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SERVICES)

MODULE-4

ERANAD KNOWLEDGE CITY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE I AR. JANIS JAWAD

MODULE I (11 hrs)
Introduction - Role and Purpose of HVAC systems in everyday use. Need for architects to study
the system. The scope and impact of Mechanical systems- Impact of space planning - Impact
on Architectural Design - Impact on High-rise Buildings - Impact on construction cost – Impact
on the Global environment. Engineering Fundamentals - Principles of Heat transfer –
Conduction, convection, radiation, Thermodynamics.

Document any traditional context where passive system for thermal comfort is implemented.

MODULE II (11 hrs.)

Psychrometry - Psychrometric properties - Psychrometric chart – Psychrometric process -
adiabatic mixing - Sensible heating and cooling - humidifying and dehumidifying – bypass
factor - sensible heat factor - room sensible factor – RSHF and GSHF line - Thermal Comfort-
Human comfort, comfort chart - Standard requirements of ventilation for different conditions
of living and work. Conditions for comfort - Control of quality, quantity, temperature, and
Humidity of air. Indoor Air Quality, Techniques and Adaptations of different climatic
conditions. Effective temperature – Factors governing effective temperature.

MODULE III (12 hrs.)

Principles of Refrigeration – Capacity - Coefficient of performance (COP)- Carnot refrigeration
cycle - vapor compression systems - Theoretical and practical cycles - Thermodynamic analysis
using PH diagram - Standard refrigerants including eco-friendly refrigerants and their
properties - Study of refrigeration system components – Compressors – Condensers -
Expansion devices – evaporators - cooling towers.

Exercise: Site visits to study various air conditioning systems.

MODULE IV (12 hrs.)

Air conditioning systems - Room air conditioning systems - window A/C, split packaged
systems - central and unitary systems – summer – winter - year-round air conditioning
systems - Cooling load calculation - various heat sources - Design of air conditioning
systems - AHU, Duct design - air distribution systems - draft - throw - entrainment ratio –
spread - location of air outlets - location of return air openings - general consideration in
air duct design and layout - noise and noise control. Determination of duct size using
equal friction (constant pressure loss) method.
Sustainable design approaches - Materials and systems for insulation, energy efficient
techniques regarding HVAC systems. Awareness of VRF system design, diversity factor in
HVAC, district cooling system Heating systems- modern sustainable solutions like heat
pumps.
Exercise: Documentation and case studies of small scale and large-scale buildings,
reading
drawings, understanding notations, legends, symbols, and sizes.

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 1. AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS
• Air-conditioning is that process used to create and maintain certain temperature,
relative humidity and air purity conditions in indoor spaces.

• This process is typically applied to maintain a level of personal comfort.

• An air-conditioning system must be effective regardless of outside climatic conditions

and involves control over four fundamental variables:

air temperature, humidity, movement and quality.

Basic working of Air conditioning system

 Comfortable temperature range: 20°C to 24°C (68°F to 75°F)

 Ideal relative humidity: 40% to 60%
 We need an air conditioner (AC) because it helps maintain temperature and humidity
levels within the ideal range for human comfort and health, as described above.

1.1 TYPES OF AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• There is a wide variation in the quality and features of each air conditioner, even
within its own class.

• A modern, energy efficient multi head split unit could be more efficient than an older
multi head split system, so it is important to look carefully into each individual model.

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A. According To The Arrangement of Equipments

1. WINDOW AIR CONDITIONERS

• A Window Air Conditioner is a self-contained, compact cooling unit that is mounted
in a window or a wall opening. It's one of the simplest and most affordable types of
air conditioners, commonly used for cooling single rooms.

• They contain the compressor, condenser, coils and the evaporator all in one single
unit.

APPLICATIONS:
 Used in offices, hotels, buses, cars, aero planes for human comfort.
 Used in textile industries to control moisture.
 Used in printing press, food industries, chemical plants etc.

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Working:

 The low pressure and low temperature refrigerant vapour from evaporator is sucked by
compressor.
 The compressor compresses the vapour to high pressure and high temperature and discharges
to the condenser.
 On the condenser the refrigerant vapour condenses by dissipating heat to the cooling medium
(air) the liquid refrigerant coming out of condenser passes through filter, dryer into capillary
tube where it is again throated back to the evaporated pressure.
 The low pressure low temp liquid refrigerant then flows to evaporator which it boil off by
extracting heat from air to be circuited to the conditioned space.

