Induction Beams

Engineered Comfort for Todays Buildings

Carrier Corporation
Syracuse, New York

May 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 2 EQUIPMENT SELECTION AND LAYOUT...............6, 7
ORIGIN OF INDUCTION TERMINALS ................... 2, 3 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS .....................................7, 8
Comfort and IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) ..................... 7
INDUCTION BEAMS: THE INDUCTION SYSTEM Acoustics ................................................................... 8
UPDATED FOR TODAYS BUILDINGS .................. 3, 4 Mechanical Room and Distribution ........................... 8
Controls ..................................................................... 8
BENEFITS OF INDUCTION BEAM SYSTEMS ....... 4-6
Efficient Room Air Mixing ....................................... 4 SUMMARY ..................................................................8, 9
Primary Air-Powered Induction Effect ...................... 4
Outdoor Air Used as Primary Air .............................. 5
Conditioning of the Primary Air ................................ 5
Latent Cooling within the Zone ................................. 5
Smaller Distribution Systems .................................... 6
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INTRODUCTION
Choosing the right HVAC system is a complex Compared to those in existing HVAC systems, duct
process involving many decisions. There are usually risers in perimeter induction terminals were smaller,
many good solutions, but providing a great system higher pressure, and located all along the buildings
often starts with selecting the right terminal products perimeter. Zoning coils inside of furniture casework
to condition the occupied zones of the building. filled the space between the supply air risers.
When the right terminals are properly matched with (See Figure 1.) The true innovation of this new
good central equipment to provide heating, cooling system was the use of high velocity jet nozzles to
and ventilating, along with efficient air and water distribute the conditioned air within the casework
distribution out to the zones, occupants and owners such that the low-pressure zone created by the jet
alike are rewarded with superior comfort and lower velocity induced the room air across the coils for
energy usage intensity. A well-engineered system conditioning and mixing with the primary air, hence
leads to engineered comfort. the name induction terminal.
This white paper presents the induction beam, an
induction terminal that has been updated for todays
buildings and applied in the ceiling plane. As we
explore the induction beam (IB) system, we will
compare it to the traditional variable air volume
(VAV) system as well as another newcomer to the
American market, the European-style chilled beam
(CB) system.

ORIGIN OF INDUCTION TERMINALS

When skyscrapers began to appear in our
cityscapes, a new HVAC system was needed.
Building taller allowed large total areas to be created
without the expansive floor plans and associated
high cost of center-city real estate. HVAC systems
to that point had constant volume airflow with large
central duct risers and extensive branching to the
many diffusers. Zoning reheat coils required just as
much piping and were energy inefficient. Willis
Carrier invented the perimeter induction terminal to Figure 1 Early Perimeter Induction Terminal Installation
overcome these issues.

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Another departure from other systems of the time The perimeter induction terminal system was the
involved supplying 100% outdoor air to the system of choice for 1930s to 1970s mid-town
induction nozzles, providing constant ventilation and high-rise office towers. As the building stock moved
superior indoor air quality to the occupied spaces. away from the skyscraper profile, certain negative
Control valves or dampers on the terminal aspects of the perimeter wall induction terminal
modulated in response to changing zone loads to became more significant. Excessive fan energy
maintain the thermostat set point. This outdoor air, associated with the high pressure primary air
called primary air, was also sufficiently requirements of the nozzles (up to 2 in. wg) and
dehumidified to handle any zone latent loads as well, rezoning difficulties did not meet the needs of
though drain pans were provided as a safety measure new building occupancy profiles. The perimeter
since buildings of that era were not without induction terminal system became a system of the
infiltration. (See Figure 2.) Since this primary air past and was replaced by the traditional VAV
was the only air being circulated by the central air system.
handler, both the air handler and the associated
ductwork were much smaller than in the competing
constant volume systems, which had to handle both INDUCTION BEAMS: THE INDUCTION
outdoor air and recirculated room air at the central SYSTEM UPDATED FOR TODAYS
equipment. BUILDINGS
Any good system requires continuous improvement
and attention to detail in order to maintain viability.
The changes that have brought induction terminals
once again to the forefront of HVAC systems are: 1)
Improvements in nozzle design that lowered both
generated sound (NC 30 max) and required inlet
pressure (reductions of up to 80%); 2) the ability to
handle both sensible and latent loads at the zone (see
Figure 3); and 3) the use of energy recovery
ventilator dedicated outdoor air systems to supply
the primary air without the major preconditioning
penalties of old-style systems. The modern
induction system offers significantly lower energy
usage intensities (EUI), with kBtu/sq ft values as
low as the best systems commonly used today in
commercial buildings. With HVAC loads dropping
in many areas (i.e., tighter exterior envelope and
Figure 2 Perimeter Induction Terminal Cross-Section

