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Heating, Ventilating, Air-Conditioning

&
Refrigeration Technology

CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT
Air has to be conditioned in most cases for us
to be comfortable
Equipment includes cooling coil, heating device,
device to add humidity, and device to clean air
Forced air systems use the same room air over
and over again
Fresh air enters the structure by infiltration or
by mechanical means

Mechanical means to introduce


Return air from the ventilation
occupied space
Damper in
fresh air
duct

Supply duct
Air handler

Fresh air from outside the structure

CORRECT AIR QUANTITY


The forced air system delivers the
correct quantity of conditioned air
to the occupied space
Different spaces require different
air quantities
Same structure may have several
different cooling requirements

100
cfm

200
cfm

50
cfm

Living Room
9,000 btu (cooling)
18,000 btu
(heating) 300 cfm

100
cfm

100
cfm

100 cfm
50 cfm

200 cfm

THE FORCED-AIR SYSTEM


Components that make up the forced-air
system
The blower
Air supply system
Return air system
Grilles and registers

Occupants should not be aware if the


system is on or off

Return air from the


occupied space

Supply
registers

Supply duct
Air handler (blower)

THE BLOWER
Provides the pressure difference to force the
air into the duct system, through the grilles
and registers, and into the room
Typically 400 cfm of air must be moved per
minute per ton of air conditioning
Pressure in the ductwork is measured in inches
of water column (in. W.C)
Air pressure in the ductwork is measured with
a water manometer

SYSTEM AIR PRESSURES


Duct system is pressurized by two
pressures

Static pressure air pressure in the duct


Velocity pressure pressure generated by the
velocity and weight of the air
Combined, these pressures are called
Total pressure

Static pressure plus velocity pressure


equals total pressure

Probe
located on
the surface
Airflow of the duct

Duct

Static pressure

Probe located in
the duct, facing
into the
direction of
airflow

Total pressure

Velocity pressure
Total
pressure

Static pressure
Velocity pressure = Total pressure Static pressure

AIR-MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR


DUCT SYSTEMS
Velometer Measures actual air velocity
(how fast the air is actually moving in the
duct)
Air volume in cfm can be calculated by
multiplying the air velocity by the crosssectional area of the duct in square feet
Pitot tube Used with special manometers
for checking duct pressure

PROPELLER FAN
Used in exhaust fan and condenser fan
application
Will handle large volumes of air at low
pressure differentials
Set into a housing called a venturi
The venturi forces airflow in a straight
line from one side of the fan to the other
Makes noise and is used where noise is not
a factor

Propeller fan
Venturi

SQUIRREL CAGE OR
CENTRIFUGAL FAN
Desirable for ductwork
Builds more pressure from the inlet to the
outlet
Has a forward curved blade and a cutoff to
shear the air spinning around the fan wheel
Very quiet when properly applied
Can be used in very large high-pressure systems

Centrifugal Blower

End View of Squirrel Cage


Blower Wheel

CENTRIFUGAL BLOWER HOUSING

TYPES OF FAN DRIVES


Belt-drive blowers have two bearings on
the fan shaft and two bearing on the motor
Motor pulleys and fan motor pulleys can be
adjusted to change fan speeds
Direct-drive motors use no pulleys or belts
Direct-drive motors can be multi-speed
motors
Speeds can be changed by changing motor
wire leads

BLOWER

Belt-driven
Assembly
BOTH THE DRIVE
AND DRIVEN
PULLEYS MUST BE
PERFECTLY
ALIGNED

MOTOR

DIRECT DRIVE MOTOR ASSEMBLY

THE MOTOR AND THE BLOWER TURN AT THE SAME


SPEED

THE SUPPLY DUCT SYSTEM


Distributes air to the terminal units,
registers, or diffusers in the
conditioned space
Duct systems
Plenum system
Extended plenum system
Reducing plenum system
Perimeter loop

THE PLENUM SYSTEM


Suited for a job where the room outlets
are all close to the unit
Supply diffusers are normally located on
the inside walls
Work better on fossil-fuel systems
Fossil-fuel supply air temperatures could
easily reach 130F

