A fan coil unit allows the use of heating and cooling systems in a single air diffusion terminal: it’s a device that allows you to generate hot or cold air using chilled or hot water.
Usually, in fact, the heating systems are connected to a boiler, a heat pump, a thermo stove, while the cooling is entrusted to the classic air conditioners: in the case of fan coils, however, the system is the same, the hot or cold air is supplied by the same appliance and regulated by the same thermostat.
How does a fan coil work?
Used mainly in mixed air/water air conditioning systems, the operation of a fan coil is very similar to the radiator of our cars. The fan coil is also defined as a fully recirculating unit: the air is taken from the environment via a fan, then passes through a filter capable of retaining dust and particles. From here, it’s pushed towards the heat exchanger, where, by forced convection, it exchanges heat with the water before being expelled. In heating mode, the heat is withdrawn, while in cooling mode it is released.
When the air is cooled, it is also dehumidified, because cooling process reduces its ability to transport water particles, which generate moisture.
Based on their location, there are three types of fan coil construction:
- positioned on the wall
- positioned on the floor
- positioned on the ceiling (air heater)
Furthermore, based on the system structure, they can operate through:
- Central unit: the element that acts on the temperature is unique and has various pipes that reach the different areas
- Multiple units: the system is distributed in various environments
The advantages of the fan coil
In addition to its main feature, that of being able to manage hot and cold together, among the advantages of the fan coil we also find that it is particularly suitable for houses, offices and average spaces, heated or cooled in much shorter times compared to traditional systems, dehumidifying the rooms at the same time. Furthermore, if not connected to a gas boiler, it’s possible to benefit from significant energy savings in electricity, instead of consuming methane.
The fan coil has no emissions and has low installation costs, and the system has little labor.
The disadvantages of the fan coil
Like all devices, however, there are strengths and weaknesses.
Operating essentially thanks to a fan, they are noisier. Fan coils occupy space, both internally and externally, in the case of an external unit, decidedly unaesthetic (as well as the classic air conditioners).
Furthermore, not everyone likes the dry air generated by the fan coils, useful in humid environments, but even less healthy in already dry environments.
IMIT fan coil regulators
Among the fan coil regulators in IMIT range we find:
- Wall-mounted FAN TA3: electromechanical, ideal for regulating the temperature in an extremely simple and intuitive way, thanks to the knob and the two operating modes Summer / Winter (to activate the air conditioning or heating functions). FAN TA3 is also equipped with a three-position mechanical selector for adjusting the fan speeds and for controlling the hot/cold valve.
- FAN 503 built-in: electronic controller DIN503 built-in with LCD display, complete with three relays to adjust the fan speed and two relays to control the solenoid valves and the input for the water probe.
To find out more, browse our site, download our catalog or preview the instruction manuals for our products for home and office comfort. For further requests, send an email to info@imit.it. Our staff will reply as soon as possible.