TOPIC 1: Air-

Conditioning Systems
Subtopic: Types of HVAC systems
Chapter 2 - HVAC by Faye_C._McQuiston
Chapter 3 – Principles of HVAC by Nihal E Wijeysundera

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1.1 The Complete System

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Schematic of
a Typical
Commercial
HVAC system

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1.2 SYSTEM SELECTION &
ARRANGEMENT
Equipment normally found in the central mechanical room
includes:
• Fans or air handlers for moving air with associated dampers and
filters
• Pumps for moving heated or chilled water and appropriate
control valves
• Heat exchangers for transferring energy from one fluid stream to
another
• Flow measuring and control devices
• Chillers and furnace or boiler equipment

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HVAC EQUIPMENTS
System Selection and Arrangement
Read up on all the following terms:
•Energy sink
•Dry condensing unit.
•Zone / separate zone
•Central station or central plant
•Diversity factor
•Direct exchange
•Air & water heat exchanging medium

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1.3 HVAC COMPONENTS AND
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS
Air-Handling Equipment
•A simplified schematic always shows the fans, heating and
cooling coils, filter, humidifier, and controlling dampers.
•Centrifugal pumps are usually used in air-conditioning systems
where liquids must be transported.
Pumps & Piping
•Air-conditioning pipe systems can be made up of independent
or interacting loops with pumps serving the separate systems.
Loops are sometimes referred to as primary, secondary, or
tertiary, depending on their location in the flow of energy.
Piping may be involved in transferring fuel, refrigerants, steam,
or water. 6
1.4 Types of All-Air Systems
Single Zone System
• Single-zone System

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• Usage of a thermostat/damper/valve/fan
Reheating Systems
1.4 Types of All-Air Systems

Its purpose is to permit zone or space control for areas of unequal

loading, or to provide heating or cooling of perimeter areas with
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different exposures. It is an excellent system in which low
humidities need to be maintained.
Variable-Volume System
1.4 Types of All-Air Systems

The variable-volume system compensates for variations in 9

cooling requirement by regulating (throttling) the volume of
air supplied to each zone.
Dual-Duct System
1.4 Types of All-Air Systems

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In the dual-duct (double-duct) system, the central equipment supplies
warm air through one duct run and cold air through the other.
Multizone- System
1.4 Types of All-Air Systems

The multizone central units provide a single supply duct for each zone 11
and obtain zone control by mixing hot and cold air at the central unit in
response to room or zone thermostats.
Class Activity (1.1)

2-1
Consider the small single-story office building in Fig. 2-21. Lay
out an all-air central system using an air handler with two zones.
There is space between the ceiling and roof for ducts. The air
handler is equipped with a direct expansion cooling coil and a 12
hot water heating coil. Show all associated equipment
schematically. Describe how the system might be controlled.
1.5 Air- Water Systems
Generally the cooling water is furnished to carry away most
of the sensible energy from the conditioned space. The air
provides the ventilation required for air quality and carries
away the moisture resulting from the space latent load.

There are several basic reasons to use an air-and-water

system. Because of the greater specific heat and much greater
density of water than of air, the space required for the
distribution pipes is much less than that required for ductwork
to accomplish the same cooling task. Consequently, less
building space need be allocated for the HVAC distribution
system.
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1.5 Air- Water Systems
Air-Water Induction System
In some situations a greater volume of heated or cooled air needs
to be diffused into a space to provide comfort than is required to
maintain air quality in the space. In an induction system, primary
air from a central system provides for the air quality and
humidity level needed, and induced air from the space is utilized
to provide the quantity of air needed for air circulation and
comfort.

Fan-coil Conditioner System

The fan–coil conditioner unit is
a versatile room terminal that is
applied to both air–water and
water-only systems. 14
1.6 All-Water Systems
All-water systems are those with
fan–coil, unit ventilator, or valance-
type room terminals, with
unconditioned ventilation air
supplied by an opening through the
wall or by infiltration.

A fan-coil system applied without

provision for positive ventilation or
one taking ventilation air through an
aperture.

It requires no ventilation air ducts, it is comparatively easy to

install in existing structures, and, as with any central station
perimeter system utilizing water in pipes instead of air ducts, its 15
use results in considerable space savings throughout the building.
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Advantages & Disadvantages?
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Advantages & Disadvantages?
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Advantages & Disadvantages?
 1.7 Decentralised Cooling &
Heating
The Air Conditioning and Refrigerating Institute (ARI)
defines a unitary air conditioner as one or more factory-made
assemblies that normally include an evaporator or cooling coil
and a compressor and condenser combination.