2. SPLIT SYSTEM

• A split system is a type of central air conditioner made up of two components: the
outdoor compressor & condenser unit, and the indoor cabinet holding the evaporator
coils.

• The system gets its name because its components are split, not housed together.

• Split systems are typically chosen when replacing an old split system, or to cool homes
and businesses with existing furnaces – the split system will use the furnace’s air
handler to distribute cool air.

Working :
Refer general working of Air conditioner previously studied.

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 Capacity for Air conditioner :

 1-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 100-150 sq ft (or up to 200 sq ft with good insulation
and other favorable conditions).

 1.5-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 150-225 sq ft.

 2-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 250-300 sq ft.

 3-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 400-600 sq ft.

3. CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

• A central air conditioner is a cooling system designed to cool an entire building
(usually a house or large indoor space) using a centralized duct system. It differs from
split and window air conditioners mainly in size, installation method, and how it
distributes cooled air.

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 Cooling tower:

 A cooling tower in an air conditioning system is a heat rejection device that cools
water by evaporating a small portion of it, transferring heat from the water to the
atmosphere.
 It works by exposing hot water from a chiller condenser to air, causing some of the
water to evaporate and cool the remaining water. This cooled water is then
recirculated back to the chiller, allowing it to continue absorbing heat from the
building.

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 Feature Central AC Split AC Window AC
One room or zone
Coverage Entire home/building Wall-mounted, One small room
Area
no ducts needed
Installation Complex – needs Installed in a
ductwork window
Medium cost
Cost High initial + Low cost
operating cost Cools air directly
in one area
Cooling Air circulated via Same as split, but
Method ducts more compact
Indoor and outdoor
units visible
Appearance Hidden indoor Bulky, visible inside
components and outside
More efficient for
Energy small zones
Efficiency Efficient for large Least efficient for
spaces Easier than central large spaces
AC
Professional, regular Basic cleaning
Maintenance
service possible by user

B. According to the Season of The Year

1. Winter air conditioning system.
2. Summer air conditioning system.
3. Year-round air conditioning system.

1. Summer Air Conditioning System

 In summer air conditioning system, the air is cooled and generally dehumidified (Cooling and
dehumidifying).

Working :

 The outside air flows through the damper and mixed with recirculated air (which is obtained
from the conditioned space).

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  The mixed air passes through a filter to remove the dirt, dust and impurities. The air now
passes through a cooling coil. The coil has a temperature much below the required dry bulb
temperature of the air in the conditioned space.

 The cooled air passes through a perforated membrane and loses its moisture in the condensed
from which is collected in the sump.

 After that, the air is made to pass through a heating coil which heats the air slowly. This is
done to bring the air to the designed dry bulb temperature and relative humidity.
 Now the conditioned air is supplied to the conditioned space by a fan. From conditioned
space, a part of the used air is rejected to the atmosphere by the exhaust fan. The remaining
air is again conditioned and this repeated for again and again.

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 2. Winter Air Conditioning System
 In winter air conditioning system, the air is burnt and heated, which is generally followed by
humidification (Heating and humidification).
 This is why it's also called a reverse cycle AC or heat pump air conditioner.

Working :

 The outside air flows through a damper and mixes with the recirculated air.
 The mixed air passes through a filter to remove the dirt, dust and impurities. The air now
passes through a preheat coil to prevent the possible freezing of water and to control the
evaporation of water in the humidities.
 After that, the air is made to pass through a reheat coil to bring the air to the designed dry
bulb temperature. Now, the conditioned air is supplied to the conditioned space by a fan.

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  From the conditioned space, a part of the air is exhausted to the atmosphere by the exhaust
fans. The remaining part of the used air is again conditioned and this will repeat again and
again.

3. Year-Round Air Conditioning System

 In year-round air conditioning system, it should have equipment for both the summer and
winter air conditioning. In this, the outside air flows through the damper and mixed with the
recirculated air. The mixed air passes through a filter to remove dirt, dust and impurities.

Working :

 In summer air conditioning system, the cooling by operates to cool the air to the desired valve.
The dehumidification is obtained by operating the cooling coil at a lower temperature than
the dew point temperature.
 In winter air conditioning system, the cooling coil is made inoperative and the heating coil
operates to heat the air. The spray type humidifier is also used in the dry season to humidify
the air.

