Air-Conditioning System

DESIGN MANUAL
THIRD EDITION

Howard J. McKew, Editor

AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM
DESIGN MANUAL

i
This publication was originally prepared as a special project under the Publications
Committee of ASHRAE in cooperation with the cognizant ASHRAE group, TC 9.1,
Large Building Air-Conditioning Systems.

Updates and errata for this publication will be posted on the

ASHRAE website at www.ashrae.org/publicationupdates.
AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM
DESIGN MANUAL
Third Edition

Howard J. McKew, Editor

Atlanta

iii
 ISBN 978-1-947192-36-2 (hardback)
ISBN 978-1-947192-37-9 (PDF)

© 1993, 2007, 2019 ASHRAE

1791 Tullie Circle, NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
www.ashrae.org

All rights reserved.

First edition published 1993. Second edition published 2007.
Cover design by Rebecca Branta and Mary Bolton.

ASHRAE is a registered trademark in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, owned by the
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

ASHRAE has compiled this publication with care, but ASHRAE has not investigated, and
ASHRAE expressly disclaims any duty to investigate, any product, service, process, proce-
dure, design, or the like that may be described herein. The appearance of any technical data
or editorial material in this publication does not constitute endorsement, warranty, or guar-
anty by ASHRAE of any product, service, process, procedure, design, or the like. ASHRAE
does not warrant that the information in the publication is free of errors, and ASHRAE does
not necessarily agree with any statement or opinion in this publication. The entire risk of the
use of any information in this publication is assumed by the user.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission in writing from ASHRAE,
except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with
appropriate credit, nor may any part of this publication be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any way or by any means—electronic, photocopying, recording,
or other—without permission in writing from ASHRAE. Requests for permission should be
submitted at www.ashrae.org/permissions.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019953387

ASHRAE STAFF
SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS Cindy Sheffield Michaels, Editor
James Madison Walker, Managing Editor of Standards
Lauren Ramsdell, Associate Editor
Mary Bolton, Assistant Editor
Michshell Phillips, Senior Editorial Coordinator
PUBLISHING SERVICES David Soltis, Group Manager of Publishing Services
Jayne Jackson, Publication Traffic Administrator

Director of Publications
and Education Mark S. Owen

iv
 Contents

PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IX
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . XI
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1.1 Purpose of this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 How Best to use this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.4 Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.5 General Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CHAPTER 2: THE DESIGNER BUSINESS PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
2.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Making a Profit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 Project Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.4 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CHAPTER 3: THE DESIGN PROCESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
3.1 Design Process Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.2 Design versus Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.3 Design Phases and Project Delivery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.4 Interaction Between HVAC&R and
Other Building Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.5 HVAC System Selection Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3.6 Computers and HVAC&R Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.7 Codes and Standards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.8 Economic Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3.9 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
3.10 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CHAPTER 4: OCCUPANT HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SAFETY . . . . . . . .53
4.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.2 Thermal Environment for Comfort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
4.3 Indoor Air Quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

v
vi| Contents

4.4 Room Air Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

4.5 Noise and Vibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.6 HVAC Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
4.7 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4.8 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
CHAPTER 5: LOAD CALCULATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
5.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
5.2 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
5.3 Outdoor and Indoor Design Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
5.4 External Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
5.5 Internal Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
5.6 Calculation Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
5.7 Computer Inputs And Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5.8 Effects of Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
5.9 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
5.10 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
CHAPTER 6: DECENTRALIZED HVAC PLANTS AND
CENTRAL COOLING AND HEATING PLANTS. . . . . . . . . .89
6.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
6.2 Decentralized Cooling and Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
6.3 Centralized Cooling and Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
6.4 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
6.5 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
CHAPTER 7: COMPONENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
7.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
7.2 Heating Source Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
7.3 Heat Transfer Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
7.4 Cooling Source Equipment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
7.5 Pumps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
7.6 Valves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
7.7 Piping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
7.8 Fans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
7.9 Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
7.10 Dampers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
7.11 Ductwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
7.12 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
7.13 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
CHAPTER 8: ALL-AIR SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
8.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
8.2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
8.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of All-Air Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
 Air-Conditioning System Design Manual |vii

