than a single large fan, particularly at lower speeds. Because they can distribute airflow so evenly, FanGrids minimize turbulence and vibration, common causes of HVAC noise complaints.
Acoustic performance is a focus of AAD Tech’s FanGrid implementations, especially in settings such as corporate offices and healthcare facilities where noise management is critical.
5. Improved Airflow Distribution
FanGrid configurations encourage even air flow throughout the AHU filter banks and coils. This even air distribution can enhance overall performance and life of elements such as filters and heat exchangers, which in conventional systems tend to get uneven wear.
Optimal Applications for FanGrid AHUs
FanGrid technology is especially advantageous in:
- Hospitals and clean rooms: where availability and air purity are paramount
- Commercial offices: for effective and quiet ventilation
- Industrial and manufacturing plants: where airflow needs vary
- Data centers: where redundancy and cooling are a priority
AAD Tech has been a go-to partner in deploying FanGrid systems in these markets, designing solutions according to load profiles, available space, and operating priorities.
Conclusion
FanGrid technology is a tactical response to many of the long-standing limitations that have encumbered conventional AHU configurations. With its modularity, energy efficiency, and system resiliency, it confronts the fundamental problems of contemporary HVAC systems.
By collaborating with Leading players such as AAD Tech, facility managers can implement this next-generation air handling strategy with confidence. Through new construction or retrofits, FanGrid systems are transforming the way HVAC systems operate, establishing new standards for performance, dependability, and sustainability.
