RPP INTERNAL TRAINING

HVAC DESIGN 101

PART 1

By Werner Broers

4 April 2013
Copyright Protected.
 OBJECTIVES

• CAD staff expressed interest

• Check we’re all on the same page
• Need to train new engineers
• Engineers will be able to transfer some work
load on to CAD staff (eg like Johan + Jay)
 VISION

Junior engineer
RPP receives Principle engineer
does heat loads +
architect drawings marks up zones
equip schedules

CAD operator
CAD operator gets
marks up scheme, Principle engineer
blank drawing +
check with checks
equip schedules
engineer

CAD operator does

Principle engineer CAD operator
detail design,
checks issues drawings
sizing, co-ord, etc
 TOPICS

1. Design Considerations
2. Diffuser & Grille Placement & Selection
3. Duct Design, Sizing + Spec
4. Controllers + Sensor Positions
5. Access, power, drains
6. Builder’s Work
7. Water Pipe Sizing
8. Plant Layouts
 1 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• BUDGET
• NOISE
• BUILDING TYPE + OCCUPANCY
• CEILING TYPES + HEIGHT
• STRUCTURE
• PRESSURE LOSS
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• Ceiling DIFFUSER PRINCIPAL

DIFFUSER
CEILING
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• Ceiling DIFFUSER DUMPING

DIFFUSER
CEILING
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• Ceiling DIFFUSER TYPES

– Most common ceiling diffuser
– Square or round
– CAV or VAV
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• Ceiling DIFFUSER TYPES

– Swirl types
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• Ceiling DIFFUSER TYPES

– Flexible Connections
• Plenum box or directly on to diffuser (cheaper)
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• DIFFUSER PLACEMENT
– How Many diffusers in a zone?
– With certain types of spaces, eg office or casino or
retail etc, you get a gut feel for diffusers per m²
– Basic Info Required
• How much air?
• Max static pressure allowed
• Max noise criteria allowed
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• DIFFUSER PLACEMENT
– Look at the supplier’s selection table
• Check max airflow on a middle size like a 250
• Divide airflow to space by max airflow per diffuser
• = number of diffusers (+-). Quantity can be increased or decreased and
diffuser size adjusted to suit
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• DIFFUSER PLACEMENT
– Eg
• Equipment spec / heat load says 1234 l/s for this zone
• Max static is 30 Pa and max noise is NC 35
• Select 250 dia for max 195 l/s each
• 1234 / 195 = 6.3 diffusers. Round off to 6 300 dia diffusers in a 3 x 2 grid.
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• DIFFUSER PLACEMENT
ZONE 1 ZONE 2

2y

2y

y
x 2x x
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• RETURN AIR GRILLE PLACEMENT

– 2 ZONES CAN SOMETIMES SHARE IF THERE IS NO PARTITION
– MAX DISTANCE FROM SA ZONE 1 ZONE 2

Possible
locations
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• DIFFUSERS + ZONES
– EG:
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• GRILLES SIZING
– In tiled ceiling, typically 600 x 600 or 1200 x 600.
– But sizes can vary. Usually size on increments of 50mm.
– Duct to plenum connection size restriction
• Restricted by size of spigot, duct velocity (ie noise)
• Check velocity on ductmate, check noise against ASHRAE
• Rule of thumb, less than 2.5m/s
– Grille size restriction
• Restricted by size of grille, face velocity (ie noise)
• Airflow/area = face velocity, check noise against ASHRAE
• Rule of thumb, less than 2.5m/s
– Sometimes static pressure loss is also a factor if it is a
– low static system or allowable face velocity is high.
– Then quantity = total airflow / max airflow per grille
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• GRILLES SIZING – NOISE RESTRICTIONS

(ASHRAE)
 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• OTHER EXAMPLES OF GRILLE ARRANGEMENTS

 2 DIFFUSER & GRILLE PLACEMENT & SELECTION

• TYPICAL AERODYNAMIC DATA ON GRILLES

(TROX)
– eg for a disc valve (toilet extract)
 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT INSULATION - JHB

– If outside, 50mm external insulation, 2nd skin metal cladding +
waterproofed joints
– If inside, 25mm external insulation
– Avoid internal insulation except in special circumstances (eg exposed
spiral ducts)
– Supply air flexibles must be insulated on AC supply
– Why? To save energy and to avoid condensation.
 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT INSULATION
– Closed cell type
– Glass fibre type
– Foil faced
 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT SIZING
– Get duct mate
• EQUAL FRICTION METHOD
– Ducts are sized for a constant
pressure loss per unit length.
Rule of thumb: 1 Pa/m max
– The higher the pressure loss, the
higher the velocities along the duct,
the cheaper the duct and the harder
the fan has to work (less energy
efficient). And vice versa.
– Always check velocities against noise criteria. Velocity will be highest in
The biggest duct (ie by the fan).
 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT SIZING (ASHRAE)