The ARI classification system of unitary air conditioners

depends on the location of the compressor, evaporator, and
condenser relative to each other and the presence or absence of a
fan or heating system and its location.

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 1.7 Decentralised Cooling &
Heating
The following list of variations is indicative of the vast number of types of
unitary air conditioners available.
1. Arrangement: single or split (evaporator connected in the field).
2. Heat rejection: air-cooled, evaporative condenser, water-cooled.
3. Unit exterior: decorative for in-space application, functional for
equipment room and ducts, weatherproofed for outdoors.
4. Placement: floor-standing, wall-mounted, ceiling-suspended, roof-
mounted.
5. Indoor air: vertical up-flow, counter flow, horizontal, 90- and 180-degree
turns, with fan, or for use with forced-air furnace.
6. Locations: indoor—exposed with plenums or furred-in ductwork,
concealed in closets, attics, crawl spaces, basements, garages, utility rooms,
or equipment rooms; wall—built-in, window, transom; outdoor—rooftop,
wall-mounted, or on ground.
7. Heat: intended for use with up-flow, horizontal, or counter-flow forced-air
furnace, combined with furnace, combined with electrical heat, combined 20
with hot water or steam coil.
Through-the-wall and window-mounted room air-
conditioning units are common in residences and
in renovations of older buildings. Heavy-duty,
commercial-grade through-the-wall units, usually
capable of providing both heating and cooling, are
sometimes referred to as packaged terminal air
conditioners (PTAC).

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1.7 Decentralised Cooling &
Heating
Other application/structure of decentralized system
-Retail store
-Gymnasium
-Rooftop
-Floor diffusers

Explain a split system (packaged system) as a decentralized

system.
What are some advantage and disadvantage of split system.?

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1.8 Heat Pump Systems
Heat Pump & Types
•Any refrigeration system is a heat pump in the sense that energy is moved
from a low temperature source to a higher temperature sink.
•The thermal cycle is identical to that of ordinary refrigeration; however, in
most heat pump systems a reversing valve permits flow reversal of refrigerant
leaving the compressor such that the evaporator and condenser roles are
switched.
•As with air conditioners, unitary (packaged) heat pumps (as opposed to
applied heat pumps) are shipped from the factory as a complete pre-
assembled unit including internal wiring, controls, and piping. Only the
ductwork, external power wiring, and piping (for water-source heat pumps)
are required to complete the installation.
•Air-to-air heat pump is a common type, others type for consideration:
• Hybrid or dual-fuel heat pumps.
• Air-to-water heat pumps
• Water-to-air pumps 23
• Waste process water pumps? – specialized.
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1.8 Heat Pump Systems
Closed-Loop & Ground Coupled Systems
•In some cases a building may require cooling in interior zones
while needing heat in exterior zones.
•The earth itself is a near-ideal source or sink for heat pumps.
The advantages and disadvantages of using open-loop systems
with wells, rivers, and lakes were described earlier. Using a
closed-loop system with piping buried in the ground, circulating
water either picks up energy for heating or loses energy for
cooling.
With a variety of schemes have been proposed. The
International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA)
under the direction of Bose (8) has produced a large amount of
useful information, including design documents on ground
(source heat) piping/circulation system. 26
Closed-Loop & Ground Coupled Systems

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1.9 Heat Recovery Systems
Because of the introduction of outdoor ventilation air it is
necessary to exhaust significant quantities of air from large
buildings. In the heating season considerable savings can be
realized if the heat energy from the exhaust air can be
recovered and used in warming the exterior parts of the
structure. In a similar manner energy can be saved when
outdoor temperatures are high by precooling ventilation air
using the cooler air exhausted from the building.
Recovery of heat energy from exhaust air is accomplished
through the use of rotating (periodic type) heat exchangers.

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1.9 Heat Recovery Systems

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1.10 Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

The choice between chilled water and ice as the storage

medium may also be fixed by economics
a)Chilled Water Storage
b)Ice Storage 30
Advantage/Disadvantage??
Class Activity (1.2)
2-11. Make a single-line block diagram of an all-water cooling
system for a four-room single-story-building, of which is the need
to regulate a room of living quarter at 30oc. The system has unit
ventilators in each room with a packaged water chiller, and
pumps.
•Explain how the system (also recovery) will be controlled.

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Class Activity (1.3)
2-20. It is desirable for the water leaving a cooling coil to be
at a fixed temperature for return to the chiller. Sketch a coil,
control valve, and so on to accomplish this action, and
describe the operation of the system.
Explain how the system will be controlled.

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