Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) are a breath of fresh air for facilities

With building codes dictating that ventilation systems be used to introduce prescribed amounts of fresh outside air into occupied spaces, contractors are looking for dependable, energy-efficient HVAC solutions to meet these requirements.

Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) like Modine’s Atherion® Packaged Ventilation System are a popular ventilation solution for facilities. Whatever their climate or geographic location, the Atherion is fully customizable to meet the specific ventilation heating, cooling, and dehumidification requirements for individual facilities.

1. DOAS advantages

Atherion® units allow facility managers to rest assured that ventilation air is consistently being delivered at tightly controlled temperature and humidity conditions to provide outstanding indoor air quality. They are highly efficient at meeting these demanding 100-percent outside air ventilation applications and can provide further building system efficiency improvements by decoupling the space latent load from the terminal equipment. This means the equipment in the space does not need to work so hard on keeping humidity controlled.

2. Energy recovery modules

Another advantage that Atherion® offers is an optional Energy Recovery Module. The module comprises an aluminum energy-recovery wheel with 4-angstrom Zeolite desiccant coating, which rotates between incoming and outgoing air. By doing so, it recaptures energy from the exhaust air and transfers it to the fresh air side to preheat or precool outside air as it enters the building. By precooling or preheating the air, the module reduces the energy required by the facility’s mechanical heating and cooling systems, potentially saving thousands of dollars on heating or cooling expenses annually.

The aluminum wheel has outstanding heat transfer properties, and the 4-angstrom Zeolite has a much smaller pore size than silica gel desiccants, enabling highly effective latent energy transfer while greatly minimizing the transfer of larger odor-causing organic molecules.

3. Integrated controls systems

The Atherion® units offer onboard, integrated Modine Controls Systems that provide superior, easy-to-use intuitive controls that help maximize energy efficiency. The systems give operators control over a wide range of application functions and are designed with unit serviceability in mind, providing useful operational data to facility supervisors through a user interface. Optional BACnet or LonWorks communication allows the unit to be fully integrated in the customer building management system for even greater equipment oversight. Controls are configured for the application prior and fully run tested prior to leaving the factory and are fully supported by our in-house Controls Engineering team.