Air Conditioning System Design

Air Conditioning System Design

Design
Steps
1. Load Estimating
-Cooling
-Heating
2. Air System Design
3. Equipment Selection
4. Supporting System

Each piece of equipment from the design stage through the selection and
installation should be maximized to give the customer the most economical and
efficient system you can for every dollar he has invested

Step#1: Load Estimating
-Cooling
-Heating

-2 Methods of estimating
-Block load
-Room by room
Accuracy: Blessing or Curse
Rough Load Estimating
Benefits Disadvantages
-Fast -Liability Maximized
-Little Paperwork -Over Sized
-Bid More Jobs -Bad Reputation
-Missed Sales
-Call Backs/ Missed Profits
-Can't Guarantee Performance

Accurate Load
Estimating
Benefits Disadvantages
-Time Consuming -Liability Minimized
-More Skill Required -Properly Sized
-More Paperwork -Underbid Competitor
-Bid Fewer Jobs -Professional Estimate
-Good Reputation
-Insure Profitability
-Guarantee System
-Increase Sales/ Customer Base

Estimating The Air Conditioning Load

Survey the Structure: To determine the best method of installing the system

Building Orientation:
-Relationship to the sun
-Wind direction
-Location in relation to the other buildings
-Surrounding trees

Building Size: For conduction and convection gains or losses

Building Shape: For air distribution and lay out of duct system

Construction Materials:
-Wall
-Roof
-Floors

Glass Area:
-Percentage (%)
-Type
-Affecting factors

Infiltration + Exfiltration:
-Air coming inside + air going outside
-Door location
-Door construction
-Number of doors

People Occupancy

Equipment Located With In The Structure

Ventilation Requirement

Equipment Location

Utility Services

Building Codes



Principals Of Load Estimating For Air Conditioning Systems

Heat sources for air conditioning load calculations

Inside Conditioned Space
-People
-Appliances
-Lighting

Outside Conditioned Space
-Transmission gains
-Walls
-Roof
-Solar Gains
-Windows

Additional Loads
-Ceilings
-Floors
-Infiltration gains
-Cracks in building envelope

Outside Heat Sources (Transmission Gains)
-Walls/ Roof
-Affected by materials used in construction/ the total area of the surface/ solar
effects as well as the temp diff. across the material

To Determine the amount of heat transfer thru the buildings surfaces (by
conduction) the following formula is used.
BTU's/hr = (Overall co-efficient of
heat transfer)
X (Surface Area) X TD (U-Factor)



How To Reduce Conduction Gains Through Walls + Roofs
1. Additional Insulation In Walls/ Roofs
Insulation %reduction in heat flow
1 48 to 55%
2 62 to 68%
3 70 to 74%
4 72 to 78%

It should be noted that any increase beyond 4 will not significantly improve overall
U-Factor of structure

2. Roof Materials
Light Construction Wooded frame (18 BTU's sq ft) max no insulation
Medium Construction 4 Concrete (19 BTU's sq ft) max no insulation
Heavy Construction 6 Concrete (15 BTU's sq ft) max no insulation

The above info is taken at peak solar gain times, approx. 3:00 pm. in the afternoon

Solar gains can be reduced by two methods:
-Shaded roof = reduction by 75%
-Roof sprays = reduction of 65%

U Factors for typical construction types
-Residential wall = 0.25
-Residential roof = 0.31
-Commercial wall = 0.33
-Commercial roof = 0.40

Transmission Gain Calculation
-Find the total heat gain through a residential wall with the following dimensions.
-Length = 20'
-Height = 8'
-Outside ambient temp 85F
-Inside room temp 75F
Heat Gain = Area x TD x U-Factor
400 BTU/H= (20x8)160 x 10 x 0.25


Outside Heat Sources (Solar + Conduction Gains)

Windows
The Solar heat entering a structure through glass is immediately absorbed in the
room. The amount of solar gain through the windows is determined by the TD
surface area and type of glass used in its construction. Conduction gains through
glass will also use the same formula

To determine the amount of heat gain (solar as well as conduction) the following
formula would be used

BTU's/Hr = Overall co-efficient of heat transfer x surface area x TD
Typical U-Factors For Window Construction

Single Pane Window 1.13
Double Pane Window 0.65
Storm Window 0.45
The above factors will change if indoor or outdoor shading is
used or if heat absorbing gas is used

How to Reduce Solar Gains through Glass
Type %reduction in Solar Gains
Heat absorbing Glass 25%
Double Pane Glass 10 to 20%
Stained Glass 30 to 65%
Outside Awnings 75%
Outside Venetian Blinds 35%