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Design of Air conditioning systems

 Designing an air conditioning (AC) system involves several key steps to ensure that the system
is efficient, effective, and suited to the specific needs of the space it will serve. Here’s an
overview of the process:

1. Assess Requirements
a. Load Calculation:

Cooling Load: Determine the amount of cooling required based on the space size, insulation,
windows, occupancy, equipment, and lighting.

Heating Load: If designing a system that also provides heating, calculate the heating load
similarly.

Capacity for Air conditioner :

 1-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 100-150 sq ft (or up to 200 sq ft with good insulation
and other favorable conditions).

 1.5-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 150-225 sq ft.

 2-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 250-300 sq ft.

 3-ton AC: Suitable for rooms around 400-600 sq ft.

b. Space Evaluation:

Dimensions: Measure the room or building size.

Insulation: Evaluate wall, ceiling, and floor insulation.

Windows: Note the size, type, and orientation of windows, as they affect heat gain/loss.

Occupancy: Estimate the number of occupants and their activity levels.

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  Throw: Distance the air travels from the center of a grille or diffuser into the space.
Or the distance from the center of the outlet face to a point where the velocity of
the air stream is reduced to a specified lower velocity.

 The best method to accurately measure airflow is with an anemometer.

2. System Selection
 Type of System:
Split Systems: Consist of an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Common for residential and light
commercial applications.
Packaged Systems: All components are housed in a single unit, suitable for commercial spaces
or larger residential applications.
Ductless Mini-Split Systems: Ideal for homes or buildings without existing ductwork.
Central Systems: Often used for large commercial spaces with ductwork for distributing air.

3. Ductwork and Distribution

A. AIR-HANDLING UNIT

 An air-handling unit (AHU) is the primary equipment in an air system of a central hydronic
system.
 It handles and conditions the air and distributes
 The required amounts of outdoor air and recirculating air are often mixed and conditioned.
 The temperature of the discharge air is then maintained within predetermined limits by
means of control systems. The conditioned supply air is provided with motive force and is
distributed to various conditioned spaces through ductwork and space diffusion devices.

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 Air handling unit

B. DUCT SYSTEM

 Ducts are conduits or passages used for air distribution in the HVAC systems. Basing on the
function of the duct, there are five designations of ducts:

1. Supply air duct: supplies conditioned air from the AHU to the conditioned area.

2. Return air duct: removes air from the conditioned spaces and returns the air to the AHU

3. Fresh air duct: supplies outdoor air to the AHU.

4. Exhaust air duct: carries and discharges air to the outdoors. Exhaust air is taken from toilets,
kitchen, laboratories and other areas requiring ventilation.

5. Mixed air duct: mixes air from the outdoor air and the return air then supplies this mixed
air to the AHU.

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 Layout: Design an efficient duct layout to avoid long runs and sharp bends.

Duct shapes

DUCT DESIGN FACTORS

 Must able to ensure sufficient flow rate of air.
 Dynamic losses due to sudden changes in the direction of air flow, in velocity etc must be
minimum.
 Pressure losses due to abrupt changes in dimensions must be avoided.
 able to accommodate within the available- space.

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 Loop perimeter duct system

Radial perimeter duct system

Extended plenum duct system

4. Installation Considerations
a. Location:

Outdoor Unit: Install in a well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight and obstructions.

Indoor Unit: Position for optimal airflow and minimal noise.

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b. Duct Insulation:

Insulate: Ensure ducts are insulated to prevent energy loss.

c. Drainage:

Condensate Drain: Properly install to avoid water damage.

There are 3 major methods for designing low, medium, and high-pressure HVAC systems:
 Equal Friction Method (Constant Pressure loss Method)
 Static Regain Method
 Velocity Reduction Method

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 Equal Friction Method :
The Equal Friction Method is a technique used in air conditioning and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation,
and Air Conditioning) design to ensure balanced airflow through a system. The primary goal of this
method is to maintain consistent air pressure drops across the different components of the duct
system, which helps in achieving uniform airflow and efficient system performance.
Here's a basic outline of how the Equal Friction Method works:
 Design Objectives: The main objective is to ensure that the pressure drop per unit length
(friction loss) is consistent throughout the ductwork system. This uniformity helps in
distributing air evenly across all outlets and ensures that the system operates efficiently.
 Duct Sizing: The duct sizes are selected so that the friction losses per unit length of the duct
are the same across the entire system. This often involves using standard friction loss tables
or charts that relate duct diameter and airflow rate to friction loss.
 Pressure Loss Calculations: Engineers calculate the total pressure loss for each section of
the ductwork and adjust the duct sizes to ensure that these losses are equalized. This
involves calculating the total airflow requirements, determining the appropriate duct sizes,
and then adjusting these sizes as needed to achieve equal friction losses.
 Balancing Airflow: By maintaining equal friction loss, the method helps in balancing the
airflow throughout the duct system, which is crucial for maintaining consistent temperature
and comfort levels in different parts of a building.
 Implementation: The Equal Friction Method is typically applied during the design phase of
an HVAC system. It requires careful planning and calculation to ensure that the duct system
is properly balanced and that the desired airflow characteristics are achieved.
Overall, the Equal Friction Method is a practical approach used to design duct systems that provide
balanced and efficient airflow, contributing to the overall performance and comfort of an HVAC
system.

