Pipings,

Valves and
Specialties
Piping
Piping is used within many building
systems, including HVAC, plumbing,
specialty chemicals and fluids, and
fire protection. Knowing what type of
piping to use in a specific application
can help preserve the life of a system
or avoid a catastrophic failure.
Why Pipe Is Important

The correct pipe size can minimize

turbulence (vortex formations) in the
flow, thereby reducing the system
pressure drop resulting in increased
overall system efficiency and lower pump
operating costs. In HVAC design, flow
velocity is a very useful value to
calculate because a lower flow velocity
rate will lower noise and friction in the
pipes.
HVAC Piping
HVAC piping encompasses many
different fluids, pressures, and
temperatures. This piping can be located
above or below ground and route
through the interior or exterior of a
building. These factors must be taken
into consideration when specifying HVAC
piping within a project. The term
“hydronic” refers to the use of water as
a heat transfer medium for cooling and
heating
Metal Piping
 There are two types of metal piping generally used for
HVAC purposes: copper and steel. 
Copper is used for smaller pipes, transporting water in an
A/C unit. The maximum commercially available size is 12
inches, but since copper is expensive, the piping used in
an HVAC system is usually 3 inches or smaller. It’s also
important that the joints be sealed properly, or water can
leak out.
 Since steel is cheaper than copper, it can be used in
larger sizes. It can withstand higher pressures than
copper as well, and a wide range of temperatures, making
it ideal for both hot and cold water liquid. Using grooved
steel HVAC piping, bolted together with a gasket, also
holds together more effectively, without as much risk of
leaking.
Plastic Piping
 Plasticis much cheaper than either copper or steel,
but it’s also thinner and weaker, unable to withstand
as much pressure. It doesn’t corrode the way metal
does, however, making it better suited for
underground use.
 The two types of plastic piping are PVC and CPVC.
PVC can’t withstand as wide a range of temperatures
as metal, and is used for venting of gas, rather than
hot or cold liquids. CPVC pipe has been treated with
chlorine, allowing it to withstand temperatures up to
200 degrees.
Valves

Valve is a device that

regulates, directs or controls
the flow of a fluid (gases,
liquids, fluidized solids, or
slurries) by opening, closing,
or partially obstructing
various passageways. 
Triple Duty Valves
Triple Duty Valves act as a check
valve, balancing valve, and a shut-off valve all in
one valve. From the smallest hydronic loops to
the largest hydronic loops triple duty valves are
very a popular selection for engineers when
designing hydronic loops for chilled water and hot
water applications. The triple-duty valve consists
of a threaded stem attached to a disc. The disc
has a spring that will allow the disc to open when
the flow is induced throughout the loop.
Triple Duty Valves
The disc will only allow flow in one direction
and shuts whenever the flow is reverse of the
normal flow. The threaded stem can be
adjusted to allow a specified amount of flow
through the valve and is usually set by a
testing and balancing technician. The stem
can also be turned all the way down to shut
off flow in the system. Those three options in
one valve give the triple duty valve its name.
Triple duty valves are usually constructed of
heavy duty cast iron and installed in the
hydronic near the pumps.
Automatic Flow Limiting Valves
Automatic flow limiting valves are used
for variable speed pumping systems
where the flow of the water will vary
and automatic flow valves generally
include a ball type shut-off valve,
pressuring measuring ports for test and
balance technicians, and a strainer. The
automatic flow limiting valve offers a
balanced hydronic by compensating for
pressure differences in the loop
(provided the strainer is clean).
Pressure Reducing Valve or PRV

A pressure reducing valve is simply

described by its name. It is a valve
that reduces the pressure of the
water in an HVAC hydronic loop.
Typically this setting is 12 PSI but it
can depend on the friction loss (head
pressure) in a system so a calculation
needs to be done to determine the
friction loss in a hydronic piping loop.
Back Flow Preventer

A backflow preventer is a valve

that is nearly like a check
valve. Backflow preventers keep
the water safe for domestic use and
are usually installed on the make-
up water pipe in hydronic loops or
on the supply of any type of water
used in HVAC hydronic loops.
Specialty Tools
These are some of the other tools that are
essential for the HVAC tech:
 Multimeter
 Thermometer
 Cordless Drill
 Sawzall (Reciprocating Saw)
 Manifold Gauge
 Extension Cord
 Tubing Cutter
That’s all! Thank youuuu!