Industrial Air Handler Hire

An industrial air handler, often referred to as an air handling unit (AHU), is a component of a HVAC system designed to regulate and circulate air within large commercial, industrial or temporary spaces. Unlike smaller residential units, industrial AHUs are built for heavy-duty performance, capable of managing vast volumes of air and precise environmental conditions across demanding environments.

At its core, an industrial air handler is a modular system containing various components that work in concert to:

• Condition air: adjusting its temperature (heating or cooling) and humidity levels
• Filter air: removing airborne contaminants like dust, allergens and pollutants
• Circulate air: distributing the treated air throughout a facility and exhausting stale air
• Ventilate spaces: bringing in fresh outdoor air to maintain indoor air quality

Industrial air handlers are designed to be versatile and can be used for heating and cooling, as well as managing other air quality parameters. The capability for heating and cooling primarily comes from the coil section within the AHU:

• Cooling coils absorb heat from the air, causing its temperature to drop.
• Heating coils transfer heat to the air, raising its temperature.

Many industrial air handlers are configured with both heating and cooling coils, positioned sequentially within the airflow path. The system’s controls can then activate either the heating or cooling function as needed to maintain the desired temperature set point.

We understand that maintaining optimal air quality, temperature, and humidity is crucial for protecting your assets, ensuring operational continuity and creating productive environments. Our industrial air handling solutions deliver the control and performance you need, all backed by our commitment to excellent service.

Here’s why businesses across the UK trust us for their air handling requirements:

• Reliability and performance: our fleet of industrial air handlers is engineered for the most demanding conditions. You can count on our equipment to provide consistent, powerful air treatment, ensuring your operations run smoothly whether for heating, cooling or precise environmental control, even in the most challenging industrial settings.
• Expertise you can trust: with over 60 years of experience in temporary utility solutions, we bring a wealth of knowledge to every air handling project. Our expert engineers understand large-scale climate control across diverse sectors, from manufacturing and pharmaceutical to events and data centres. We’ll work closely with you to assess your needs and design a tailored, efficient solution, ensuring optimal results and seamless integration with your existing systems.
• Nationwide rapid and flexible solutions: we know that the need for effective air handling can be urgent, whether due to an emergency breakdown, planned outage or a temporary expansion. That’s why we offer rapid deployment across the UK. Our flexible rental options, from short-term emergency response to long-term project support, mean we can quickly scale our solutions to your changing requirements, minimising downtime and maximising efficiency.
• Commitment to sustainability: through our Greener Upgrades initiative, we combine the latest technology, cleaner fuels and smarter operational thinking to help reduce emissions and enhance efficiency across our fleet. We’re dedicated to helping you meet your environmental goals while maintaining optimal operational conditions.

Choose Aggreko for your industrial air handling needs and experience a rapid response, reliable equipment and expert support that keeps your operations running efficiently.

Find out more about why Aggreko is a trusted industry partner or get in touch to discuss your needs.

While the terms ‘air handling unit’ and ‘HVAC’ are often used interchangeably, it’s important to understand that an AHU is a component within a broader HVAC system.

HVAC is the overarching umbrella system responsible for providing total indoor environmental control within a building or facility. It includes all the equipment and processes designed to achieve thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. This includes heating systems (boilers and furnaces), cooling systems (chillers and condensers), ductwork, controls and various air distribution devices. HVAC is about the entire function of managing indoor climate.

An AHU is a specific piece of equipment within the HVAC system. Its primary role is to condition and circulate air. The AHU draws in air, filters it, heats or cools it, and often humidifies or dehumidifies it, before distributing it throughout the space via ductwork.

An industrial AHU is a sophisticated piece of equipment designed to manage and condition large volumes of air for diverse applications. While specific configurations can vary based on the intended use and scale, most industrial AHUs share a core set of components that work in harmony to deliver precise climate control and ensure optimal air quality.

Here are the main components typically found within an industrial air handling unit:

1. Casing/frame: this is the robust, insulated metal structure that encloses all the internal components.
2. Mixing box and dampers: the mixing box is where return air from the conditioned space and fresh outdoor air are combined. Dampers control the proportion of fresh air vs. return air, allowing for precise control over ventilation rates and energy recovery.
3. Air filters: a series of filters designed to remove particulate matter like dust, pollen, fibres and other airborne contaminants.
4. Fans: powerful centrifugal or axial fans draw air through the various sections of the AHU and then push the conditioned air through the ductwork system into the space.
5. Coils: this is where the primary heating and cooling of the air occurs.
6. Drain pan: located beneath the cooling, this pan collects the condensed moisture that forms as warm, humid air passes over the cold coils.
7. Humidifier: humidifiers can be integrated to add moisture to the air.
8. Sound attenuators: sound attenuators are often installed downstream of the fans to reduce noise levels in occupied spaces.
9. Controls and sensors: this includes sensors, actuators and a control to monitor environmental conditions and adjust the operation of various components.

Right-sizing an air handler requires a detailed assessment of the facility’s unique characteristics and operational demands, a process best handled by experienced HVAC engineers. Key factors to consider include:

1. Heat load calculation:

• External loads: heat entering the facility from outside. This includes solar gain through windows and roofs, heat conduction through walls and heat infiltration from outside air. Building orientation, insulation quality and window types are important here.
• Internal loads: heat generated within the facility. This is often substantial in industrial settings and includes:
  • Occupants
  • Lighting
  • Equipment and machinery
  • Processes
  • Products

2. Airflow requirements (cubic metres per second/CFM):

Beyond just temperature, the volume of air that needs to be moved and replaced is vital for ventilation and maintaining indoor air quality.

• Occupancy density: how many people are in the space and for how long?
• Contaminant dilution: if processes generate fumes, dust or other airborne contaminants, the air handler needs to provide sufficient fresh air changes to dilute these to safe levels, often guided by UK health and safety regulations.
• Building regulations and standards: adherence to specific ventilation rates mandated by building codes or industry best practices.
• Desired air change rates: the number of times the entire volume of air in a space should be replaced per hour, which varies by industry and application.

3. Specific environmental conditions:

• Desired temperature and humidity: the exact temperature and humidity ranges required for comfort, process stability or product preservation. For instance, data centres need strict temperature control, while pharmaceutical manufacturing may require precise humidity.
• Pressure relationships: in some facilities (e.g. cleanrooms or isolation areas), maintaining positive or negative air pressure relative to adjacent spaces is crucial, which impacts AHU design.

4. Facility characteristics:

• Building size and layout: the total area, ceiling height, number of distinct zones and internal partitions.
• Building materials: type of construction, insulation in walls, roof and floor.
• Existing infrastructure: compatibility with existing ductwork, power supply and integration with a building management system.
• Future expansion plans: designing with flexibility for future needs.

5. Application specifics:

The exact purpose of the AHU (e.g. comfort cooling, process cooling, cleanroom air supply, temporary heating for construction). This dictates the required filtration levels, coil types and overall robustness.