 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT SIZING (ASHRAE)

 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT SIZING EXAMPLE

250 dia 350 dia 300 dia

150 l/s 250 l/s 200 l/s

 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT DESIGN
– Transformations
• Try keep one dimension constant (cheaper + simpler to
make). Eg 350 x 350 to a 250 x 350
– Shoe Pieces
• Try to have the same number of shoe pieces or branch
take offs between each diffuser and the AC unit.

2 2 2
1 1 1
 3 DUCT DESIGN, SIZING + SPEC

• DUCT DESIGN
– Bends. Minimise. Use 45’s instead of 90’s where possible.
– Balancing. Make sure there is always a way to adjust airflow to
each outlet, on site.
• Can each diffuser/grille be balanced?
• Put OBD’s or BD’s on main branches (eg to each floor)
– If the duct crosses a fire or smoke barrier (eg into a shaft), a
fire/smoke damper may be required. The fire engineer assists
with guiding us on this.
 4 CONTROLLER + SENSOR POSITIONS

• CAN MOUNT SENSORS ON DIFFUSER FACE

DIFFUSER
CEILING
 4 CONTROLLER + SENSOR POSITIONS

• ON WALL. TYPICALLY NEXT TO LIGHT SWITCH, NEXT TO DOOR

– AVOID DIFFUSERS OR GRILLES BLOWING ON SENSOR
– IF ON WALL, ASK FOR WALL BOX W/ CONDUIT – BY
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

NOT
DIFFUSER GOOD
CEILING POSITION
FOR
SENSOR
 5 ACCESS, POWER & DRAINS

• ANYTHING COOLING IS PRODUCING CONDENSATE.

• AC UNITS, FANS, MOTORIZED DAMPERS, VAV
MASTER DIFFUSERS, DIFFUSERS WITH RE-HEAT,
ETC ETC. ANYTHING WITH A MOTOR, ACTUATOR
OR AN ELEMENT NEEDS POWER. BY WHO?
• ANYTHING WITH A MOTOR,
ELECTRICS/ELECTRONICS, FILTERS, VALVES,
DAMPERS, STRAINERS, ETC WILL NEED
ACCESS.
 6 BUILDERS WORK

• SHOW SYMBOL OR NOTE FOR EVERY OPENING.

• IF THROUGH CONCRETE “STRUCTURAL OPENING BY BUILDER
TO STRUCTURAL ENGINEER’S SPEC”
• IF THROUGH BRICK WORK “BRICK WORK OPENING BY
BUILDER”
• IF THROUGH PARTITION “PARTION OPENING BY BUILDER”
• ALWAYS GIVE OPENING SIZE & POSITION
• OPENINGS IN WALLS, GIVE HEIGHT. EG “50mm BELOW
SOFFIT” OR “BOTTOM OF OPENING 2950 AFFL”
• ALL PLANT ON CONCRETE PLINTHS 150H. ALWAYS GIVE
DIMENSION OF PLINTH + WEIGHT OF EQUIPMENT
 7 WATER PIPE SIZING

• SIMPLY USE THE RPP SIZING CHART. SELECT MINIMUM ALLOWABLE PIPE
SIZE WITHOUT EXCEEDING THE MAX FLOW RATE (L/S).
• (FROM THE CARRIER HAND BOOK)
• LOOK AT THE PIPING SCHEMATIC, ADD UP FLOW RATE FROM EACH ITEM
OF EQUIPMENT CONNECTED TO PIPE & SIZE IT.
• TRY USE LONG RADIUS BENDS
(IN SECTIONS / DETAILS)
• MINIMISE BENDS + BRANCHES
 8 PLANT LAYOUTS

• COOLING/HEATING EQUIPMENT ALWAYS HAS AN INTAKE AND AN

EXHAUST. MAKE SURE AIR DOES NOT RE-CIRCULATE. EG:

ROOF
 8 PLANT LAYOUTS

• MINIMUM 10m BETWEEN EXHAUST AND INTAKE.

• IDENTIFY 1200mm ACCESS ROUTE.
 8 PLANT LAYOUTS

• CHECK SERVICE SPACE AROUND EQUIPMENT

• NOTICE ACCESS DOORS, ELECTRICAL PANELS, ETC.
THANKS