HYDRONIC DESIGN

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 System Components ‐ Heating
System Components 
Expansion Tank

Air Separator Pump
Supply Pipe

Water Flow
Valve

Generate
Heat Source
Heat 
Terminal Unit Space
Load

Water Flow
Return Pipe

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 System Components ‐ Cooling
System Components 
Supply Pipe

Water Flow Valve

Reject Heat Sink
Heat (Chiller)
Terminal Unit

Expansion Tank Space
Load

Water Flow
Water Flow
Return Pipe

Air Separator
Pump

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 Heat Source or Sink
Heat Source or Sink
• Heating Hot Water (140˚F ‐
g ( 180˚F))
– Boiler
– Heat Exchanger
– Central Plant
C t l Pl t
• Chilled Water (37˚F ‐ 45˚F)
– Chiller
Chill
– Heat Exchanger
• Heat Pump Water (35˚F ‐
H tP W t (35˚F 90˚F)
– Ground Source: Ground / Pond
– Cooling Tower/Boiler
Cooling Tower/Boiler

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 Terminal Heat Transfer Units
Terminal Heat Transfer Units
• Distribute the heating/cooling to the space 
Distribute the heating/cooling to the space
– Radiators
– Baseboard finned tube units
Baseboard finned tube units
– Coils within AHUs, fan coil units, variable air 
volume terminals
volume terminals
– Heat pumps

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 Piping
• Configuration
• Sizing

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 Pipe Configuration
Pipe Configuration

• Direct Return
T‐1 T‐2 T‐3 T‐4

Balancing
Valve

• Reverse Return
T‐1 T‐2 T‐3 T‐4

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 Pipe Sizing
Pipe Sizing
• Related:
Related: 
– Flow rate (GPM)
– Velocity (fpm)
Velocity (fpm)
– Pressure drop 
– Pipe material 
Pi t i l

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 Flow Rate
Flow Rate
GPM = Space Load/(500 x Δtwater)
GPM = Space Load/(500 x Δt
– Space Load in BTUh
– Δt in 
Δt in ˚FF

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 Flow Rate
Flow Rate
Example:
GPM = 11,698 BTUh
GPM 11 698 BTUh /(500 x (180˚F‐160˚F))
/(500 (180˚F 160˚F))
GPM = 1.17 

Pipe Space
Boiler Load
Pump

Increasing the Δt results in a lower GPM
Lower GPM results in smaller pump and smaller pipe
CAREFUL – Consider equipment capability
CAREFUL  Consider equipment capability

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 Pipe Sizing
Pipe Sizing
• Related: 
– Flow rate (GPM)
– Velocity (fpm)
– P
Pressure drop 
d
– Pipe material 
• Performance limitations:
P f li i i
– Velocity
• > 15 fps should be avoided
15 fps should be avoided
– Noise and erosion
– 6 ‐ 8 fps
– Pressure Drop (Head Loss)
p( )
• Range: 1ft/100ft ‐ 4ft/100ft
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 Pipe Sizing
Pipe Sizing
Influence on first‐costs and energy consumption
Pipe
Space
Boiler Load
Pump
Pipe size =  Pipe $ Pipe size =  Pipe $
PD
P.D. PD
P.D.
Energy Use Energy Use
Pump Size
p Pump Size
p

Lif C l C t C
Life Cycle Cost Comparison
i
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 Pipe Material
Pipe Material
• Related:
– Flow rate (GPM)
– Velocity (fpm)
– P
Pressure drop 
d
– Pipe material 

• Material
• Copper (Sch. L)
• Steel (Sch. 40)
• PVC (Sch. 80)
• Cross‐linked Polyethylene (PEX)
Cross‐linked Polyethylene (PEX)
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Pipe Sizing Chart
Pipe Sizing Chart

ASHRAE Fund 2005 Chpt 36

ASHRAE Fund. 2005, Chpt. 36

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 Pipe Sizing
Pipe Sizing
• Certain
Certain pipe sizes are not standard:
pipe sizes are not standard:
5 in., 3‐½ in., 2‐½ in., 1‐¼ in.
– The above specialty sizes are expensive
The above specialty sizes are expensive
• May not be available

• ½ in. minimum pipe size for commercial design

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 Pipe Sizing Example
Pipe Sizing Example
• ASHRAE
ASHRAE headquarter
headquarter’ss building ground source 
building ground source
heat pump system
• 60 GPM with copper pipe
• What
What is the size of pipe if designed using 4 ft 
is the size of pipe if designed using 4 ft
of head loss per 100 ft of length?

