Unit-5

HVAC control system

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) equipment needs a control system to regulate the
operation of a heating and/or air conditioning system. Usually a sensing device is used to compare the
actual state (e.g. temperature) with a target state. Then the control system draws a conclusion what
action has to be taken (e.g. start the blower

Basic purpose of HVAC control

Daily, weekly, and seasonal swings make HVAC control challenging

Highly unsteady-state environment
Provide balance of reasonable comfort at minimum cost and energy
Two distinct actions:
1) Switching/Enabling: Manage availability of plant according to schedule using timers.
2) Regulation: Match plant capacity to demand

Terminology
• Sensor
– Measures quantity of interest
• Controller
– Interprets sensor data
• Controlled device
– Changes based on controller output
 Direct Indirect
Closed Loop or Feedback Open Loop or Feedforward

• Set Point
– Desired sensor value
• Control Point
– Current sensor value
• Error or Offset
– Difference between control point and set point

Two-Position Control Systems

• Used in small, relatively simple systems
• Controlled device is on or off
– It is a switch, not a valve
• Good for devices that change slowly

Modulating Control Systems

Example: Heat exchanger control
– Modulating (Analog) control
Direct digital control

Central controllers and most terminal unit controllers are programmable, meaning the direct digital
control program code may be customized for the intended use. The program features include time
schedules, set points, controllers, logic, timers, trend logs, and alarms. The unit controllers typically
have analog and digital inputs that allow measurement of the variable (temperature, humidity, or
pressure) and analog and digital outputs for control of the transport medium (hot/cold water and/or
steam). Digital inputs are typically (dry) contacts from a control device, and analog inputs are typically a
voltage or current measurement from a variable (temperature, humidity, velocity, or pressure) sensing
device. Digital outputs are typically relay contacts used to start and stop equipment, and analog outputs
are typically voltage or current signals to control the movement of the medium (air/water/steam) control
devices such as valves, dampers, and motors.

Groups of DDC controllers, networked or not, form a layer of system themselves. This "subsystem" is
vital to the performance and basic operation of the overall HVAC system. The DDC system is the
"brain" of the HVAC system. It dictates the position of every damper and valve in a system. It
determines which fans, pumps, and chiller run and at what speed or capacity. With this configurable
intelligency in this "brain", we are moving to the concept of building automation

Air conditioner thermostat

What is air conditioner thermostat?
AC thermostat is the device that controls the air conditioner units. It uses to turn the heater or AC unit
ON and OFF. Hvac thermostat is a temperature controls. It controls the temperature of specific building.
The hvac thermostat we’ll being discussion here is a room thermostat. This air conditioning thermostat
controls space temperature for comfort purposes.

Working:
Air conditioning thermostats have bimetals (older thermostat) or thermistor (new thermostat). These
bimetals or thermistor sense the air current returning to the return ducts or the surrounding air.
The basic operation principle of air conditioning thermostat is it relies on random air current that passing
thought it to determine the room temperature. It uses room temperature to compare with the setpoint
temperature.
Ex. We are in heat mode and we set the temperature at 70°F. Let’s said the air conditioning thermostat
senses the random air current and the air current temperature is 65°F.
It’ll keep running until it pickup air current that read 70°F and then it stop running. All HVAC
thermostat works on this principle. It doesn’t matter if it digital, programmable, talking thermostat,
telephone thermostats or zoning thermostat. It will rely on air current to works.

Humidistat: A humidistat (sometimes called a humidistat control) is a device that works with a home's
heating and cooling system to automatically adjust the amount of moisture in the air to maintain a
specific humidity level throughout the home, OR
Humidistats are the devices that help controlling the humidification equipment fitted in the air
conditioning system. When the air is heated its humidity is reduced and it may be desirable to add
humidity to it. In some cases when the temperatures are very low, it may be necessary to heat the air and
add humidity to it. In certain cases it may be necessary to remove the humidity from the air. Humidity is
usually added in the air washers and it is usually removed by reducing the temperature of air below its
dew point temperature or using some drier. The operation of these equipments is controlled by the
humidistat.