Figure 3 Induction Beam Airflows

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more efficient lighting), the total conditioned air because of their high induction ratio of room air to
being delivered to the zone to meet cooling and primary air. Variable air volume terminals rely on
heating loads has dropped, making the benefit of the proper selection and layout of high-induction style
induction terminals continuous outdoor air linear diffusers for good mixing, otherwise they will
ventilation more and more important. Induction likely experience loss of the Coanda effect at low
beams include drain pans that offer the additional loads and the supply jet will drop into the occupied
benefit of latent cooling at the terminal. Chilled zone of the space, likely causing high velocity air
beams provide the same induction effect as motion discomfort. Chilled beam terminals do not
induction beams but traditionally are designed to have the low load issue, but with the higher number
handle the room sensible load only and do not have of terminals required to satisfy peak loads there is a
drain pans. concern that opposing airstreams may collide with
The next section further describes the benefits of the each other and drop into the occupied zone. The low
induction beam, in particular the Carrier all-way- velocity of the air in the occupied zone conditioned
blow style as compared to the traditional VAV by an IB terminal eliminates drafts in the space
system and the chilled beam system. providing the best overall evenness of temperature
and air motion velocity, resulting in superior
occupant comfort satisfaction. (See Figure 4.)
BENEFITS OF INDUCTION BEAM Primary Air-Powered Induction Effect
SYSTEMS
Through the use of high-velocity jet nozzles and the
Efficient Room Air Mixing resulting induction of room air into the primary
All three systems (IB, CB, and VAV) provide room airflow, induction terminals need no electrically
comfort by introducing conditioned air and mixing it powered fans to provide the supply air volumes
with the air already in the space. The supply air has required to condition the zone. Induction beam
been heated or cooled, dehumidified, and filtered to terminals require significantly less primary air inlet
meet the environmental conditions for occupant static pressure than their induction terminal
comfort set for the project. A mixing system, as predecessors, generally between 0.4 and 0.8 in. wg.
opposed to a displacement or radiant system, seeks Variable air volume terminals using appropriate
to achieve an overall uniform set of environmental linear diffusers exhibit the desired induction effect,
conditions within the space, most notably dry bulb but the use of multiple cfm-limited diffusers
temperature and air motion. Both types of induction increases the risk of high-air motion discomfort in
terminals (IB and CB) are successful in this effort the occupied space.

75.00
74.23
73.46
72.69
71.92
71.15
70.38
69.62
68.85
68.08
67.31
66.54
65.77
65.00

Temperature (F)