Plenum system

Supply plenum

Return
duct

Branch
ducts

THE EXTENDED PLENUM


SYSTEM
Can be applied to a long structure
This system takes the plenum closer
to the farthest point
Called the trunk duct system
Ducts called branches complete the
connection to the terminal units

THE EXTENDED PLENUM SYSTEM

100
cfm

200
cfm

50
cfm

Living Room
9,000 btu (cooling)
18,000 btu
(heating) 300 cfm

100
cfm

100
cfm

100 cfm
50 cfm

200 cfm

THE REDUCING PLENUM


SYSTEM
Reduces the trunk duct size as
branch ducts are added
Has the advantage of saving material
and keeping the same pressure from
one end of the duct system to the
other

THE REDUCING EXTENDED PLENUM SYSTEM

100
cfm

200
cfm

50
cfm

Living Room
9,000 btu (cooling)
18,000 btu
(heating) 300 cfm

100
cfm

100
cfm

100 cfm
50 cfm

200 cfm

THE PERIMETER LOOP SYSTEM


Well suited for installation in a concrete
floor in a colder climate
Warm air is in the whole loop when the
furnace fan is running
Keeps the slab at a more even
temperature
Provides the same pressure to all outlets

THE PERIMETER LOOP SYSTEM

100
cfm

200
cfm

50
cfm

Living Room
9,000 btu (cooling)
18,000 btu
(heating) 300 cfm

100
cfm

100
cfm

100 cfm
50 cfm

200 cfm

DUCT MATERIALS
Ductwork must meet local codes
For years, galvanized sheet metal was
used exclusively
Other ductwork materials
Aluminum
Fiberglass ductboard
Spiral metal duct
Flexible duct

GALVANIZED STEEL DUCT


Gauge is the measurement of the
thickness of galvanized steel duct
The gauge size means how many pieces of
that material would need to be stacked
together to make a one-inch stack
Metal duct can be round, square, or
rectangular

JOINING SECTIONS OF GALVANIZED DUCT WITH


SLIPS AND DRIVES

Drive cleat

Slip

JOINING SECTIONS OF GALVANIZED DUCT WITH


SLIPS AND DRIVES

Ends of drives are


bent over to
secure

Slip

FIBERGLASS DUCT
Styles: Flat sheet or round prefabricated
cut
Duct is normally 1 in. thick with aluminum
foil backing
Special knives are used to make special
cuts to turn duct board into ductwork
All duct seams should be stapled and taped

SPIRAL METAL DUCT


Used more on large systems
Comes in rolls of flat narrow
metal
Runs can be made at the job site
Can be located within the
occupied space for a more
contemporary look

FLEXIBLE DUCT
Comes in sized up to about 24 in. in diameter
Some have a reinforced aluminum foil backing
Some come with vinyl or foil backing and
insulation on it
Keep duct runs as short as possible
Has more friction loss inside it than metal
duct
Flex duct should be stretched as tight as
possible

Floor Register

Return
Damper

Flexible Duct

Supply

COMBINATION DUCT SYSTEMS


Metal trunk lines with round branch ducts
Metal trunk lines with flexible branch ducts
Ductboard trunk lines with round metal branch
ducts
Ductboard trunk lines with flexible branch ducts
Round metal duct with round metal branch ducts
Round metal trunk lines with flexible branch
ducts

DUCT AIR MOVEMENT


Branch ducts are fastened to the main
trunk by a takeoff-fitting
The takeoff encourages the air moving
the duct to enter the takeoff to the
branch duct
Air moving in the duct has inertia, meaning
it wants to move in a straight line
Using turning vanes will improve the airflow around corners

Main supply duct

Takeoff fitting

BALANCING DAMPERS
Used to balance the air in various parts
of the system
Dampers should be located as close as
practical to the trunk line
The trunk is the place to balance airflow
Handles allow the dampers to be turned
at an angle to the airstream to slow the
air down

Branch duct

Damper in the open position

Balancing damper in
the closed position

DUCT INSULATION
A 15F temperature difference from the
inside of the duct to the outside of the
duct is considered the maximum
difference allowed before insulation is
necessary
Metal duct can be insulated on the outside
and on the inside
The insulation is joined by lapping it,
stapling it, and taping it