The humidistats can be used either on line or low voltage. They consist of the nylon ribbon which is
highly sensitive to the humidity inside the room. The ribbon wound on the bobbin acts as the control for
the operation of the humidification or dehumidification equipment.

Summer winter changeover in air conditioning

The Low-High Process. The key to re-acclimating your home from summer coolingto winter heating is
simply to remember that warm air rises and cooler air sinks. ... In a 2-story home, that means over
the summer, your air conditioning system worked hard to force cool air to the second floor. Now, as we
approach winter, warm air from your furnace will automatically rise to heat upstairs rooms. Nature
pushes warm air upward to keep your upstairs bedrooms warm and cozy.

4-Step Solution.

4-step approach for an efficient and cost-effective Summer-to-Winter re-acclimation in your home:
1) Air Vents. Close the air vents in rooms on the higher floors; open those in your basement and on
lower floors. Since cool air needs to be forced to higher elevations, you probably opened the upstairs
vents last spring – now it’s time to do the opposite.

2) Filters. Fall is the perfect time to replace the furnace filters – it’s amazing how much dirt and dust
they collect. With your family spending more time inside your home during winter months, air-quality
is more important. Also, don’t forget to change the filter on the air cleaner and dehumidifier. Filters are
inexpensive.
3) Test. Before it gets cold, Fall is the time to test your furnace and confirm that it is successfully
forcing hot air – before you actually need it. Simply set your thermostat to a temperature around 75-
degrees and switch to ‘HEAT’. Your furnace should start within a minute. You should feel warm air
coming through your vents. If not, you need to contact Just In Time to inspect your furnace and vents.
Following your test, be sure to return your thermostat temperature setting to about 68-degrees.

4) Duct Debris. When you ‘test’ of your furnace, watch for any dust coming through the vent. This
might suggest you need your vents cleaned by a professional Just In Time service technician.

Damper
A damper is a valve or plate that stops or regulates the flow of air inside a duct, chimney, VAV
box, air handler, or other air-handling equipment. A damper may be used to cut off central air
conditioning (heating or cooling) to an unused room, or to regulate it for room-by-room temperature and
climate control. Its operation can be manual or automatic. Manual dampers are turned by a handle on the
outside of a duct. Automatic dampers are used to regulate airflow constantly and are operated by electric
or pneumatic motors, in turn controlled by a thermostat or building automation system. Automatic or
motorized dampers may also be controlled by a solenoid, and the degree of air-flow calibrated, perhaps
according to signals from the thermostat going to the actuator of the damper in order to modulate the
flow of air-conditioned air in order to effect climate control

Freeze Prevention: HVAC Coils in Cold Weather. ... The freeze stat in your HVAC unit is the
safety feature that keeps its coils from freezing. A freeze stat, also known as a low temperature cutout,
is a device on your HVAC coils that monitors the temperature of the air blowing across the coils. If
something in your HVAC system fails letting in too much cold air, the freeze stat will shut the system
down to prevent the coils from freezing.

Test your Freeze Stat

Testing your freeze stat not only lets you know if your freeze stat is working properly but it can also
give you an indication that other parts of your HVAC system are also functioning properly.
When you trip the freeze stat, the system should go into fail mode, shutting the system down and
keeping the unit from freezing.

