XI.

BASIC
MECHANICAL and
HVAC SYSTEMS
MODULE 29 Building Mechanical Transport Systems
MODULE 30 Building HVAC Systems

What are Mechanical Systems?

Mechanical Systems are building systems
that applies the principles of physics and
concerns machinery that provide important
services for a structures functionality.
Mechanical Systems are any of the systems
that provide essential services to a building
such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning,
vertical transportation or fire fighting.

Basic Mechanical Systems

Mechanical Transportation Systems
Systems that allow the ease of transport between spaces in a building; be it
for human or equipment.
Elevators
Escalators
Dumbwaiters
Conveyors
Chutes
HVAC Systems
Systems that control or improve the thermal and humidity conditions in a
building environment.
Heating
Ventilation
Air-conditioning

MODULE 28
Building Mechanical
Transport Systems

Mechanical Transportation Systems

Elevators

Elevators are moving platforms/cabins for carrying passengers or

freight from one floor to another.

Considered as one of the most important innovations of the Industrial

Revolution that gave way to modern building possibilities.
Two Types of Elevators
Electric Elevators
DC operated cabin consisting of a car that is mounted on guide rails, supported by
hoisting cables, and driven by an electric hoisting machinery.
Generally used for high rise structures.
Hydraulic Elevators
Consists of a car supported by a piston that is moved by or moves against a fluid
under pressure.
Generally used in low rise structures

Two Types of Elevators

Electric
Hydraulic

Two Types of Elevators

Bulkhead

Hoisting Machinery
Control Panel

Top Car
Clearance

Driving Sheave
Idle Sheave

rail

Machine Beam

Landing

car

Hoisting Cable
Guide Rail

Elevator Car Safety

guide shoe

Traveling
Cable

plunger
Hoistway
Door

Counterweigh
t
motor
pump

Elevator Pit
Bottom Car
Clearance

Buffer

Electric

Hydraulic

buffer spring

Basic Parts of an Elevator

Car Frame
The structural steel frame of an elevator car to which are attached the
platform, guide shoes, elevator car safety, hoisting cables and control
equipment

Lantern
A light, usually over the entrance to an elevator on each floor of a multistorey building that signals the approach of the elevator.

Annunciator
A signalling apparatus in an elevator car or at a landing that displays a
visual indication of floor landings

Call Button
A push button for requesting an elevator.

Door Interlock
A safety device for preventing the operation of an elevator car unless the
hoist way door is locked in the closed position.

Door Contact
A safety device for preventing the operation of an elevator car unless its
door or gate is fully closed

Parts of an Electrical Elevator

Shaft
vertical passageway for car and counterweights.

Car
a cage of light metal supported on a structural frame, the top member
of which the cables, that carry the car, are fastened.

Cables
are the means for lifting or lowering the car, usually 3 to 8 cables
placed in parallel fastened to top of car by cable sockets passing over a
motor driven cylindrical sheave to the counterweights.

Counterweights
these are rectangular blocks of cast iron stacked in one frame which is
fastened to the opposite ends of the cables to which the car is fastened.

Guide Rails
are vertical tracks that guide the car and the counterweights.

Parts of an Electrical Elevator

Machine Room
a room usually placed directly above the shaft in which
the elevator machine is housed. It contains the motorgenerator (MG) set which supplies energy to the elevator
machine, the control board and the control equipment.

Elevator Machine
turns the sheave that lifts and lowers the car.

Controls
a combination of push buttons, contacts, relays, and
devices, operated manually or automatically to initiate
door opening, starting acceleration, retardation, levelling
and stopping of the car.

Parts of an Electrical Elevator

Safety Devices
Main Brake
mounted directly on the shaft of the elevator machine.
Safety Switch
is designed to stop an elevator car automatically before car
speed becomes excessive. On over speed, the speed governor
will cut off power to the motor and set the brake. This
usually stops the car, but should speed still increase, the
governor will actuate rail clamps mounted at the bottom of
the car one on each side. This will clamp the guide rails
bringing the car to a switch stop.
Electric Final Limit Switches
are located a few feet below and above safe travel limits of
elevator car. If car over-travels, either down or up, these
switches de-energizes the motor and sets the main brake.
Oil or Spring Buffers
are placed at the bottom of the elevator pit, not to stop a
falling car, but to bring it to a partially cushion stop if the
car should overshoot the lower terminal.

Mechanical
Transportation Systems

Dumbwaiters

Generally used for

hoisting lightweight
equipment, freight
or loads. Commonly
used in multi-storey
food and health
service
establishments.

Mechanical Transportation Systems

Escalators
Escalators

Typical
Specifications

Parts of an
Escalator
Assembly

are power driven stairways

consisting of steps attached to a
continuously circulating belt, used
for moving passengers up and down
between floors.

Width of Escalator = 32 and 48

(813mm and 1220mm)
Angle of inclination = 30 degrees
Length or run
= variable
Speeds
= 90 fpm and
120 fpm (0.45m/s and 0.61m/s)
Truss Frame
Tracks
Sprocket Assemblies/ Chain and
Drive Machines
Baluster
Controllers

Parts of an Escalator
Truss
a welded steel frame which supports the moving
stairway equipment. It comes in 3 sections: the
middle straight section maybe of any desired
length to provide rises of different heights.

