Daikin’s Variable Refrigerant Volume system now offers the ability to create AHUs that were not previously available.
Do you need an AHU greater than 8 tons? Do you need to replace several packaged RTUs and want to connect them to a single VRV condensing unit? Do you need a VRV system with HEPA filters or energy recovery wheels? All that can now be accomplished. Daikin has released the components necessary to “build” VRV Heat Pump coils that can then be installed inside any type of AHU with any other AHU components.
The EKEXV “kits” include a VRV EEV (in sizes from 12MBH to 168MBH) and the control board necessary to “talk” to other Daikin VRV FCUs and the corresponding condensing unit. There are some very stringent DX coil and VRV design requirements to make this work, so it should be thought of as a custom product with custom design and control concerns.
Current projects include retrofitting a 2-pipe chilled water building with indoor and rooftop AHUs. New AHUs and RTUs were ordered to fit the existing spaces and curbs and were integrated with coils and EKEXV “kits” and controls. Several AHUs and RTUs were connected to single VRV Heat Pump condensing units to form new building zones that made sense for the building. The end result created a lower cost retrofit that offered zoning and temperature control that did not exist before.