The outside damper should close and the return damper should open fully – this stops the cold outside
air from entering the system and reaching the coils.
The fan should turn off – this stops the air from blowing across the coils.
The hot water valves open fully and the cold water valves close – this keeps the heat going so any air
that does cross the coils can be heated.
If all of these things happen, your freeze stat is working and it will protect your HVAC’s coils from
freezing.
Component of Central AC Plant
1. Water Cooled Chillers
2. Chilled water pump
3. Cooling Tower
4. Condenser water pump
5. Strainer
6. Duct
7. AHU/FAHU
8. Diffuser/Grille

COOLING TOWERS
Cooling Towers
The cooling tower water removes heat of the condenser by principle of evaporative Water is exposed to
outside air to reject heat from the water. This basin water is also °0l'n8- for corrosion, fouling, and
scaling.
1) The major component of a cooling tower is a fan to move the air across the fill m cooling towers
work for cooling higher temperature water or fluids. A typical cooling tower would for example cool
95°F entering water temperature (EWT) down to 85°F leaving water temperature (LWT). Cooling
towers are often used in conjunction with water-cooled chillers but have many stand-alone uses as well.
2) The difference of EWT is termed "range" of cooling tower. This is usually 10°F in HVAC industry.
 Fig. Cooling Towers
Types of Valve:

Ball Valves
Ball Valves are quarter turn valves, commonly used for bidirectional isolation applications. Since the
ball moves across the seats in a wiping motion, ball valve is an excellent and cheapest shut off device for
DN50 and lesser CHW pipelines to blockages due to debris in the medium. When fully open, the Ball
valve has no obstruction in the flow path resulting in very low friction loss. Ball Valves could be
installed in any direction on the pipe

Figure (a)Ball valve (b) Gate Valve (c) Strainer

Gate Valves:-
Gate Valves are actuated by a threaded stem which connects the actuator (e.g. hand wheel or motor) to
the gate. They are characterised as having either a rising or a non-rising stem, depending on which end
of the stem is threaded. Rising stems are fixed to the gate and rise and lower together as the valve is
operated, providing a visual indication of valve position.

Strainer:-
Strainer is used in piping system as a mode of filtration, there by protecting critical equipment
components from contamination that may be carried by the medium. All dimension of strainers have
stainless Steel perforated screen with a blow down function. Strainer could be installed in the pipe in the
horizontal and vertical directions.

Butterfly Valves:-
Butterfly Valves are quarter turn valves, used for bidirectional isolation and throttling applications.
These Valves are manufactured in Wafer and Lugged types and may be Lever or Gear operated. The
valves are available with Cast or Ductile iron body and internally EPDM-lines seat providing a resilient
bubble tight shut off for total isolation. The discs are available in highly robust materials – Nickel Plate
Ductile Iron or Stainless steel. Butterfly Valves could be installed in any direction on the pipe except the
position with negative angle in respect to top side of the valve, to avoid condensation on the gear box.

Figure (a) Butterfly Valve (b) Check valve (c) flexible joint

Check Valves:-
CheckValves operates automatically to allow fluid to flow in only one direction. The valves serve for
the pump protection from the revers flow and water hammer. Check valves may also be required in lines
feeding the secondary CHW system, in which the pressure can rise above that of the primary system.
Wafer Swing Check valve (DN65 and above) are suitable for mounting between flanged as per BS EN
1092:2 Standard and available in two different designs: Dual plated Type (Double Door, Spring Loaded)
& Thin Swing Type (Gravity Actuated) with Cast or Ductile Iron or Carbon Steel body, with Ductile
Iron/ Carbon Steel disk materials.
Swing Check Valves could be installed on the pipe in the horizontal and vertical (upstream) directions.
The wafer design enables easy installation, has lesser weight, lesser space requirement and easy
maintenance compared to flanged models.

Flexible joints:-
Flexible joints connectors are widely used in piping and pumping application in the following industries:
Suction and delivery pumping lines for air-conditioning, ventilation system and chilled water
installation.
Rubber/elastomer flexible connectors provide efficient but economic ways to accommodate pressure
loads, relieve movement stress, reduce noise, isolate vibration, compensate for misalignment after plants
go on stream, and prolong life of motive equipment. Special built-in features will also eliminate
electrolysis, counter expansion and contraction against start up surge forces.
Flexible expansion joints are used widely in building services industry and other