BUILDING SERVICES 03
Module 03: HVAC
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Functions of ventilation
1. Air changes or air movement: Minimum one per hour and maximum sixty per hour
2. Humidity control
3. Quality of air
4. Temperature
Since the amount of fresh air required to maintain the carbon dioxide concentration of air within safe limits and to provide sufficient
oxygen content to air for respiration is very small and since the rate of ventilation to maintain satisfactory thermal environment for a
region varies from season to season, the minimum standards of ventilation are based on control of body odour or the removal of
products of combustion depending on the requirements of each case.
It is desirable that the incoming ventilating air should be cool in summer and warm in winter, depending on the climatic zone, before
it enters the room. The general temperature difference between inside and outside is typically kept around than 8°C.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Wind effect
Stack effect
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Extraction System
• Based on creation of vacuum in the room by exhausting the vitiated inside air by means of propeller type fans.
• Outlet is arranged on the opposite side of the room from which air enters. Ideally away from the windward side.
• This system is more useful in removing smoke, dust, odours, etc., from kitchen, latrines, industrial plants etc.
Plenum System
• Fresh air is forced into the room and the vitiated air is allowed to leave through ventilators.
• The air inlet is selected on that side of the building where purest air is available.
• The incoming air which is mechanically forced into the room can be passed through a fine gauge screen or filter.
• In the case of big hall or factories etc., the distribution of this air is done through properly formed sheet iron ducts with
properly dimensioned branches.
• In the downward ventilation, the incoming air is allowed to enter at the ceiling height and while mixing with the vitiated air
during its downward journey, it is taken out through outlets situated at the floor level.
• In the upward system, fresh air enters at the floor level and moves out at the ceiling level.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Extraction- Plenum System
• This is an extension of plenum system in which extraction fans are used for the exit of the vitiated air from the room.
• Adopted where the delivery of fresh air is either sluggish or where it is desired to discharge vitiated air containing obnoxious fumes
as from kitchens, latrines, or various manufacturing processes, in specially isolated areas.
Air-conditioning System
This is the best system of artificial ventilation in which provision is made for
• Filtration
• Heating or Cooling
• Humidifying or Dehumidifying
For Indian conditions, not much research work has been done, but the comfort zone varies from 24- 25°C with 60% relative humidity to
30°C with 45% relative humidity, with air velocity not exceeding 10 m per minute.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Direct Expansion system
It is the system where the refrigerant is utilised to cool the air directly. The common examples of this system are:
(a) Room air conditioners
(b) Packaged units
(c) Central direct expansion plants.
The main components of the direct expansion system are:
(i) Evaporator or cooling coil with fan.
(ii) Compressor (hermetic or open type).
(iii) Condenser (air cooled or water cooled).
(iv) Cooling tower or spray panel (in case of water-cooled condenser).
(v) Condenser water pump set.
(vi) Air distribution ducting and grills.
High (Pressure) side
Refrigerant cycle
Liquid line valve
Hermetic
compressor
Condensor
fans
Receiver tank
Accumulator
Evaporator fan
Expansion Valve Evaporator
Thermostat or cold
Low (Pressure) side control
Low Pressure Gas High Pressure Gas Low Pressure Liquid High Pressure Liquid
Refrigerant state during the refrigeration cycle
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Room air conditioners
Window room air conditioner Split type room air conditioner
Window Air Conditioner Split type air conditioner
Type Self contained single package unit Split package type with separate indoor
cooling unit and outdoor condensing
unit
Installation Installed through a hole cut in the wall Condensing unit can be located
usually at the window sill level outdoor in any remote place
Noise Noisy operation Noise-free operation, due to the remote
location of the outdoor condensing unit
with compressor
Cost Economical compared to split type More expensive
VRV/ VRF
• Similar to split HVAC systems
• A single outside unit services multiple inside units as opposed to the 1:1 ratio in traditional split systems. A branch selector control
system allows for precise control of the refrigerant flow rate to each inside unit.
• VRF systems are best for small to mid-scale buildings where their somewhat limited inside unit capacity (since a single outside unit
must service all inside units) is sufficient.
VRF systems are far more flexible than traditional packaged or ducted HVAC systems (where a single outdoor unit circulates
conditioned air or cold water throughout all zones of a building), offering individualized zone control and a high degree of
decentralized control ability. VRF systems also eliminate the need for expensive ducting and offer higher efficiency than packaged
HVAC systems due to the lower heat losses incurred during fluid transport between the outdoor and indoor units.