Figure 4 Room Air Mixing Effect of IB Terminals - Temperature

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Use of IB or CB terminals in the zone reduces the room loads. In fact, most IB designs set the code
AHU (air-handling unit) size in comparison with a outdoor air minimum values as the primary air
VAV system, which reduces the system fan power design point, providing the superior IAQ made
required, saving energy. In the early stages of the possible by this continuous dilution ventilation.
product development, an independent study was Conditioning of the Primary Air
commissioned to compare four HVAC system
choices for a K-12 school in the Southern Tier of Using the central air handler to condition the
New York State. The study was conducted by CDH primary air offers many advantages. The outdoor air
Energy using the DOE-2 modeling program, and as can be highly filtered to remove particulate matter
seen in Table 1 below, the IB solution was nearly as and obnoxious or harmful gases [VOCs (volatile
good as geothermal heat pumps and a full 20% organic compounds) and SVOCs (semi-volatile
lower in energy cost than the VAV choice. Over the organic compounds), compounds like formaldehyde,
last decade, similar studies continue to show such and oxides of nitrogen and sulfur]. Variable air
favorable comparative results. volume systems can likewise provide this efficient
means of cleaning the outdoor air, though the
A good practice to follow when starting a new delivery rate of the ventilation air changes as the
project is to develop a full building energy model units respond to changes in the zone loads.
using Carriers HAP (Hourly Analysis Program)
system design and energy analysis program, (or
other analysis programs such as Energy Plus or Latent Cooling within the Zone
eQuest) and then evaluate the energy priority
The Carrier IB terminal is explicitly designed to
compliance of each system using project-specific
provide latent cooling of the induced room air. The
characteristics.
moisture removal load created by people is equal to
or greater than the sensible load they produce, so this
Outdoor Air Used as Primary Air alone creates an incentive to handle latent cooling at
the zone level.
A major feature of an induction system is its use of
100% outdoor air (OA) to drive the nozzle jet The means for providing this capability with CB
induction effect. This means that whenever there is terminals is to dry out the primary air well below the
air flowing through the terminal, approximately 1/4 room dew point, then absorb the excess moisture
to 1/3 of the airflow is outdoor air, providing when the supply air mixes within the room. If the
ventilation of the space at or above code minimum building envelope is deemed moisture-tight and
requirements. The ventilation air to the space is there are few internal latent loads, then the CB
always measurable and consistent, whereas it is not terminals can lower the primary air temperature
possible to directly measure the ventilation airflow sufficient to dry it out and provide the latent cooling.
to the space in a VAV system. It has been said that VAV solutions also employ this principal, but with
CB terminals over ventilate the space because no direct control over the ventilation airflow, room
primary airflow greater than the ventilation relative humidity varies more than with an IB which
requirement is often needed to handle the space load can more directly control room relative humidity.
that cannot be fully met by the coil in the beam. The
high-capacity coils in Carriers IB terminals do not
require increase of the primary airflow to meet

Table 1 CDH Energy Study Cost Comparison of HVAC Systems for K-12 School
GEOTHERMAL
VARIABLE AIR VOLUME 4-PIPE FAN COIL INDUCTION BEAM
HEAT PUMP
DESIGN FACTOR
Electricity Gas Cost Electricity Gas Cost Electricity Gas Cost Electricity Cost
(mWh) (therms) ($) (mWh) (therms) ($) (mWh) (therms) ($) (mWh) ($)
Lights and Equipment 306 37,089 306 37,089 306 37,089 306 37,089
Space Heating 21 18,971 17,728 21 18,789 17,515 15 9,728 9,659 43 5,209
Space Cooling 68 8,260 46 5,564 71 8,626 57 6,901
Pumps 29 3,520 28 3,385 21 2,576 7 802
Fans 46 5,521 39 4,751 12 1,501 62 7,522
Totals 470 18,971 72,118 440 18,789 68,304 426 9,728 59,451 475 57,523

