Dunham-Bush has launched a new package of Zone Flow Fan Coil unit controls, which can be specified with many of the company’s industry leading Fan Coil Unit (FCU) products. Zone Flow’s key feature is that it simplifies commissioning, setup, adjustment and maintenance of FCU’s and is available in several configurations in order to meet the requirements of most building control strategies.

Zone Flow can control a single fan coil unit, or individually control each fan within a multi-fan unit, or as part of an integrated building management system (BMS). As well as simplifying set up and maintenance, Zone Flow provides an ideal platform to optimise the operation of every Dunham-Bush FCU even before it arrives at site. The firm confirms and sets the speed control and air volume of individual EC fan motors in a multi-fan unit, before the units leave the Dunham-Bush factory.

Where constant volume fans with EC motors are used, Zone Flow ensures air flow is delivered without adjustment of the unit. Zone flow provides comprehensive operating data and remote monitoring of all units. Once installed, the fan speed can be set to deliver the correct air volume regardless of the system resistance, providing it is within the capability of the fan and motor. This pre-setting of air flow and the use of Pressure Independent Water side controls result in fast and efficient commissioning at site.

As standard, the Zone Flow control arrangement provides fan failure alarms locally or remotely for filter dirty, and condensate pump, as standard. The communication with a BMS allows remote monitoring and adjustment of temperature set points and air volumes, as well as the monitoring alarm status. All communication is initially via BACnet using an RS 485 interface, but network communication can be by almost any protocol currently used by a BMS. Generous coil face areas and the use of EC motors ensure low noise levels and excellent energy efficiency for Dunham-Bush fan Coil Units, but as fan speeds automatically decrease or increase to take into account duct design and filter condition at site, optimum performance and efficiency will be maintained for longer periods of time.

Dunham-Bush has developed a Fan Coil control system that would provide building designers with as much flexibility when integrating FCU’s with other M & E systems in any building. The basis of Zone Flow is the Honeywell Spyder controller configured specifically for Dunham-Bush FCU control. Virtually any plant item from FCUs to chillers, and from boilers to fan convectors, can be ‘Spyder’ controlled and therefore can form a single fully integrated controls system.

In standard format, Zone Flow provides time scheduling, the control of standard or Pressure independent water control valves, VAV fan speed control, electric heating where required, as well as the management of the Zero Energy band. Zone Flow-equipped Fan Coil Units can be combined with the Honeywell Hawk to provide additional functionality and to provide open protocol communication with most BMS.

Multiple Spyders can be connected to a Hawk field controller operating on a Niagara framework and Coach AX engineering software. The Hawk acts as gateway and is compatible with BACnet, Modbus, LON, EIB, M-Bus and more protocols and simplifies the set up operation and maintenance of the network. When fitted, communication with Hawk and therefore individual Fan Coil Units can be via the internet, LAN or WAN or by a GPRS remote connection. Browsing of the one or more Hawk units can be achieved with any PC equipped with Arena AX Supervisor via Firefox, Chrome etc.

Coach AX is the architecture of which means, menus, and utilities are presented in a familiar windows type format. There are utilities for service, alarms, history and set up, each accessible for full analysis either locally or remotely. A ‘Palettes’ tool box allows the user to select tool boxes with numerous functions and services used in graphical programming and configuration. In addition the PX editor is used to create or edit graphics and can be loaded into the Hawk to enable modification using Internet Explorer. A graphic representation of the Dunham-Bush FCU fitted with Zone Flow can be viewed, and adjusted remotely. The adjustable parameters include set points for heating and cooling, air volume as a percentage of maximum. The same graphic will provide information on leaving and return air temperature as well as an adjustable Zero Energy Band to ensure best efficiency. This information is available for each Fan Coil Unit or for each fan within a unit where the FCU has been configured for individual compartmentalised fan control.

Dunham-Bush offers a comprehensive range of high specification Fan Coil Units, from the Panther at 280mm deep, the Leopard at 230mm deep and the Cougar at 180 mm deep which has single entry bottom access fans. External Rotor EC fan/motor assemblies are fitted as standard to these units, and other variants such as vertical and cased units are also available.