Example 12.1. The following figure shows a typical duct layout.
Design the
duct system using a) Velocity method, and b) Equal friction method. Take the
velocity of air in the main duct (A) as 8 m/s for both the methods. Assume a
dynamic loss coefficient of 0.3 for upstream to downstream and 0.8 for
upstream to branch and for the elbow. The dynamic loss coefficients for the
outlets may be taken as 1.0. Find the FTP required for each case and the
amount of dampering required.
a) Velocity method: Select a velocity of 5 m/s for the downstream
and branches. Then the dimensions of various duct runs are
obtained as shown below:
Segment A: Flow rate, Q A= 4 m3/s and velocity, VA = 8 m/s
⇒ cross-sectional area AA = QA/VA = 4/8 = 0.5 m2 ⇒ Deq,A = 0.798 m
Segment B: Flow rate, Q B = 1 m3/s and velocity, VB =5m/s
⇒ cross-sectional area AB = QB/VB = 1/5 = 0.2 m2 ⇒ Deq,B = 0.505 m
Segment C: Flow rate, QC = 3 m3/s and velocity, VC = 5 m/s
⇒ cross-sectional area AC = QC/VC = 3/5 = 0.6 m2 ⇒ Deq,A = 0.874 m
Segment D: Flow rate, QD = 2 m3/s and velocity, VD = 5 m/s
⇒ cross-sectional area AD = QD/VD = 2/5 = 0.4 m2 ⇒ Deq,D = 0.714 m
Segments E&F: Flow rate, QE,F = 1 m3/s and velocity, VE,F = 5 m/s
⇒ cross-sectional area AE,F = QE,F/VE,F = 1/5 = 0.2 m2 ⇒ Deq,A = 0.505 m
Calculation of pressure drop:
Section A-B:
ΔP A-B= ΔP A,f+ ΔPb,f + ΔPu-b + ΔPexit
where ΔPA,f and ΔPB,f stand for frictional pressure drops in sections A and B,
respectively, ΔPu-b is the dynamic pressure drop from upstream to branch and
ΔPexit is the dynamic pressure loss at the exit 1.
The frictional pressure drop is calculated using the equation
The dynamic pressure drop from upstream to branch is given by:
The dynamic pressure drop at the exit is given by:
Hence total pressure drop from the fan to the exit of 1 is given by:
ΔP A-B= ΔP A,f+ ΔPb,f + ΔPu-b + ΔPexit = 13.35+3.99+12+15 = 44.34 Pa
In a similar manner, the pressure drop from fan to 2 is obtained as:
ΔP A-C-D= ΔP A,f+ ΔP C,f+ ΔPD,f + ΔPu-b + ΔPu-d + ΔPexit
ΔP A-C-D = 13.35+3.99+2.57+12+4.5+15 = 51.41 Pa
Pressure drop from fan to exit 3 is obtained as:
ΔP A-C-E-F= ΔPA,f+ΔPC,f+ΔPE,f+ΔPF,f+ΔPu-d,C+ΔPu-d,E+ΔPelbow+ΔPexit
ΔP A-C-E-F = 13.35+3.99+11.97+3.99+4.5+4.5+12+15 = 69.3 Pa
Thus the run with maximum pressure drop is A-C-E-F is the index
run. Hence the FTP required is:
FTP = ΔP A-C-E-F = 69.3 Pa (Ans.)
Amount of dampering required at 1 = FTP - ΔP A-B = 24.96 Pa
Amount of dampering required at 2 = FTP - ΔP A-C-D = 17.89 Pa
b) Equal Friction Method:
The frictional pressure drop in segment A is given by:
The frictional pressure drops of B, C, D, E and F should be same as 0.89 Pa/m
for Equal Friction Method. Hence, as discussed before:
From the above equation, we obtain:
Calculation of total pressure drop:
From fan to 1:
ΔP A-B= ΔP A,f+ ΔPB,f + ΔPu-b + ΔPexit
ΔP A-B = 13.35 + 5.34 + 15.1 + 18.9 = 52.69 Pa
From fan to 2:
ΔP A-C-D= ΔP A,f+ ΔP C,f+ ΔPD,f + ΔP u-d,C+ ΔPu-b + ΔPexit
ΔP A-C-D = 13.35 + 10.68 + 5.34 + 9.94 + 21.55 + 26.9 = 87.76 Pa
From fan to exit 3:
ΔPA-C-E-F= ΔPA,f+ΔPC,f+ΔPE,f+ΔPF,f+ΔPu-d,C+ΔPu-d,E+ΔPelbow+ΔPexit
ΔP A-C-E-F = 13.35 + 10.68 + 16.02 + 5.34 + 9.94 + 5.67 + 15.1 + 18.9 = 95 Pa
As before, the Index run is from fan to exit 3. The required FTP is:
FTP = ΔP A-C-E-F = 95 Pa
Amount of dampering required at 1 = FTP - ΔP A-B = 42.31 Pa
Amount of dampering required at 2 = FTP - ΔP A-C-D = 7.24 Pa
From the example, it is seen that the Velocity method results in larger duct
diameters due to the velocities selected in branch and downstream.
However, the required FTP is lower in case of velocity method due to larger
ducts.
Equal Friction method results in smaller duct diameters, but larger FTP.
Compared to velocity method, the required dampering is more at outlet 1
and less at outlet 2 in case of equal friction method.