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Also, with most VAV systems, the central air terminals are the simplest to install, operate and
handler does not dry out the supply air as much, so maintain on the controls side as well. The
the terminals are even less able to control room condensate piping system for the IB terminal system
moisture levels. or the moisture sensors for CB terminals would add
When first developed, the induction terminal used an additional cost, but much less than what has been
the dehumidified primary air method, but now the saved so far. VAV solutions enjoy the same no
Carrier IB terminal brings to the market an induction power wiring advantage, but only limited duct size
terminal with an integral drain pan to catch cooling reduction, and duct size will be reduced only if true
coil condensate and discharge it into the condensate load diversity exists in the chosen layout.
piping system. If the IB terminals are provided with
very dry primary air, the drain pans do not need to
EQUIPMENT SELECTION AND LAYOUT
be piped for condensate removal and they become a
secondary safety measure to prevent moisture- Like any system solution, terminal equipment can be
staining. A moisture sensor or float switch can be selected and laid out preliminarily at early stages of
provided to warn if condensate begins to accumulate design, soon after initial HVAC loads have been
in the pan. The integrated drain pan on the IB calculated. Using tabulated performance data and
terminal also allows use of chilled water working with knowledge of the floor plan and
temperatures down to 42 F, providing additional coil available space above the dropped ceiling, one can
capacity, including latent. Chilled beam terminals study sizes and numbers of terminals to see what
are sensible-only cooling devices requiring that the coordinates best with the room architectural features
chilled water be provided above the dew point and planned lighting design. To more fully realize
temperature of the space, generally at 58 to 60 F. the installed cost advantages of the Carrier induction
Condensate or moisture sensors are commonly used beams, the layout should make use of fewer numbers
on CB terminals to shut off the chilled water flow of higher capacity terminals, keeping ductwork and
when the temperature of the chilled water supply is piping costs lower than if larger numbers of low and
below the room dew point. medium capacity units were chosen.
Remember, the colder the entering water
temperature, the greater the coil capacity; however,
Smaller Distribution Systems this will also decrease chiller efficiency. While the
If first cost is a concern, real savings exist in many goal is to select the minimum number of terminals
areas when using an induction system. Since the required, this must be balanced against other system
central system is only conditioning and distributing requirements. Note that the CB terminal solution
the much smaller volume ventilation air (compared will always require a greater number of terminals
to the total supply airflow in a VAV solution), duct than the IB system because of the lower capacity per
mains will be smaller, and with fewer, larger IB unit area of the CB. See Figure 5 for a comparison of
terminals employed, then branch ducting becomes a typical chilled beam zone layout with a typical
much less extensive. induction beam layout.
Since drain pans are standard on IB terminals, the The all-way blow IB design located in the center of a
primary air delivery temperature can be even lower large room will result in the most even temperature
still, increasing delivered capacity per cfm. If the distribution throughout the space compared to CB
primary airflow using neutral delivery temperatures and VAV technology, require fewer terminals of
exceeds the ventilation air requirement, then the larger capacity, and achieve the most economical
colder primary airflows would further reduce the layout of ductwork and piping. If noise becomes an
size of the ductwork. The same argument applies for issue, or air throw is too short to reach the limits of
the chilled water distributed to the zone terminals for the covered area, consider placing two units along
cooling of the induced air; with higher delta the centerline axis of the zone parallel to the exterior
temperatures the pipe sizes get smaller. Both of wall, located at the quarter-points of that line. For
these reductions in distribution requirements save smaller rooms, one-way blow is preferable to two-
money for material and labor. way blow because it gives the best and most flexible
With no fans in the terminals there is no power air distribution options. Two-way blow terminals
wiring out to the zones, only control wiring, and often result in a less uniform distribution within the
again, more cost savings. With simple two-position room.
water valves and primary air inlet dampers, IB

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 Figure 5 Comparison of Chilled Beam System Zone Layout
with Induction Beam System Zone Layout

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Comfort and IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) dilution area and provides excellent central
While we have focused on all of the well- equipment filtration. The VAV system solution has
engineered aspects of the Carrier induction beam similar central equipment filtration attributes, but
system, it is important not to compromise our does not perform dilution as well as the induction
engineered comfort objective. system. Filtration of the room recirculated air is
minimal on induction terminals, while in VAV
Comfort must be thought of as more than just systems the central equipment can excel at filtration.
controlling the zone sensible temperature and
relative humidity within a set point range for
occupant satisfaction. Over the last two decades we
have come to recognize that while comfort is the
perceived foundation of indoor air quality, the
equally important aspects of human health and
productivity must be included and addressed by
building designers. Even with a well-designed and
executed building project there are many outdoor
and indoor contaminant sources that impact IAQ.
Dilution and filtration are key processes of an
HVAC system that can address these issues. (See
Figure 6.) Using a continuous-ventilation terminal,
Figure 6 HVAC Systems Improve Indoor Air Quality
the IB system solution excels in the contaminant

