Industrial air conditioners are, contrary to what their names suggest, units that can do more than just air conditioning. A variety of air handling operations are possible, ranging from controlling incoming air pollution, humidity and, in some cases, also acting as a heater.

There are different types of models available to you depending on your particular needs and the nature of your business.

The different industrial air conditioning systems

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When choosing an air conditioning system, consider your operational needs. Do you need to be able to precisely control the humidity in a room? Do you have to have several rooms each with a different temperature? The space available for installation is also an important component in choosing an industrial air conditioner.

The multizone system

The multizone system has many advantages. Among these, we note the possibility of air conditioning several rooms at a better cost than that implied by installing an air conditioner in each room, a low noise level and a temperature that can be preset and maintained with higher precision.

The multizone air conditioning system is often a good choice if you have several rooms that you want to air-condition using a central unit.

All the configurations of this air conditioning system involve the presence of a central unit from which the incoming air leaves. The refrigerant in this configuration is freon and several options are possible regarding its installation:

• The cassette system, occupying no visible space in the room and located on the ceiling;

• A channel system can also be used for air conditioning by air ducts leading to vents located in the rooms;

• The column system is another option, but due to its heavyweight and the fact that the columns are very visible in the rooms where they are located, it's better to be considered if no other option can be used.

The wall system, as its name suggests, is placed on the walls of the rooms concerned. The number may vary depending on the capacity of the equipment and the size of the room.

The fan coil system 

The main difference between the multizone system and the fan coil system is its refrigerant: this system uses water for its cooling process. In addition, it is usually reversible, which means that it can produce both heating and air conditioning as needed.

A chiller lowers the temperature of the water and uses pumps to distribute the liquid to the fan coil units, which then send cool air to the rooms. Its advantages are numerous, this system being known to be energy efficient and easy to install and use.

Central and rooftop air conditioners

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Able to be used in conjunction with multizone or fan coil systems, it can serve as a hotspot for air intake and supply, filtration, cooling, irrigation and heating. On the other hand, to be air-conditioned, it must be connected to a cooler.

These units have the advantage of treating the air before supplying it to the rooms concerned, which means that the air entering the different air conditioning configurations is already cooled by the time it reaches a multizone system. Very durable, this system is quite common nowadays: you have probably seen or passed one without knowing that it was a roof air conditioner!

Central air conditioners are not exclusive to industrial installations. You can also consult our article The installation of a central air conditioning system at home: price and benefits.

Precision air conditioners

These specialized air conditioners are equipped with a hygrostat, a device that measures and regulates the humidity of a room with precision. A hygrostat is to humidity what a thermostat is to temperature - it allows this parameter to be regulated and this type of air conditioning is widely used for server rooms, an environment that must be as stable as possible at all times to ensure its proper functioning.

Industrial air conditioning: how to choose?

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We have seen that the industrial air conditioning options are numerous and all have their own uses: now, what criteria should determine which system(s) to choose? First of all, you have to think about the price of the system and the price of the installation so that it fits your budget.

Next, the design features should be carefully considered to select the industrial air conditioning system that best meets your needs. Do you need to regulate the temperature of one room or several? Finally, it is also necessary to take into account the number of people in the room on average and the location of natural ventilation sources, if there are any.