Single Split VRV/ VRF
Packaged units
Air conditioning systems in which all parts are
contained in the same space (both the
condensor and evaporator) as opposed to split
systems where the condenser is in the ODU and
the evaporator is in the IDU.
As the air is conditioned in the single integrated
outdoor unit, the air is then distributed to
different parts of the space using ductwork -
metal piping or small 'corridors' usually built
into the ceiling or sometimes the floor of the
indoor space.
Packaged units are connected to the ductwork
through a single hole in an outside wall, which
includes the supply and return ducts.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Centralised DX system
• The plant room
• AHU room
• Air conditioned space
The refrigerant flows through the whole air conditioning system including the air handling unit.
When the refrigerant flows in the refrigeration piping there is lots of drop in its pressure.
Due to this the length of the refrigeration tubing and the distance between the condenser and the air handling unit should be kept
minimum possible.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Chilled water system
In case of the chilled water system, the cooling effect from the refrigerant is first transferred to the chilled water, which is then used to
chill the air used for cooling the room.
There is some loss of the cooling effect when it is being transferred from the refrigerant to the chilled water and from there to the air
due to which the chilled water systems have lesser cooling efficiency.
The chilled water acts as the secondary medium for cooling the room air in air handling unit.
Wind effect
Natural
Ventilation Stack effect
Systems of
Extraction
Ventilation
Downward Window
Plenum
Room Air
Mechanical Upward Split
Conditioners
Extraction- Plenum
Direct
Packaged units VRV/ VRF
Expansion
Air-conditioning
Chilled Water Central DX Plants
Main Components of the Ductwork System
• Ducts (Pipes and Trunks)
The tubes attach to the air handler and carry the cooled air to the supply registers. A different set of duct pipes receives used air from the
return grilles and returns it to the HVAC unit for filtering or expulsion. Duct pipes branch off from the duct trunk to deliver the air around
a building.
• Duct Transitions
Duct transitions are fittings that connect two or more ducts of different sizes, materials or parts to ensure that there’s never any
interference with airflow. They are normally made of metal and come in various shapes and sizes.
• Plenum
The plenum is a large chamber located within the ductwork. There are usually two plenums in an HVAC system. The supply plenum is
used to store cooled air until it is distributed evenly to all of the rooms in the building. As the new air enters the rooms, the old air is
pushed into different ducts and transferred to the return plenum. From here, the air is either guided outside through a flue or filtered
and recirculated into the system.
• Supply Registers/ diffusers
Supply registers are openings in the wall or ceiling that allow cooled or heated air to enter the room.
• Return Grilles
Return grilles are openings in the wall or ceiling that allow the cooled air to enter the ductwork and be sent back to the return plenum.
• Damper
A damper is a device used to regulate airflow through a duct. It can be opened or closed to control the amount of air that flows through it.
• Duct Insulation
Insulating ducts is a great way to improve the efficiency of a commercial HVAC system.
• Flues
Flues are tubes used to carry the toxic gasses produced during the heating and cooling process from the HVAC unit to the outside of the
building. If the return plenum doesn’t have the means to recirculate returned air, this will also be expelled through a flue.
• Air Handling unit
The air handler usually contains the fan, coils, and filters used to regulate the air in the building. It is connected to the HVAC unit by a duct.
The fan circulates the air through the duct pipes and into the building.
• Drain Pans and Lines
Duct System Working: Air duct systems distribute conditioned air throughout a building.
1. For this process to work correctly, the air must be cooled by an HVAC unit before going into the ducts.
This is accomplished with coils located inside the air handler. Condensation created during this process is collected in the drain pan.
Noxious fumes produced during cooling is released to the outside of the building by flues.
2. The cooled air is stored in the supply plenum until it is circulated by fans in the air handler and distributed into duct trunks and pipes.
3. These air duct pipes then carry the heated or cooled air to different rooms in the building and deliver it, typically through supply registers/
diffusers in the walls or ceilings. The draft created as the new air enters a room pushes the stale air out of return grilles situated in the walls
or floor into a different set of duct pipes.
4. These pipes lead to the return plenum. Here the air is filtered and recirculated back into the HVAC system or removed from the building
via a flue.
Ductwork sizing Basic Guide