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Acoustics location. While VAV systems have the largest space
The temperature and humidity within the space are requirement for ductwork (IB and CB terminals both
the major areas of concern for occupants, but only distribute ventilation air to the zones),
following closely behind are noise (undesirable induction solutions likely have the greatest piping
sound) and room air motion (draft) as the sources of and pumping space needs since they are usually 4-
the greatest number of complaints about workspaces. pipe systems. Chilled beam solutions have often
become quite complex in the MER in an effort to
Terminal performance can greatly impact each of keep zone terminals condensate-free while still
these factors. Noise can be generated internally and supplying 42 F to the primary air handlers. This
created at the supply air diffuser. The method by complexity can exhibit itself in separate chillers for
which supply air is introduced into the occupied each CHWS (chilled water supply) temperature, or
space also determines if air motion complaints might as complex mixing valve/bypass piping schemes,
occur. Carriers induction beam products (Figure 7) neither of which is required with the Carrier
are extremely quiet, with NC values easily induction beam solution.
maintained at or below NC 30, meeting the
requirements of even the quietest spaces in offices,
schools and healthcare facilities. The all-way blow Controls
design coverage of large areas also assures limited Like many terminal-based systems, both induction
concern over opposing airflows from adjacent and VAV systems have relatively simple zone
terminals colliding and entering the occupied space controls. Capacity control is usually implemented
at too high a velocity. through water valve and/or airflow damper
Properly sized VAV terminals with good Coanda modulation. Chilled beams have the additional
effect diffusers laid out well will also exhibit good requirement to avoid condensation on either the coil
acoustic and air motion characteristics. Chilled beam or the piping leading to it, so there is the added layer
terminals similarly require careful selection and of dew point safeties involving moisture sensors
layout to assure a quiet, comfortable design. either on the CHWS pipe at the terminal, or in the
drip tray for those styles. In addition, chilled water
plant control for CB systems is more complex since
it must provide two temperatures of water, cold for
the central air handler and above space dew point for
the terminals.
Control for conditioning the primary air resides back
at the central equipment and is quite similar for all
three systems, though VAV can utilize an airside
economizer, while induction systems are limited to
waterside economizers. System-wide routines like
scheduling and any set point resets would be part of
an energy management system communicating with
all HVAC system components, and are pretty similar
for all three systems.
Figure 7 Modern IB Terminal Features

SUMMARY
Mechanical Room and Distribution Ceiling-mounted induction beam zoning terminals
For all three of the systems described in this paper, are a modern update of Carriers perimeter wall
the non-terminal equipment can be located on a conduit induction terminals that brought air
rooftop, in a penthouse, or within a formal conditioning to urban-site skyscrapers of old. The
mechanical equipment room (MER). Regardless of engineered comfort features that made induction
the location chosen, accommodations for proper popular 50 plus years ago remain, and with lower
maintenance and good locations for outdoor air primary air static pressure requirements the energy
intakes must be considered. cost penalty has been addressed. Nozzle designs are
For all the solutions discussed here, the use of water now much quieter and higher capacity all-way blow
piping and pumping at the central equipment terminals make for simpler layouts, keeping costs
indicates the preference for a penthouse or MER down and making integration with the dropped
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ceiling less problematic. The new feature that No zone terminal solution is ideal for every
makes modern induction beams a strong contender is situation, and induction is no different. In fact, most
the integrated drain pan and cooling coil design that buildings have more than one type of terminal,
allows room latent loads to be handled right at the creating a hybrid design that applies many good
zone. With the new induction beam terminal, the solutions to the many differing needs of the project.
primary air does not have to be dehumidified to the The induction beam terminal adds another offering
lowest level required to handle the zone with the to the list of potential solutions and is one that
greatest need. Primary air does not need to be designers should investigate and consider applying
reheated before leaving the central equipment to to future projects.
prevent overcooling zones that are load-neutral.

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 Carriers AdvanTE3C Solutions Center supports customers in developing strategic, energy-efficient and
custom-engineered building solutions. This paper is provided for informational and marketing purposes only
and shall not be deemed to create any implied or express warranties or covenants with respect to the products
of Carrier Corporation or those of any third party.

Carrier Corporation 2013 www.carrier.com 04-581068-01 Printed in U.S.A. 5-13 Replaces: New
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