BLENDING THE CONDITIONED


AIR WITH ROOM AIR
When possible, air should be directed on the
walls
The diffuser spreads the air to the desired air
pattern
Cool air distributes better from the ceiling
Place diffusers next to the outside walls
How far the air will be blown from the diffuser
into the room depends on the air pressure
behind the diffuser and the style of the
diffuser blades

THE RETURN AIR DUCT SYSTEM


Individual return air system will give the most
positive return air
The return air duct is normally sized slightly
larger than the supply duct
Central return systems are usually
satisfactory for a one-level residence
A path must be provided for the air to return
to the central return
The return air grille should be around an elbow
from the furnace

Central Return
Supply plenum

Return plenum
One central return grill in the common
area

INDIVIDUAL RETURN AIR SYSTEM

S
R

SIZING DUCT FOR MOVING AIR


Friction loss in ductwork is due to the actual
rubbing action of the air against the side of the
duct and the turbulence of the air rubbing
against itself while moving down the duct
The smoother the ducts interior surface is, the
less friction there is
The slower the air is moving, the less friction
there will be
Each foot of duct offers a known resistance to
airflow

MEASURING AIR MOVEMENT FOR


BALANCING
Air balancing is accomplished by
measuring the air leaving each register
Measuring velocity of the duct in a cross
section of the duct
Determine the cfm by using the formula:
CFM = area in square feet x velocity in
feet per minute

1 foot
Average
air
velocity is
400 fpm

Cross-sectional area =
1 ft x 1 ft = 12 x
12 = 144 square
inches =
144 in2 / 144 in2 = 1ft2

1 foot

Air Volume (cfm) = 400 ft/min x 1ft2 = 400 cfm

Cross-sectional area =
18 x 18 = 324 in2
18
Average
air
velocity is
400 fpm

324 in2 / 144 in2 =


2.25ft2

18

Air Volume (cfm) = 400 ft/min x 2.25ft2 = 900 cfm

THE AIR FRICTION CHART


Used by system designers to size ductwork and
duct systems
Gives recommended duct sized and velocities for
optimum performance
Can be used to troubleshoot airflow problems
Pressure drops in duct fittings have equivalent
lengths
All lengths and equivalent lengths are added
together to achieve the total

RESIDENTIAL DUCT SYSTEM


Common duct problems

Excessively long flexible duct runs


Disconnected duct runs
Closed dampers
Collapsed flexible duct
Loose insulation in the duct
Blocked grills and/or registers

COMMERCIAL DUCT SYSTEMS


Each area has specifications regarding the
required amount of airflow
Certified testing and balancing company to
verify airflow
Flow hoods measure air volume at supply
registers
Total airflow can be measured at the main duct
Common problems include dirty filters,
partially closed dampers, and incorrect fan
rotation

SUMMARY
Forced air systems use the same air over and
over
Fresh air enters the structure by infiltration
Forced air systems deliver the correct quantity
of conditioned air to the occupied space
Different spaces require different air quantities
Forced air systems are made up of the blower,
supply duct system, return air system and supply
registers or grilles

SUMMARY
Typically, 400 cfm of air must be moved
per minute per ton of air conditioning
Pressure in the ductwork is measured in
inches of water column (in. W.C)
Static pressure plus velocity pressure
equals total pressure
Air volume in cfm can be calculated by
multiplying the air velocity by the crosssectional area of the duct in square feet

SUMMARY
Propeller fans are used in exhaust fan and
condenser fan applications and can handle large
volumes of air at low pressure differentials
Centrifugal blowers are used in duct systems
Motor drives can be direct or belt driven
assemblies
The supply duct system can be configured as a
plenum, extended plenum, reducing extended
plenum or perimeter loop system

SUMMARY - 4

Duct systems can be made of galvanized metal,


aluminum, fiberglass duct board, spiral metal,
flexible duct or a combination of different
materials
Branch ducts deliver the proper amount of air to
remote locations in the structures
Balancing dampers are used to help ensure proper
airflow to the remote locations
The return air system can be configured as a
central or individual return air system

SUMMARY - 5
Friction in the duct slows the air flowing in
it
Slower air experiences less friction
Air balancing ensures the proper amount of
air is delivered to each supply register
CFM = velocity x cross sectional area
The friction chart is used to properly size
duct systems

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