Design of HVAC Systems

By Priyantha Bandara
Senior Lecturer
Department of Manufacturing Technology University of Vocational Technology
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Overview

Overall HVAC Design Process Thermal Comfort Sources of HVAC Loads? Estimation of HVAC Loads

Overall HVAC Design Process

Room air flow is proportional to room load

Locate Forced Air Units

Static Pressure

Friction rate & room air flow determine duct size

Locate Thermostat

Locate Grilles & Registers

Locate Condenser

Total Flow Rate

Route Ducts

Equivalent Lengths

Sub-Zones (Trunks)

Friction Rates

Thermal Comfort

Human thermal comfort is defined by ASHRAE as the state of mind that expresses satisfaction with the surrounding environment (ASHRAE Standard 55). Maintaining thermal comfort for occupants of buildings or other enclosures is one of the important goals of HVAC design engineers.
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Thermal Comfort contd..

Thermal comfort is maintained when the heat generated by human metabolism is allowed to dissipate, thus maintaining thermal equilibrium with the surroundings. Any heat gain or loss beyond this generates a sensation of discomfort. Thermal comfort is very important to many workrelated factors. It can affect the distraction levels of the workers, and in turn affect their performance and productivity of their work.
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Thermal Comfort Factors

Sources of HVAC Loads

Human-occupancy loads Weather-dependent loads Process, appliance and mechanical equipment loads

Human-occupancy loads

Human body generates heat energy within itself and releases it by radiation, convection and evaporation from the body surface (sensible) and by convection and evaporation in the respiratory tract (latent). The amount of heat generated and released depends on surrounding temperature and on the activity level of the person.
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Heat Gain from Activity Levels

Weather Dependent Loads

Weather dependent loads are due to Heat loss/gain due to indoor-outdoor temperature difference Heat loss/gain due to solar-night time radiation through openings and facades. Heat-humidity loss/gain by ventilation Thermal resistance across the solid and interface Wind effects and infiltration

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Process, appliance and mechanical equipment loads

Lights Illuminants convert electrical energy into light energy and sensible heat. Lighting is either incandescent or fluorescent. Electrical & Electronic Appliances Motors

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Heat Gain from Equipment

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Sources of HVAC Loads

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Estimation of HVAC Loads

Provide information for equipment selection, system sizing and system design. Provide data for evaluating the optimum possibilities for load reduction. Permit analysis of partial loads as required for system design, operation and control.

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Estimation of HVAC Loads contd..

Transfer Function Method (TFM): This is the most complex of the methods proposed by ASHRAE and requires the use of a computer software or advanced spreadsheet. Cooling Load Temperature Differential/Cooling Load Factors (CLTD/CLF): This method is derived from the TFM method and uses tabulated data to simplify the calculation process. The method can be fairly easily transferred into simple spreadsheet programs but has some limitations due to the use of tabulated data. Total Equivalent Temperature Differential/Time-Averaging (TETD/TA): This was the preferred method for manual or simple spreadsheet calculation before the introduction of 15 the CLTD/CLF method.

Estimation of HVAC Loads contd..

Fabric Heat Transfer

Ventilation Heat Transfer

Solar Irradiation

Equipment Loads
Occupancy Loads

Infiltration Loads
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Fabric Heat Transfer

This is caused by the transmission of heat through building elements such as walls, roof, windows, floor etc. Governed by Fouriers Law of Heat Conduction. Depends on the Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient (U value) of the material.

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Fabric Heat Transfer contd..

Qf UAT
Qf = Rate of fabric heat transfer (W)

U = Overall heat transfer coefficient of the element considered (W/m2K)

A = Cross sectional area of the element (m2) T = Temperature difference across the element (K)

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Elemental Heat Gains

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Ventilation Heat Transfer

CV NVT QV 3600
Qv = Rate of ventilation heat transfer (W) Cv = Volumetric specific heat capacity of air (J/m3K) = 1300 J/m3K N = Number of complete air changes per hour

V = Volume of the conditioned space (m3)

T = Temperature difference between inside and outside air (K)
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Ventilation Heat Transfer contd..