How to Reduce Conduction Gains Through Windows
Type % Reduction in Conduction Gains
Storm Windows 60%
Double Pane Windows 43%


Transmission/ Window Gain Calculation
-Find the total heat gain through a residential wall with the following dimensions:
-Length = 20'
-Height = 8'
-Outside ambient temp 85F
-Inside room temp 75F
-There are two windows located on this wall 2' x 4' ordinary glass no shading
-U-Factor = 0.25 for transmission gain on walls
-U-Factor = 1.13 for transmission gain on windows
Heat Gain Wall= Area x TD x U-Factor
400 BTU/H= (20x8)160 x 10 x 0.25

Heat Gain Window= Area x TD x U-Factor
180 BTU/H= (2x8x2)16 x 10 x 1.13


Outside Heat Sources (Solar + Conduction Gains)

Floors
Normally floors would be considered to be a heat loss for heating load calculations
if it is a slab or basement construction. However if a unconditioned space is
located below the floor level which is conditioned it would be calculated in a
cooling load calculation


Air Change (Infiltration Load) (Exfiltration)

*Air change is the continuous exchange of air between every building and its
surrounding

-This air change is the result of two different processes: Ventilation + Air Leakage

Ventilation: Is a controlled air change. Can be provided by
-Bathroom fans
-Kitchen fans
-Exhaust fans
-Dryer vents
Air Leakage: Is an uncontrolled air change as air flows through
-Cracks
-Structural joints
-Window frames
-Door frames

*Another source of heat that must be considered is infiltration loads or losses. This
is the air that enters a building due to cracks around windows and doors. The
degree of infiltration depends on quality of construction, doors being opened and
also wind velocity.

Ventilation
Ventilation standards are governed by ASHRAE: American society of heating
refrigeration and air conditioning engineers. These standards are set to dilute
unwanted odors and replenish used oxygen with in the conditioned space
Acceptable Ventilation Standards
Range from 5 to 7.5 CFM/ Person/ hour
Range from 15 to 30 CFM/ Person/ hour (Smoking)


Inside Heat Sources (People, Lights and Appliances)

People
Heat gain from occupants is based on the average number of people expected to
be present to be present in the building as well as the activity they are involved in.
Sensible + latent heat loads are present (Rule of thumb 330 BTU's/ hr total heat)
Activity Total heat BTU's/ hr
Seating at rest 270
Moderate office work 450
Bowling 1500
Restaurant 490


Lights
The load from lights is substantial and must be calculated in any load calculation
Incandescent Lighting: 3.4 BTU's/ watt
Florescent Lighting: increase lighting load by 25 % (ballast)


Appliances
Heat gains from appliances located with in the conditioned space must also be
calculated. They can be a sensible or latent load
Appliance Sensible Heat BTU's/ hr Latent Heat BTU's/ hr
Coffee Brewer Gal 900 220
Toaster Pop-up 37 8
Hair Drier 2300 700
Based on Average Usage


Summery of Outside Heat Sources
The majority of summer cooling loads consist of outdoor heat sources such as
-Direct solar heat
-Conduction heat
-Infiltration

-Solar heat enters directly through glass by radiation and through building
materials by conduction

-Direct solar gains are felt immediately. Conducted solar gains are not felt for
several hours

-Amount of conducted solar heat depends on the type of construction materials

-The U-factor is a value applied to the quantity of heat flowing through 1 sq foot of
building material

-Heat conduction through construction materials takes place as a result of temp
diff. between outdoor and indoor temps

-The amount of heat entering a building depends upon the size of the surface area
+ the resistance to heat transfer

-Building orientation can reduce the cost of air conditioning equipment of up to
25% because the amount of solar radiation + conduction gains would be reduced.
Approx. 7 hours of continuous sun is required to heat the inside of the building (12
of brick)

-Solar gains are much faster through glass than other materials such as wood or
brick

-The infiltration load enters the building through cracks around windows, doors and
through open doors + windows

-Ventilation is also a source of heat gain to be covered later

-Indoor heat sources include people, lights, appliances, and motors

-Stored heat can become an additional heat source for the morning start up of air
conditioning

-The stored cooling capacity can be used to off-set part of the heat load during
max load periods

-The use of cooling storage means that smaller equipment can be selected
(operation of system in early morning or night).


Methods of Reducing Loads
Heat loads can be reduced by:
-Addition of insulation
-Whether stripping
-Double pane windows
-Insulated crawl space
-Storm windows
-Indoor shading
-Outdoor Shading
-Solar reflecting glass
-Cooling storage