8.4 System Concepts and Basic Psychrometrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

8.5 Special Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
8.6 Useful Equations for Air-Side System Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
8.7 Single-Zone All-Air Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
8.8 Variable-Air-Volume (VAV) Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
8.9 Reheat Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
8.10 Dual-Duct Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
8.11 Multizone Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
8.12 Simple Rooftop Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
8.13 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
8.14 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
CHAPTER 9: AIR-WATER SYSTEMS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191
9.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
9.2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
9.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Air-Water Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
9.4 System Concepts and Basic Psychrometrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
9.5 Water-Side Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
9.6 Refrigeration Load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
9.7 Electric Heat Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
9.8 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
9.9 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
CHAPTER 10: ALL-WATER SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
10.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
10.2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
10.3 Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
10.4 System Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
10.5 Two-Pipe Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
10.6 Four-Pipe Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
10.7 Piping Design Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
10.8 Variable-Speed Pump Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
10.9 Terminals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
10.10 Ventilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
10.11 Design Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
10.12 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
10.13 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
CHAPTER 11: SPECIAL HVAC&R SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .231
11.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
11.2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
11.3 Air-to-Air Heat Exchangers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
11.4 Air-Side and Water-Side Economizers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
11.5 HVAC Systems Energy Retrofits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
viii| Contents

11.6 Retrofitting Constant-Speed Equipment

to Variable-Speed Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
11.7 Underfloor Air-Distribution Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
11.8 Ground-Source Heat Pump Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
11.9 Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
11.10 Humidifiers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
11.11 Dehumidification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
11.12 Thermal Energy Storage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
11.13 Cold Air Supply System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
11.14 Double-Bundle Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
11.15 Green HVAC&R Systems and CO2 Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
11.16 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
11.17 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
CHAPTER 12: BUILDING AUTOMATION AND
HVAC&R CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
12.1 Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
12.2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
12.3 Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
12.4 Control Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
12.5 Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
12.6 Control Valves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
12.7 Dampers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
12.8 Control Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
12.9 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
12.10 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
12.11 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
CHAPTER 13: COMMISSIONING AND TESTING, ADJUSTING,
AND BALANCING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279
13.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
13.2 Commissioning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
13.3 Cx in the Design Phase. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
13.4 Cx in the Construction Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
13.5 Recommissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
13.6 Energy Retrocommissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
13.7 Building Exterior Commissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
13.8 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 286
13.9 TAB Procedures for Air Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
13.10 TAB Procedures for Water Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
13.11 TAB Procedures for Existing Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
13.12 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
13.13 Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293
 PREFACE

This third edition represents a major update and revision of Air-Conditioning

System Design Manual. The request that drove this revision effort was simply to
make a successful resource more current. The revision process involved a thor-
ough editing of all text in the manual, updating references, and editing many
illustrations. New material covered in this manual includes creating and imple-
menting a designer’s business plan, decentralized cooling and heating and central
cooling and heating, and commissioning and testing, adjusting, and balancing. In
addition, there have been significant updates and enhancements to the health,
wellness, and safety, components, and special HVAC&R systems chapters.
The editor acknowledges the book review volunteers of ASHRAE Technical
Committee (TC) 9.1, who provided an extra pair of eyes and their years of expe-
rience to review and comment chapter by chapter.
I want to offer a special thank you to Dr. Stephanie Taylor, MD, M. Arch,
Harvard Medical School InciteHealth Fellow, of Taylor Healthcare Commission-
ing, Inc. for her contribution in revising the “Occupant Health, Wellness, and
Safety” chapter (formerly titled, “Occupant Comfort and Health”), and to Robert
N. Heinlein, Jr., CEM, R.N. Heinlein Consulting LLC, Consultant for his contri-
bution in revising the chapter addressing HVAC&R controls based on his years of
technical experience in the building automation industry. Both have brought to
these major chapter revisions their years of experience and knowledge.