Defect in Air conditioning design

 “Draft” refers to the sensation of uncomfortable or uneven airflow that can occur when there
is a significant difference between the temperature of the air being supplied and the
temperature of the surrounding environment or in simple terms, caused when a house's cold
air leaks out and gets replaced or even pushed out by that sneaky, hot outside air.
 This can be due to poor HVAC system design or installation, such as improper sizing of
ductwork, incorrect placement of air outlets, or inadequate insulation.

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Sustainable design approaches in HVAC
Sustainable design approaches in HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) focus on reducing
energy consumption, minimizing environmental impact, and enhancing indoor air quality. Here are
key strategies:

1. Energy Efficiency: Utilize high-efficiency HVAC systems, such as variable refrigerant flow
(VRF) systems, Heat recovery ventilation (HRV), and geothermal heat pumps. These
systems reduce energy consumption compared to traditional HVAC units.

VRF (variable refrigerant flow) is a highly efficient, ductless HVAC system technology that operates on a
large scale. Unlike split ACs, VRF systems can accommodate multiple indoor units that run on a single
system which can be customized to meet your specific needs.
VRF is designed for industrial as well as residential usage. It can function as either a heat pump or a cooling
system, which allows users to benefit from both heating and cooling capabilities at the same time.

Energy efficiency: VRF AC systems can achieve energy savings of up to 30% compared to conventional
HVAC systems by adjusting compressor speed and delivering only the required temperature. And they can
do this while also eliminating energy loss through ductwork.

Heat Recovery Ventilation

(HRV): Use HRV systems to
recover energy from exhaust air
and use it to precondition
incoming fresh air. This reduces
the load on air conditioning
systems.

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 2. Proper Sizing: Ensure air conditioning units are sized correctly for the space they are
cooling. Oversized units cycle on and off frequently, leading to energy wastage, while
undersized units struggle to maintain comfort.

3. Regular Maintenance: Schedule regular maintenance checks for air conditioning systems.
This includes cleaning or replacing filters, checking refrigerant levels, and inspecting
ductwork for leaks. Well-maintained systems operate more efficiently.

4. Zone Cooling: Implement zoning systems that allow different areas of a building to be
cooled independently. This way, only occupied spaces are conditioned, reducing overall
energy usage.

5. Natural Ventilation (Passive design strategies): Utilize natural ventilation strategies

during cooler times of the day or year to reduce reliance on mechanical cooling systems.
This can include opening windows and using fans to circulate air.

6. Window Treatments: Install reflective window films, shades, or blinds to reduce solar
heat gain during hot periods, reducing the workload on air conditioning systems.

7. Building Envelope Improvements: Improve insulation and seal air leaks in the building
envelope to reduce heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, enhancing overall energy
efficiency.

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 8. Material Selection: Choose HVAC components and materials with low embodied energy
and high recyclability to minimize environmental impact across the system's life cycle.

9. Maintenance and Monitoring: Regularly maintain HVAC systems to ensure optimal

performance and energy efficiency. Monitoring energy usage and system performance can
identify opportunities for further improvement.

10. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): Design HVAC systems that enhance IAQ through proper
ventilation, filtration, and humidity control, promoting occupant health and comfort.

11. District Cooling (DC) involves using a central chiller plant to cool water, which is then
circulated to multiple buildings to provide cooling.

12. Heat pump : Heat pumps work by moving heat rather than creating it. Essentially, a heat
pump functions by transferring heat from the outdoor air or the ground to the inside of your
home during the winter. In the summer, it reverses this process, extracting heat from your
indoor air and releasing it outside.

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By implementing these sustainable design approaches, buildings can achieve significant energy
savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create healthier indoor environments.

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