HVACR416 - Design

Drafts and
Duct System Sizing
Noise
23.5.1
• Two common problems with air distribution systems are noise,
produced by movement or vibration, and drafts.

• Three factors that affect noise are the noise source, carriers, and
noise amplifiers or reflectors.

• Noises may be:

o High pitch sound. Usually caused by air velocity that is too

high. Possibly due to sharp metal edges.

o Low pitch rumble. Usually caused by fan and motor sounds

traveling along duct system.

o Popping sound as unit starts or stops. Caused by expansion

or contraction of the duct.
Noise
23.5.1

• To locate the source of a high-pitched sound, remove the grille or

diffuser. If the noise stops, it was due to sharp edges. Locate and
correct the problem.

• Decibel meters measure noise level.

o Decibels (dB) refer to the frequency of pressure fluctuations in

the air and the amplitude, or size, of these vibrations.

o Airborne sound is expressed in cycles per second (cps).

Noise
• Sources of noise:

o Fans and motors.

o High-velocity air traveling through ducts and

causing turbulence.

o Noises produced by compressors.

o High-velocity refrigerant flow, especially at sharp

bends in the piping.

• Noise caused by high-speed air is often the result of

an undersize unit or duct.
Noise
23.5.1
• Rigid structures are noise or vibration
carriers.

• Hard, smooth surfaces in the conditioned

space may reflect or amplify sound.

• Soft fabrics, such as drapes, curtains, and

fabric-covered furniture, are noise
absorbers. Felt-lined, soft-insulation-lined,
and covered ducts absorb noise.
Drafts
23.5.2
• Ducts and fans must be large enough to provide
correct amount of air for conditioning.

• Air must enter and circulate to all parts of room

without interfering with flow of air to air return.
There should be no objectionable noise or drafts.

• Air moving past people faster than 25 ft/min.

(7.6 m/min), or about 1/4 mile per hour (.4 kph),
creates an annoying draft.

• Air should not flow faster than 1/4 mph (2.25 kph)
through the length of a 25' (7.6m) room.
Drafts
23.5.2

• For a grille outlet designed to throw air into room a

distance of 8'-13' (2.4-3.95m), a velocity of 500 ft/min. (152
m/min.) is needed. Therefore, the grille or outlet locations
must be carefully selected to avoid drafts.

• The location of air returns is important when moving air

across long space at reasonable velocity. Air returns for
long rooms should be on the side opposite where air
enters the space.

• Air returns should be located high on the wall for warm air
return (cooling season) and low on the wall (or in the floor)
for cold air return (heating season).
Drafts
23.5.2

• The location of outlets can minimize drafts in the living areas

of a room.
Drafts

• Locations of return air grilles for residences.

Duct Sizing
• Duct sizing is determined by the air volume to be
23.6
delivered.

o Air volume depends on the amount of heat that the

air must deliver and remove.

o The amount of air delivered must always equal or

exceed the minimum fresh air ventilation
requirements.

• Smaller ducts are now being used to reduce duct size

and save space.

o Operate with about twice the normal air velocity.

o The higher air pressure and velocity require more

powerful fans and create more noise.
Duct Sizing
23.6
• In colder climates, duct size is based on
heating needs.

• In warmer climates, duct size is based on

cooling needs.

• Where both heating and cooling are needed,

one duct system serves both.

o Higher air volumes are required for air

conditioning.

o System capacity is increased by

increasing the fan speed by about 20%.
Air Volumes for Heating
23.6.1
• When the furnace is the only source of heat for a room,
three factors must be known to calculate the air volume:

o Heat load.

o Room temperature.

o Duct temperature.
o
• Then, use the formula:

heat load = specific heat X wt. of air X temp.

difference
Air Volumes for Heating
• Room temperature is decided by the designer. Normally,
23.6.1
the temperature is 72°F (22°C).

• The duct temperature is more difficult to decide.

o Low duct temperature used = large air volumes

necessary to carry enough heat.

o High duct temperatures used = furnace must operate

with higher chimney (stack) temperatures. Ducts may
need to be insulated.

o For heating, engineers recommend the grille

temperature be at least 125°F (52°C); duct air
temperature should be near 140°F (60°C).

• Specific heat of air is 0.24 Btu/lb.°F (1.004 kJ/kgK).

Air Volumes for Heating
• Since the heat load, specific heat, and the temperature
23.6.1
difference are known, use the formula to determine the
weight of the required air per minute.

• Now, air volume must be determined. To find the total

volume, first find the volume of one pound of air at room and
duct temperatures.

o From a psychrometric chart, the volume of one pound of

air at room temperature (72°F) is 13.55 ft3.

o Use Charles’s law to find the volume of one pound of air

at duct temperature (140°F), which is calculated to be
15.28 ft3.

• Finally, multiply the weight per minute by the volume per

pound to determine the total volume per minute (cfm).
Air Volumes for Cooling
• To obtain air volume needed, large ducts and lower air
23.6.2
pressure (velocity) should be used.

o Less power will be needed.

o Duct cost is one-time cost.

o A larger fan and motor mean continuous higher power

costs.

o The higher velocity needed with smaller ducts creates

more noise.

• Short method for determining air volume:

o For each square foot of floor space, excluding basement,

use 1 cfm. If a home has 1500 ft2 based on outside
dimensions, the fan capacity should be 1500 cfm.
Air Volumes for Cooling
23.6.2
• A typical uninsulated home needs 12,000 Btus of cooling
per hour (1 ton) for each 400 ft2 of floor space. To
determine the cooling load for a 1500 ft2 house:

1500/400 X 12,000 Btu = 45,000 Btu/hr (4 ton).

• There should be six to ten air changes per hour.

o Return air is warmer and at a lower pressure, so it

occupies more volume.

o Return ductwork should be about 20% larger in cross-

section area than the delivery duct.
Air Volumes for Cooling
23.6.2
• Air volume for cooling is calculated in same way as for
heating.

o Knowing heat load, specific heat of air, and temperature

difference, the weight of air needed can be determined.
o
o If weight of air is known, air volume can be determined
and duct size selected.
o
• Formula:

heat load = specific heat of air X wt. of air X temp.

difference
Duct Calculations
• In some systems, a duct serves more than one
23.6.3
room.

o Each room served must receive the correct

amount of air.

o Distribution must be balanced.

• There are two methods for calculating the proper

size for plenum chambers, main ducts, branch
ducts, and grilles.

o Unit pressure drop system.

o Total pressure drop system (most accurate).

Unit Pressure Drop System
23.6.3
• Air forced through a duct follows the path of
least resistance.

• Many duct systems have several openings

(grilles) for air to escape from the duct.

• A duct with low resistance will allow the most

air to flow through it.

• Ducts with higher resistance will not carry the

correct amount of air.

• In the past, duct installations often fed too

much air to some rooms and not enough to
others.
Unit Pressure Drop System
23.6.3

• Unit pressure drop

calculating system uses the
same pressure drop for each
length of duct throughout
system.

• To determine the air volume

handled by a duct size,
airflow data are needed.
Unit Pressure Drop System

• A friction chart for airflow in straight ducts. Values

were obtained by research.
Unit Pressure Drop System
23.6.3
• Friction charts have four variables:

o Friction loss in inches of water on the vertical

scale (equal-value lines are horizontal).

o Cubic feet of air/min on the horizontal scale

(equal-value lines are vertical).

o Velocity on scale lines that slant down to the

right.

o Round duct diameter on scale lines that slant

down to left.
Total Pressure Drop System
23.6.3

• More accurate method of

calculating proper sizes of ducts.

• Based on having the same total

pressure drop from the fan to
each outlet.