Howard J. McKew, PE, Fellow ASHRAE

ix
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

ASHRAE TC 9.1, Large Building Air-Conditioning Systems

Reviewers and Final Voting Committee Members

William Artis, BCxP, BEAP, BEMP, Alonzo Blalock, PE, CxP,

LEED AP, Member ASHRAE LEED AP, Member ASHRAE
Principal, Energy Project Consulting, LLC Project Manager, Jacobs Engineering Group
New Hyde Park, NY Allen, TX
Charles E. Henck, PE, LEED,
Doug Cochrane, PE, LEED AP, Life Member ASHRAE
Member ASHRAE Vice President, Whitman, Requardt, &
Independent Consultant
Associates, LLP
Mississauga, ON, Canada
Towson, MD
John I. Vucci, Member ASHRAE Dennis J. Wessel, PE, LEED AP,
Associate Director HVAC Systems, Fellow ASHRAE
University of Maryland College Park Retired
College Park, MD Hudson, OH

xi
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL

This manual was prepared to assist entry-level engineers in the design of
heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. It is also intended as a
design guideline reference manual for the more experienced HVAC design engi-
neer as well as a reference design manual for those in the construction industry,
e.g., mechanical-electrical field coordinators, and for building owners’ capital
project personnel, e.g., owner’s project engineer. It can also be used in conjunc-
tion with fundamental heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration
(HVAC&R) resource materials as a senior- or graduate-level text for a university
course in HVAC system design. This manual was intended to fill the void
between theory and practice, to bridge the gap between real-world design prac-
tices and the theoretical knowledge acquired in the typical college course or text-
book. Courses and texts usually concentrate on theoretical calculations and
analytical procedures or the design of components. This manual focuses on appli-
cations.
The manual has been organized into 13 chapters, beginning with the business
of HVAC design engineering followed by the design process. Next, this design
manual addresses human health, wellness, and safety in regards to HVAC design
and occupants.
The user/reader should be familiar with the general concepts of HVAC&R
equipment and possess or have access to the four-volume ASHRAE Handbook
series and appropriate ASHRAE publications, e.g., ASHRAE Guidelines and
Standards, to obtain grounding in the fundamentals of HVAC&R system design.
Information contained in the Handbooks and in other publications referenced
herein is not generally repeated in this design manual. There is a broad range of
publications referenced at the end of each chapter, which are to be used by the
designer as a list of general references to compliment this manual.
The initial difficult task in any design problem is how to begin. The
entry-level professional may not have experience (or have limited experience)

1
2| Introduction

from past design projects to fall back on and may be at a loss as to where to start
a design. To assist the reader in this task, a business plan based on sound business
strategy and fundamental engineering concepts should be created as a guide for
the designer to follow that takes into account the project timeline and delivery
method. With an understanding of the HVAC&R system design process for the
application a step-by-step sequence of design procedures is outlined as part of the
design process herein. Simple rules are given, where applicable to assist the new
designer in making decisions regarding equipment types and size based on the
project’s available budget.
Chapters 2 and 3 address the guidelines by which the HVAC designer will
proceed with a business plan that accommodates the design process. These chap-
ters will also cover the selection of the optimum HVAC system for the applica-
tion, the satisfaction of occupant comfort, health, and wellness needs, the
calculation of the required HVAC&R loads, and the identification of HVAC com-
ponents. It also includes a discussion on the four types of HVAC systems (all-air,
air-water, all-water, and special HVAC systems).
Chapter 3 goes into further detail on the difference between analysis and
design. This chapter covers basic issues that are addressed during the design
phases of a building project and discusses a number of factors that influence
building design, such as codes and economic considerations. Health, wellness,
indoor air quality, and safety and their implications for HVAC systems design,
are discussed in Chapter 4. Load calculations are discussed in Chapter 5. The
specifics of load calculation methodologies are not presented herein because they
are thoroughly covered in numerous ASHRAE Handbook resources and are typi-
cally conducted via computer programs today.
Chapter 6 introduces the topic of decentralized HVAC systems and central
cooling and heating plants. Before the design engineer can proceed with a design,
the decision must be made to provide an engineered solution based on either
decentralized and/or central plant servicing decentralized HVAC systems. In
addition to this chapter, Chapter 1, “HVAC System Analysis and Selection,” in
ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems and Equipment is one of the best places for
a designer to start the design process.
Chapter 7 highlights the components of HVAC&R systems, e.g., refrigera-
tion equipment, heating, equipment, and so on. Chapters 8 through 11 cover the
design parameters of all-air, air-and-water, all-water systems, and special HVAC
systems, respectively. A conscious effort was made here not to duplicate material
from ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems and Equipment, except in the interest
of continuity. Its treatment of the air side of HVAC systems is equally applicable
to the air side of air-water systems; thus, this information is not repeated in Chap-
ter 9. Chapter 10 addresses all-water heating and air-conditioning systems with
limited ventilation features. Chapter 11 covers a variety of special HVAC sys-
 Air-Conditioning System Design Manual |3

tems, including energy recovery, heat pump systems, underfloor air distribution
systems, variable refrigerant, and so on.
Chapter 12 addresses controls and provides an overview of control strategy
as well as building management, energy management, and HVAC security. Chap-
ter 13, “Commissioning and Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing,” covers the
HVAC system requirements that must work in sync for the specific HVAC sys-
tems to achieve the design intent, demonstrate the HVAC system’s performance
under all conditions, and to document the as-built results of the operating condi-
tions and basis of design.
A few words of advice: do not hesitate to make initial design assumptions.
No matter how far off the specific values of a final solution they might prove to
be, assumptions enable the designer to start on a project and to gradually iterate
and improve a proposed design until a satisfactory solution has been obtained.
Frequently, more experienced colleagues may be able to assist by giving counsel
and the benefit of their experience, but do not hesitate to plunge ahead on your
own. Good luck!

1.2 HOW BEST TO USE THIS MANUAL

The following suggestions are made to obtain maximum benefit from this
manual:
1. Consider the general category of the building being designed and read the
appropriate chapters in ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Applications and
ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems and Equipment to determine likely
systems to consider for application to the project.
2. Familiarize yourself with the theory and basic functions of common
HVAC&R equipment. The best sources for this information are HVAC&R
textbooks and the ASHRAE Handbook series.
3. Read the chapters in this manual that address the systems of interest.
4. Become familiar with state and local building codes, ASHRAE standards
and guidelines, and applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
resources
5. Remember that this manual, in general, does not repeat information con-
tained in ASHRAE Handbooks and special publications. You cannot, there-
fore, rely on this manual as the only reference for design work. As you gain
experience, make notes of important concepts and ideas (what worked and
what did not work) and keep these notes in a readily accessible location. This
manual is intended to point the way toward building such a design database.
While an attempt has been made in this manual to incorporate the experi-
ences of design professionals, no static written material can replace dynamic
face-to-face interaction with your colleagues. Use every opportunity to pick their
brains, and let them tell you what worked and what they would do differently the
4| Introduction

next time. Although the experience of your colleagues and peers is one of the
best design references available, their experience and rules-of-thumb cannot
replace sound design engineering practices learned from firsthand experience.

1.3 UNITS
The first edition of this manual was written using I-P (inch-pound) units as
the primary measurement system. In this edition SI (System International) units
are shown in parentheses following the I-P units. Conversions to SI units are “soft
approximations” with, for example, 4 in. being converted as 100 mm (versus the
more accurate conversion to 101.6 mm or use of a true SI commercial size incre-
ment for a given product). See the ASHRAE’s “SI Guide for HVAC&R” (avail-
able at no cost from the ASHRAE website, www.ashrae.org) for detailed
information on preferred measurement units and conversion factors for
HVAC&R design work.

1.4 TERMINOLOGY
In addition to units, the designer is referred to “ASHRAE Terminology,”
which can also be found at www.ashrae.org/terminology. It is a free, comprehen-
sive online glossary of more than 3700 terms and definitions related to the built
environment, with a focus on HVAC&R, as well as building envelope, electrical,
lighting, water and energy use, and measurement terms.

1.5 GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

In addition to specific references listed in each of the chapters of this man-
ual, the following publications are generally useful to HVAC&R system design-
ers. They should be available in every design office. ASHRAE publications are
updated on a regular basis (every four years for handbooks, often more frequently
for standards and guidelines). Consult the ASHRAE website (www.ashrae.org)
for information on current publication dates.

1.5.1 ASHRAE Handbooks

(available as printed volumes or on CD, in I-P or SI units)
ASHRAE. 2016. ASHRAE handbook—HVAC systems and equipment. Atlanta:
ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2017. ASHRAE handbook—Fundamentals. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2018. ASHRAE handbook—Refrigeration. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2019. ASHRAE handbook—HVAC applications. Atlanta: ASHRAE.

1.5.2 ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines

ASHRAE. 2007. ASHRAE Guideline 1.1-2007, HVAC&R Technical
Requirements For The Commissioning Process. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
 Air-Conditioning System Design Manual |5

ASHRAE. 2017. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2017, Thermal Environmental

Conditions for Human Occupancy. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2016. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2016, Ventilation for
Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2016. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2016, Ventilation and
Acceptable Indoor Air Quality for Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Atlanta:
ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2016. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2016, Energy Standard for
Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2017. 90.1 Standard User Manual. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2018. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2018, Energy Conservation
in Existing Buildings. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2019. ASHRAE Guideline 0-2019, The Commissioning Process.
Atlanta: ASHRAE.

1.5.3 Other ASHRAE Publications

ASHRAE. n.d. ASHRAE terminology of HVAC&R. https://www.ashrae.org/
technical-resources/free-resources/ashrae-terminology.
ASHRAE. n.d. ASHRAE SI guide for HVAC&R. https://www.ashrae.org/
technical-resources/ashrae-handbook/the-si-guide.
ASHRAE. ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2012. ASHRAE Psychrometric Analysis, 7th ed. CD-ROM. Atlanta:
ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2017. Principles of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning, 8th ed.
Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2018. ASHRAE GreenGuide: The design, construction, and operation
of sustainable buildings, 5th ed. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
ASHRAE. 2018. ASHRAE pocket guide for air conditioning, heating,
ventilation, refrigeration, 9th ed. Atlanta: ASHRAE.
Spitler, J. 2014. ASHRAE cooling and heating load calculation principles, 2nd
ed. Atlanta: ASHRAE.

1.5.4 Other Resources

AABC. 2016. National Standards for Total System Balance, 7th ed. Washington,
DC: Associated Air Balance Council.
AMCA. AMCA Publications and Standards. Arlington Heights, IL: Air
Movement and Control Association.
NEBB. 2015. Procedural standards for testing, adjusting, and balancing of
environmental systems, 8th ed. Gaithersburg, MD: National Environmental
Balancing Bureau.
NFPA. NFPA Publications. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association.
6| Introduction

SMACNA. 2003. TAB procedural guide. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air
Conditioning Contractors’ National Association.
SMACNA. SMACNA publications. Chantilly, VA: Sheet Metal and Air
Conditioning Contractors’ National Association.
USGBC. LEED–BC+D (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Build-
ing Design and Construction). Washington, DC: United States Green Building
Council.
USGBC. LEED–ID+C (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Interior
Design and Construction). Washington, DC: United States Green Building
Council.
USGBC. LEED–O+M (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—Building
Operation and Maintenance). Washington, DC: United States Green Building
Council.

Several equipment manufacturers have developed HVAC design manuals

and/or equipment application notes. These are not specifically listed here, in
accordance with ASHRAE’s commercialism policy, but are recommended as
sources of practical design and application advice. A search of manufacturers’
websites (for manuals or education) will usually show what is currently available
(for free or for a fee).
An extensive list of applicable codes and standards, including contact
addresses for promulgating organizations, is provided in a concluding chapter in
each of the ASHRAE Handbooks.