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MEC 522 Extra Credit Assignment

All Air System

 Advantages
o Most commonly used because controlling air properties is most easily accomplished
directly by all air systems (No need to transfer energy from water back to air
o Better for maintaining safe indoor air quality
o For Single Zone, they are lowest upfront costs, easiest to maintain, and simplest to
design
o Terminal Reheat and Dual Duct Systems are terminally controlled which leads to
increased system flexibility and adaptability
o Multi Zone systems – Adequately condition several zones simultaneously
o Variable Volume (VAV) systems – air supply can be shifted from one zone to another
throughout the day, which reduces the design capacity of the HVAC equipment
 Also, a big advantage of VAV systems is the low initial and operating costs
compared to other systems because only a single run of ducts is necessary and
the air control at the air terminal is simple
o An economizer can be used in mild seasons to take advantage of outdoor air
temperatures to reduce energy costs
 Disadvantages
o Air is not an efficient heat transfer medium
o Extensive ductwork is necessary, which leads to higher building costs
o For Multi Zone systems, multiple supply air ducts are necessary, which is expensive and
space consuming
o VAV Systems – With reduced supply air flow, air ventilation is limited and can be
problematic for the indoor air quality
 Applications
o Best used when ductwork is easily accommodated
o Used most often when indoor air quality is a main concern
o Single Zone – One control device (thermostat) located in the zone controls operation
 One family residential Units
 Simplest of All Central HVAC All Air Systems
o Multi Zone – Larger Buildings with multiple zones demanding different air characteristics
 Best suited for applications with high sensible heat loads and limited ventilation
requirements
o

All Water System

 Advantages
o Water is a much more effective heat transfer medium, so the distribution pipes (As
opposed to ducts) can be much smaller, which reduces upfront costs and saves space
 o Big advantage is the flexibility for adaptation to many building module requirements
and for remodeling work
o All water systems can be installed in existing buildings with minimal interference with
occupied space
 Disadvantages
o The energy that is carried by water must be transferred to the air, which makes more
sophisticated delivery devices necessary
o Limited ventilation, no humidification is provided
o Fan noise from the fan-coil unit may be a concern
o Cooling towers use large quantities of water
o Water cooled systems require more maintenance than air cooled systems
 Applications
o Most applicable where individual space temperature control is desired without close
control of humidity
o For full air-conditioning purposes, the fan-coil delivery device is most commonly used
o For all water heating-only systems, delivery devices include baseboard radiators,
convectors, unit heaters, and radiant floors.
o For all water cooling-only systems, which are very rare, valence units are used as the
delivery device, which is a ceiling located counterpart of a baseboard radiator

Air-Water System

 Advantages
o Incorporates the main benefits of all-air and all-water systems into a hybrid system
 Most notably the space saving of all-water systems and the outdoor ventilation
benefits of all-air systems
 Most of the space load is dealt with by heated or cooled water (80-90%) and
about 10-20% is carried out by heated or cooled air, which is just enough to
meet ventilation demands
o The air system can provide humidification typically needed during heating seasons
o Reduced quantity or air leads to higher velocity of air during distribution, which also
reduces space requirements
 Disadvantages
o Because most of the energy is carried by water, there still needs to be a large amount of
energy transfer to air in order to facilitate the specific requirements
o Requires specially trained staff for maintenance
o Humidity can’t be as tightly controlled
o Controls are more complicated than all-air systems
o Induction and fan coil units require frequent in-space maintenance
 Applications
o Due to space saving and lower operating costs, these systems are especially beneficial
for high-rise structures
o Also commonly used in hospitals, schools, office buildings, hotels, apartment houses
References:

Textbook: Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning, 6th Edition. McQuiston, Parker, Spitler

Article: HVAC Components and Systems, Vital Signs Curriculum Materials Project, Walter Grodzik and
Richard Furst