What a Fan Coil Unit (FCU) is and 4 Reasons Why It Works Well
What a Fan Coil Unit (FCU) is and 4 Reasons Why It Works Well
Planning to get an aircon for your new home or commercial office?
It’s always a difficult decision to choose the type of aircon and model that is best suited for the place it’s going to be installed in. This is because of the sheer number of options available in the market today.
Before you call in your aircon installer to perform your aircon installation for you, you need to go through your options and buy your unit first. Some of the common aircon types are:
Window aircon
Portable aircon
Ceiling cassette aircon
Smart aircon
Central aircon
While common, these are not everything you can select from! One less commonly known type of aircon is the aircon fan coil unit (FCU). What is an FCU, and how can it benefit you?
Let’s find out.
What Is an FCU?
An FCU is an independent aircon system that regulates the existing air in a small area. It may also be a part of a complete HVAC system. Usually, an FCU is used in a range of configuration types like floor and ceiling variations.
Sometimes, it can also be referred to as a terminal unit.
How Does an FCU Work?
Think of an FCU as a fan. It takes in and regulates the air in a space into the unit by using a cooling or heating coil to blow it over. This leads to air that leaves the unit which may either be warmer or cooler than it was prior.
You can control it using a manual switch, management system or thermostat.
The process is simpler than it looks: the FCU is a simple appliance that is made up of a cooling or heating coil and a fan. Relative to the air handling unit (AHU), it’s less complicated.
This is an independent aircon system that is capable of standing and functioning on its own to regulate the air without requiring the help of ductwork.
The majority of FCUs work by managing the temperature of an area via the usage of regulated hot or cold water. Most of the time, the water is obtained from a central plant that comes with the required equipment.
Such equipment includes boilers and a cooling tower that create hot water and remove heat accordingly.
The Usage of FCUs
Now, where do we use FCUs?
You will find FCUs used frequently in places with limited space. They can be offices or even in casinos. The FCUs are often positioned vertically, which means that the units tend to be situated above each other on various floors while they are linked via the same piping loop.
Other than private offices and casinos, you might even spot FCUs in shopping centres in Singapore where small shop spaces are prevalent. They tend to be popular among users because they are value for money.
This is because they are much more affordable to buy and install. Call your aircon installer to do an aircon installation for a quote and you will realize the monetary value it offers! Given that spaces in Singapore are typically small as well, it is an ideal solution for many home and business owners.
3 Benefits of FCUs
Let’s take a look at 3 main benefits that FCUs offer.
Energy-efficient Cooling Solution
FCUs are extremely value for money because of their ability to provide high cooling capacity while keeping costs low. By maintaining it regularly with proper servicing and maintenance by your aircon installer, the FCU can be highly energy-efficient.
This saves your energy consumption and reduces your energy bills in the process.
More Affordable to Purchase and Install Relative to Other Central Systems
Like portable air conditioners, FCUs are designed to cool small spaces. This means that they are typically more affordable than an AHU and a central aircon system that is larger.
Since FCUs are also smaller in size, they tend to be less costly to install as well. Your aircon installer will do it for you at a lower rate than those relative units.
Separate Room Temperature Management
With suitable controls installed, you can enjoy flexibility with your temperature settings when you choose an FCU that offers individual temperature customisation for each room.
Adapts to Future Changes in Area Layout and Load
Sometimes, you may change the layout of your home or office space, and not all types of aircon systems are ideal to adapt to the change. FCUs are suitable for use in areas where close humidity control is not required, and where medium to high operating loads are needed.
Similar to split system air conditioners, being wall-mounted provides much-needed space for the users.
Conclusion
Just because an FCU is not widely mentioned, it doesn’t mean that it has no benefits! On the contrary, this type of aircon system delivers plenty of value with its amazing efficiency at low costs.
If you are still unsure about the type of aircon to get, call us for a quick discussion!
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