Tracks
are steel angles attached to the truss on which
the step rollers are guided thus controlling the
motion of the steps.

Sprocket Assemblies, Chains, and

Drive Machines
provide the motive power for the unit. An
emergency brake located on the top sprocket
will stop a loaded escalator safely in the event
of a break in the chain.

Parts of an Escalator
Controller
consists of contactors, relays and a
circuit breaker. Usually located near
the drive machine, an emergency
stop button wired to the controller
and placed in or near the escalator,
will stop the drive machine and
apply the brake. Key operated
control switches, at the top and
bottom newels, will start, stop, and
reverse the direction of travel of the
stairway.

Handrail and Balustrade

Assembly

Rubber-covered
handrail
handrail guide

longitudinal cording

canvas layers

inside balustrade

Mechanical Transportation Systems

Moving Walkways (Walkalators)

Moving Walkways
Mechanical Walkways

Common Application

While escalators are used to transport people vertically, electric walks are used
to transport people horizontally (or semi-horizontally) at any inclination from 0
deg. to 15 deg.

Groceries and shopping centeres

For exhibit halls, where management desires that persons move smoothly
through or pass a particular area without stopping or boarding.
For airport terminals.

Typical Specifications

Standard width
Speeds

= 27 and 36
= 120 fpm and 180 fpm

Types of Installations

Horizontal or level
Bi-level
Overpass installation
Underpass installation

Types of Walkalators
Automated Inclined
Walkways
Any of various forms of mass
transit, as moving sidewalks or
automated driverless vehicles, used
for shuttling people from one space
to another in an inclined surface.

Moving Walkways
A power-driven, continuously
moving surface, similar to a
conveyor belt, used for carrying
pedestrians horizontally or along
very low inclines.

MODULE 28
Building HVAC
Systems

What are HVAC Systems?

HVAC Systems
are systems that simultaneously control the temperature,
humidity, motion and purity of the air in a confined space.

Functions or Elements of Air-Conditioning

Cooling and Dehumidifying of air
Heating or Humidifying of air
Cleaning of air or Filtration
Circulation of air

Air Conditioning Standards

Cooling and Dehumidifying
for summer cooling, temperatures of 68 deg to 74 deg F and 50% relative
humidity are a frequent design average.

Heating and Humidifying

for winter cooling, temperatures of 70 deg to 75 deg F and relative humidity
of 30% to 35% are found most satisfactory.

Air Motion
air velocity should average 4.57 to 7.6 meters per min measured 36 above
the floor.

Air Supply
Cu.ft. to 7-1/2 cu.ft. of air per minute per person (5-71/2 cu.ft./min/s). In
rooms where smoking is not allowed
25 cu.ft. to 40 cu.ft. of air per minute per person allowed in rooms where
smoking is permitted.

 Air
conditioning
system that
consists of the
following:
Air
Conditioning
Condensing
Unit
Fan Coil
Unit

Window Type Air Conditioning System

All-Season Centralized
Air Conditioning
System consists of the
following:
A method of cooling,
a refrigeration plant
An Air Handling
Unit (AHU)
equipped with
filters, spray, cooling
coils.
The air distributing
equipment composed
of ducts, fans and air
outlets
The necessary
manual or automatic
controls

Split Type Air conditioning System

Centralized Air Conditioning System

Types of Air Conditioning Systems

A stand-alone
environmental
cooling
appliance that
applies the
principles of
refrigeration
cycle.
The system is
generally used
as a system
exclusive to a
small space.

REFRIGERATION

Centralized Air
Conditioning System
All-Season Centralized
Air Conditioning System
consists of the following:
A method of cooling, a
refrigeration plant
An Air Handling Unit
(AHU) equipped with
filters, spray, cooling
coils.
The air distributing
equipment composed
of ducts, fans and air
outlets
The necessary manual
or automatic controls

Split Type Air

Conditioning System
Air conditioning system
that consists of the
following:
Air Conditioning
Condensing Unit
Fan Coil Unit

AHU

FCU
(FAN COIL
UNIT)
COMP.
CONDENSER
EVAPORATOR
ACCU
(AIR CONDITIONING
CONDENSING
UNIT)
ACCU

Window Type Air

Conditioning System
A stand-alone
environmental cooling
appliance that applies
the principles of
refrigeration cycle.
The system is generally
used as a system
exclusive to a small
space.

Basic Parts of an HVAC System

(Cooling)
Refrigeration Plant
Compressors
Condensers
Evaporators

Cooling and
Dehumidifying Equipment
Water Sprays
Cooling Coils

Air Cooling Equipment

Dry Filters
Viscous Filters
Water Sprays
Eliminator Plates

Basic Parts of an HVAC System

(Cooling)
Air Distribution
Equipment
Ducts
Fans
Centrifugal
Fans
Axial Fans
Air Outlets
Wall Outlets
Ceiling
Outlets

Control
Equipment
Sensing Devices
Humidistat
Thermostat
Pressure
Regulators
Actuating or
Operation
Device
Dampers
Control
Valves
Relays

Accessories