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Example

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Example

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 System Head Loss
System Head Loss
• Based on the run with the greatest losses
Based on the run with the greatest losses
– Longest length
– Most fittings / Valves
Most fittings / Valves
– Largest terminal unit loss
– Open vs. closed system 
O l d t
• Vertical head

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 Equivalent Length
Equivalent Length
• Graphic of equivalent length chart 
Graphic of equivalent length chart

ASHRAE Fund. 2005, Chpt. 36

Example:
(1) 2‐1/2 in. 45˚Elbow
6.7 ft X 0.7 = 4.7 ft
 System Head Loss
System Head Loss
• Pipe Losses
Pipe Losses
– Exterior Bore:

– Internal Pipe Length: 

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22
 System Head Loss
System Head Loss
• Pipe Losses
Pipe Losses
– Exterior Bore:
• 400 ft (2)bore depth = 
400 ft (2)bore depth = 800 ft
800 ft
• 100 ft (2) horizontal = 200 ft
– Internal Pipe Length: 
Internal Pipe Length:

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GT07 Determine greatest PD:
Small furthest HP
Small furthest HP
80 ft x 2 (4 ft/100 ft) +1.5 ft = 7.9 ft
80’ vs.
Larger closer HP
Larger closer HP
GT38 15 ft

120’

Pump Location
 System Head Loss
System Head Loss
• Pipe Losses
– Exterior Bore:
• 400 ft (2)bore depth =  800 ft 
• 100 ft (2) horizontal = 200 ft 
– Internal Pipe Length: 
• 120 ft  (2) horizontal = 240 ft 
• 10 ft (2) vertical =  20 ft 
1260 ft x 1.1 ft = 1386 ft 
1386 ft length x 4 ft head loss/100 ft length = 55 ft head loss
• Heat Pump –
p highest PD unit
g
– 15 ft head loss
• Pump Fittings
– 5 ft head loss
ft head loss
Total Head: 55 +15 +5 = 75 ft
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Pressuree Loss, Ft oof Head System Curve
System Curve

Q = Cs(Δh)1/2
Q = Flow Rate, GPM
Cs = System Constant
Δh = System Head Loss

Flow Rate, GPM

System head = friction pressure drop (piping, valves, terminal units, etc.)  26
 System Curve Example

• Headquarters
Headquarters building ground source heat 
building ground source heat
pump system
• 60 GPM with 75
60 GPM with 75 ft head
• What does the system curve look like?
• Q = Cs(Δh)1/2 60 = Cs(75)1/2 Cs=6.92

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Headquarter’s System Curve
80

70

60
Pressurre Loss (Ft of Head)

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 1 10 20 30 40 50 60
Flow Rate (GPM)
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System Operating Point
System Operating Point

System Curve
Pressuree Loss, Ft oof Head
Pump Curve

Operating Point

Flow Rate, GPM

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30
Actual System Operating Point
Actual System Operating Point

Pump Curve System Curve
Pressuree Loss, Ft oof Head

Actual 
Actual
Operating 
Design Operating Point
Point

Flow Rate, GPM

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 Primary‐Secondary
Primary Secondary Pumping
Pumping
• ‘Compound pumping’
o pou d pu p g
• Used in larger systems ‐ simplifies the system control
• Attain different water temps in different loops of system
p p y
Primary Secondary
Pump Pump

Source Common Pipe Load

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 Primary‐Secondary
Primary Secondary Pumping
Pumping

