Heating, Ventilating, and

Air-Conditioning

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Types of Systems
Central Forced Air System
Air Handling Unit
Hot Water System
Zoned Control System
Radiant Heat
Heat Pump
HVAC Plans

Types of Systems

Central Forced-Air Systems

Hot Water Systems
Zone Control Systems
Radiant Heat

Central Forced Air System

Most Common HVAC System
Circulates air through or around heating
and cooling devices.
A fan forces air into ducts
Supply ducts transport conditioned air into
building through diffusers or supply
registers
Air is routed back to heating/cooling device
through return ducts

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Device used to condition and circulate air
as part of an HVAC system
Large metal box containing a blower,
heating or cooling elements, filter, and
sound attenuators
Connects to ductwork that distributes the
conditioned air through the building and
returns it to the AHU

Courtesy Eric Fisher

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

May need to supply heating, cooling, or both
A furnace generates heat
Fuel oil or natural gas
Electric heating elements
Heat pump
A refrigeration system absorbs heat
Air conditioner
Heat pump

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Smaller air handlers may contain a fuel-burning
heater or a refrigeration evaporator placed
directly in the air stream
Large commercial air handling units contain coils
that circulate water
Boiler provides hot water or steam
Chiller provides chilled water

iStockphoto.com

iStockphoto.com

Air Handling Unit (AHU)

Typical AHU components:

Wikimedia

1. Supply duct
2. Fan compartment
3. Flexible connection
4. Heating and/or cooling
coil
5. Filter compartment
6. Return and fresh air
duct

Hot Water System

Water heated in boiler and circulated
through pipes to radiators
Requires plumbing rather than ductwork

iStockphoto.com

Zone Control System

One heater and one thermostat per room
No ductwork
Often used in hotel rooms

Radiant Heat
Supply heat directly to the floor, wall, or ceiling
Hot water pipes or electric heating element runs
through building component
Dependent on radiant heat
Heat transferred from hot surface to people
and objects

Wikimedia

Heat Pump (HP)

A machine or device that moves heat from one
location (the source) to another location (the
mechanical work)
Can produce heating or cooling by reversing the
direction of heat flow
Can be used in:
Forced Air System
Hot Water System
Radiant Heat System

wikimedia

HVAC Plans

Image Courtesy Novus Architects

HVAC (Mechanical) Plans

Image Courtesy Novus Architects

HVAC Mechanical Plans

Image Courtesy Novus Architects

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Types of Systems
Central Forced Air System
Air Handling Unit
Hot Water System
Zoned Control System
Radiant Heat
Heat Pump
HVAC Plans

Image Sources
en.wikimedia.org. Images retrieved Dec. 8, 2009.
Novus Architecture (formerly SGM Architects), Mt.
Pleasant, SC
www.istockphoto.com. Images retrieved Dec. 8, 2009.

Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning