Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

*Introduction:
The term HVAC is an abbreviation of heating (H), ventilating (V), and air conditioning (AC).
The combination of processes in this commonly adopted term is equivalent to air
conditioning. Because all these individual component processes were developed before the
more complete concept of air conditioning, the term HVAC is often used by the industry. The
HVAC transfers the heat energy from or to the products, or building environment. The energy
in form of electricity or heat is used to power mechanical equipment designed to transfer heat
from a colder, low energy level to a warmer, high-energy level.

*Functions of HVAC System:

Most of the HVAC systems perform the following functions:
1. Provide the cooling and heating energy required.
2. Condition the supply air, that is, heat or cool, humidify or dehumidify, clean and purify,
and attenuate any objectionable noise produced by the HVAC equipment.
3. Distribute the conditioned air to the conditioned space.
4. Control and maintain the indoor environmental parameters–such as temperature,
humidity, cleanliness, air movement, sound level, and the pressure differential between
the conditioned space and surroundings- within predetermined limits.

*Goal of HVAC System:

The goal is to provide an HVAC system which is environmentally friendlier, energy-efficient,
and cost-effective as follows:
1. Effectively control indoor environmental parameters, usually to keep temperature and
humidity within required limits.
2. Provide an adequate amount of outdoor ventilation air and an acceptable indoor air
quality. Use energy-efficient equipment and HVAC systems.
3. Minimize ozone depletion and the global warming effect.
4. Select cost-effective components and systems.

*Types of Air Conditioning System:

Air conditioning systems can be classified according to their applications as- 1. Comfort air
conditioning systems and 2. Process air conditioning systems.
1. Comfort air conditioning systems: Comfort air conditioning systems provide occupants
with a comfortable and healthy indoor environment in which to carry out their activities. The
various uses of comfort air conditioning systems are- office buildings, supermarkets,

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restaurants, educational institutions, hotels, apartment houses, hospitals, aircraft, cruising
ships, etc.
2. Process air conditioning systems: Process air conditioning systems provide needed indoor
environmental control for manufacturing, product storage, or other research and development
processes.
One of the most widely used sectors of process air conditioning systems is Modern refrigerated
warehouses. They not only store commodities in coolers at temperatures of 27 to 32°F and
frozen foods at 10 to 20°F, but also provide relative-humidity control for perishable foods
between 90 and 100 percent. Refrigerated storage is used to prevent deterioration. Temperature
control can be performed by refrigeration systems only, but the simultaneous control of both
temperature and relative humidity in the space can only be performed by process air
conditioning systems.

*Importance of Controlling Air Humidity in Buildings:

Conventional HVAC design focuses on indoor temperature, but keeping humidity under
control is also very important. Excessive moisture and dryness both have negative
consequences, and the recommendation is keeping humidity within a moderate range.

 Problems Caused by Excessive Humidity:

High humidity causes many issues that affect both buildings (materials) and their occupants
(health). Condensation on metallic surfaces causes rusting. Old plumbing systems made
from cast iron are especially vulnerable to rust. Humidity can also accumulate in the spaces
within walls. Wood and paint are especially vulnerable to damage from accumulated
moisture. Air-conditioned spaces with excessive humidity cause discomfort and create
health issues. This is a common issue with oversized air conditioning systems: they cool the
air too fast, and humidity is not removed effectively. Humidity also stimulates the growth
of mold and dust mites, and both organisms cause respiratory irritation and allergies.
Remove all the mold and dust mites in a building interior is unfeasible, and a much better
approach is to lower air humidity. Both organisms die off when air humidity is reduced to
the levels recommended.

 Problems Caused by Excessive Air Dryness:

Excessive dryness also causes material damage, discomfort and health problems. Air
moisture should be removed, when necessary, but not to the point where relative humidity
drops below the recommended range. Wood tends to deform and crack when air humidity
is too low, and paint may start falling off from surfaces. Air dryness tends to irritate the
skin, eyes and respiratory system.

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 Keeping Relative Humidity Within the Optimal Range:

As previously mentioned, humidification and dehumidification systems can keep air

moisture at optimal levels. The best approach is –
 Sizing HVAC equipment for optimal control of temperature and humidity or using
those heating and cooling systems which can deliver adequate temperature and
humidity simultaneously.
 Using additional measures only when necessary [only when (i) is not possible].
HVAC engineers specify these additional measures as humidification or
dehumidification equipment. But these devices consume additional energy and they
have both price and operating cost. So, the recommendation is to only purchase them
after a professional assessment.
In conclusion it can be said that, a well-designed HVAC system not only controls the indoor
temperature, but also relative humidity. A moderate level of air moisture is recommended,
since extreme humidity and dryness cause material damage and health issues. Adding
humidification or dehumidification may seem like the simplest solution, but better results
may be possible by improving the existing HVAC installation.

*BASIC Air-Conditioning System:

Figure shows the schematic diagram of an air-conditioning plant. The majority of the air is
drawn from the space, mixed with outside ventilation air and then conditioned before being
blown back into the space. The components, from left to right, are:
Outside Air Damper, which closes off the outside air intake
when the system is switched off. The damper can be on a spring
return with a motor to drive it open; then it will automatically
close on power failure. On many systems there will be a metal
mesh screen located upstream of the filter, to prevent birds and
small animals from entering, and to catch larger items such as
leaves and pieces of paper.
Mixing chamber, where return air from the space is mixed with the outside ventilation air.
Filter, which cleans the air by removing solid airborne contaminants (dirt). The filter is
positioned so that it cleans the return air and the ventilation air. The filter is also positioned
upstream of any heating or cooling coils, to keep the coils clean. This is particularly important
for the cooling coil, because the coil is wet with condensation when it is cooling.
Heating coil, which raises the air temperature to the required supply temperature.
Cooling coil, which provides cooling and dehumidification. A thermostat mounted in the space
will normally control this coil. A single thermostat and controller are often used to control both

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 Figure: Air-Conditioning Plant
the heating and the cooling coil. This method reduces energy waste, because it ensures the two
coils cannot both be “on” at the same time.
Humidifier, which adds moisture, and which is usually controlled by a humidistat in the space.
In addition, a high humidity override humidistat will often be mounted just downstream of the
fan, to switch the humidification “off” if it is too humid in the duct. This minimizes the
possibility of condensation forming in the duct.
Fan, to draw the air through the resistance of the system and blow it into the space.

*Economizer:
In many climates there are substantial periods of time when cooling is required and the return
air from the space is warmer and moister than the outside air. During these periods, we can
reduce the cooling load on the cooling coil by bringing in more outside air than that required
for ventilation. This can be accomplished by expanding the design of the basic air-conditioning
system to include an economizer.

Figure: Air-Conditioning Plant with Economizer

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The economizer consists of three (or four) additional components.
1. Expanded air intake and damper, sized for 100% system flow.
2. Relief air outlet with automatic damper, to exhaust excess air to outside.
3. Return air damper, to adjust the flow of return air into the mixing chamber.
4. (Optional) Return fan in the return air duct. The return fan is often added on economizer
systems, particularly on larger systems. If there is no return fan, the main supply fan
must provide enough positive pressure in the space to force the return air out through
any ducting and the relief dampers. This can cause unacceptable pressures in the space,
making doors slam and difficult to open. When the return air fan is added it will
overcome the resistance of the return duct and relief damper, so the space pressure stays
near neutral to outside.

NAME – 429 Prepared By- Ishrar Israil Monisha