Primary Secondary
Pump Pump

180˚F 100 GPM 100 GPM 180˚F

Source Common Pipe Load

0 GPM

160˚F 160˚F

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 Primary‐Secondary
Primary Secondary Pumping
Pumping

Primary Secondary
Pump Pump

180˚F 100 GPM 50 GPM 180˚F

Source Common Pipe Load

50 GPM
180˚F

170˚F 160˚F

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 System Components
System Components
Expansion Tank
p

Ai S
Air Separator Pump
Supply Pipe

Valve

Heat Source Load

Return Pipe

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 System Components
System Components
Expansion Tank
p

Ai S
Air Separator Pump
Supply Pipe

Valve

Heat Source Load

Return Pipe

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 Expansion Tank
Expansion Tank
• Reference
Reference pressure point in system
pressure point in system
• Compensates for water expansion and 
contraction
– Sized based on quantity of water, pressure of 
system and change in water temperature
system, and change in water temperature
• Located on return side of pump

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 System Components
System Components
Expansion Tank
p

Ai S
Air Separator Pump
Supply Pipe

Valve

Heat Source Load

Return Pipe

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 Air Separator
Air Separator
• Air eliminator
e ato
– Velocity
• Reduces velocity < 0.5 fps 
– Centrifugal
– Coalescence
• Air in hydronic
Ai i h d i system can cause problems
t bl
– Binding in the terminal units
– Corrosion
– Noise
– Cavitation

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 System Components
System Components
Expansion Tank
p

Ai S
Air Separator Pump
Supply Pipe

Valve

Heat Source
Load

Return Pipe

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 Valves
• Purpose: control, isolation, safety relief
Purpose: control isolation safety relief
– Control – open and close water path in response 
to thermostatic setpoints
to thermostatic setpoints
– Isolation – enable the maintenance and removal 
of components without draining system
of components without draining system 
– Safety Relief – prevent over‐pressurization of the 
system (required on all boilers)
system (required on all boilers)

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 Unit Control
Unit Control

T T T
T‐1 T‐2 T‐3 T‐4

Three‐Way
Modulating
Control
Control 
Valve
(Mixing Valve)
Office 1 Office 2 Office 3
Bypass

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 Unit Control
Unit Control

T T T
Bypass T‐1 T‐2 T‐3 T‐4

P
Two‐Way
Modulating
Control 
Valve
Office 1 Office 2 Office 3

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 Unit Control
Unit Control

T T T
T‐1 T‐2 T‐3 T‐4

P
Two‐Way
VFD Modulating
Control 
Valve
Office 1 Office 2 Office 3

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 Other Components
Other Components
• Makeup water
Makeup water
• Drains
• Strainers
• Thermometers
• Fl ibl
Flexible connectors
t
• Pressure sensors
• Filters
• Etc.

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 Steam
• Distributed from a central plant for: 
– Distant transportation
– Process
• Sterilization
• Manufacturing
• Laundry

• No supply pump
pp y p p
• Condensate return – gravity or pump
• Heat exchanger: hot water
h h
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 Steam
• Not typically used in occupied spaces
Not typically used in occupied spaces
– Expensive to install
– Difficult to control
Difficult to control
– Noise issues
– Safety
S f t

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 Steam Design
Steam Design
• Classifications:
– Low‐Pressure System, < 15psig
– High‐Pressure System, > 15psig
High Pressure System > 15psig
• Pressure to be kept to minimum
– Low pressure for most HVAC applications
• ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
– Annual testing required

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 Steam Design
Steam Design
• Slope piping down in direction of flow
Slope piping down in direction of flow
– Supply: 0.25 in./10 ft
– Return: 0.5 in./10 ft
Return: 0 5 in /10 ft
• Drip Leg ‐ separate & collect condensate
• Trap ‐ control release of condensate to return 
piping while preventing the escape of steam
Steam Main
Drip Leg Trap
Condensate Return
Condensate Return
Dirt Pocket
Isolation Valves
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Questions?

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