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Gain from Solar Irradiation

Geographical latitude of the location

Orientation of the building

Season of the year

Local cloud conditions

Angles between Sun and the building surfaces

Material properties of building elements

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Heat Gain from Solar Irradiation

Solar Gain through transparent surfaces (windows) can be estimated as

QS AI
Qs = Rate of solar gain (W)
I = Radiation heat flux density (W/m2) A = Surface area of the element (m2) = Solar gain factor of the window glass
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Infiltration Load
Rate of Sensible Heat Transfer (W)
Qs ,inf m o c p ,m To Ti v o o c p ,m To Ti
. .

Vo = Infiltration rate (m3/s)

o = Density of moist infiltrated air (kgm-3) Cp,m = Specific heat of moist infiltrated air (J/kgK) To = Outdoor dry bulb temperature (K) Ti = Indoor dry bulb temperature (K)
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Infiltration Load contd..

Rate of Latent Heat Transfer (W)
Ql ,inf m o h fg Wo Wi v o o h fg Wo Wi
. .

hfg = Latent heat of vapourization of water (J/kg) Wo = Outdoor humidity ratio

Wi = Indoor humidity ratio

Infiltration rate by air change method
.

vo

ACH .V
3600

ACH = No. of air changes per hour V = Gross volume of the conditioned space (m3)
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Infiltration Load contd..

Total heat load due to infiltration (Qinf)

Qinf Qs ,inf Ql ,inf

Qs,inf = Rate of Sensible heat transfer (W) Ql,inf = Rate of Latent heat transfer (W)

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HVAC Equipment Capacity

QT Q f Qv Qs Qe Qo Qinf

QT = Total thermal load (W) = HVAC Equipment Capacity (W or BTU/h)

Qf = Rate of fabric heat transfer (W)

Qv = Rate of ventilation heat transfer (W)

Qs= Rate of Solar gain (W) Qe= Equipment heat load (W) Qo= Occupancy heat load (W) Qinf = Infiltration heat load (W)
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HVAC Equipment Capacity

Based on the heat load calculations, the HVAC designer recommends the type of the HVAC system suitable for the application and the total size of the system. This helps in avoiding installing an over-sized system that can lead to high initial and running costs and also avoids under-sized system that could lead to under-cooling of the building.
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Dimensions and Units Used in HVAC Applications

Dimension
Acceleration Area Density Energy Force Length Mass Power Pressure Specific Heat Time Absolute Temperature Temperature Thermal Conductivity Thermal Flux Density Velocity Volume Volume Flow Rate

SI Unit
m/s2 m2 kg/m3 Nm, Joule (J) (kgm)/s2, Newton (N) m, meter (m) kg, kilogram (kg) J/s, Watt (W) N/m2, Pascal (P) J/(kgC) second (s) degree Kelvin (K) degree Celsius (C) W/(mC) W/m2 m/s m3 m3/s

IP Unit
ft/sec3 ft2 lbm/ft3 Btu, ft-lb pound (lbf) foot (ft) pound mass (lbm) Btu/h psi Btu/(lbmF) second (sec) degree Rankine (R) degree Fahrenheit (F) Btu/(hftF) Btu/(hft2) ft/sec, ft/min, fpm ft3 ft3/sec, ft3/min, cfm
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Design Criteria for Ventilation Systems

Duct design in accordance with the HVAC Duct Work Specifications, published by Heating & Ventilation Contractors Association or in accordance with the ASHRAE Handbook. Sections of the duct may be rectangular or circular conforming to the preliminary drawings. Duct assembly shall be air tight as to allow leakage of not more than 1% of the total flow rate.
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Ventilation Duct Systems

Type of Ductwork Maximum Static Air Pressure (kPa)
0.5 0.75 25.0

Low Pressure High Pressure

Maximum allowable Air Velocity (ms-1) 13

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