SERVICES VI ( AR-310B)

LECTURE 7

AIR-CONDITIONING – SYSTEMS &

EQUIPMENT
 INTRODUCTION
 There exists large number of variations in types of
Air-conditioning Systems and ways in which these are
used.

These variables could be:

 Capacity, performance & spatial requirements.

 Initial & Running Costs.
 Required system reliability & flexibility
 Maintainability
 Architectural Constraints

 Space requirement for large AC units may vary

from 4 – 9 % of the gross building area (depending of
BASIS OF SYSTEMS CLASSIFICATION
BASIS OF SYSTEMS CLASSIFICATION
BASIS OF SYSTEMS CLASSIFICATION
 ALL AIR SYSTEMS
 In all air systems, processed air is the medium used
in the thermal distribution system.

 air is processed in the air conditioning plant and it is

used as the fluid which flows through the thermal
distribution system and a blower or fan transport.

 The air through the thermal distribution system, the

processed air, when supplied to the conditioned
space takes care of the sensible and latent cooling
loads and provides the required amount of fresh air
for ventilation and no additional processing of air is
required in the conditioned space.
 A QUICK RECAP OF A.C. ZONES
 Single zone air-conditioning may not work
satisfactorily when load changes behave differently
in different rooms.

 An air-conditioning zone is a room or group of

rooms in which comfortable conditions can be
maintained by a single controlling device.

 Window A.C.s are examples of these systems.

 AHUs cools or heats air that is distributed to one or

multiple rooms that constitute a single sone.
 A QUICK RECAP OF A.C. ZONES
 Single zone air-conditioning may not work
satisfactorily when load changes behave differently
in different rooms.

 An air-conditioning zone is a room or group of

rooms in which comfortable conditions can be
maintained by a single controlling device.

 Window A.C.s are examples of these systems.

 AHUs cools or heats air that is distributed to one or

multiple rooms that constitute a single sone.
 AHU – Single zone central system A.C.

This AHU system is a complete year-round air-conditioning

system to control both temperature and humidity . However, not
all the components are used in all circumstances.
 A QUICK RECAP OF A.C. ZONES
 In this diagram, Reheat coil is a new term.

 Reheat coil partially reheats the cooled air when the

room heat gain is less than maximum, thus
providing humidity control in summer.

 If no reheat coil is used, temperature but humidity

can be controlled in summer. This coil can act as a
full-fledged heating coil during winter.

 In cold climates, another coil is used called preheat

coil (below freezing situation) so that chilled water
coils do not freeze up.
 A QUICK RECAP OF A.C. ZONES

Bypassing air around the cooling coil provides another method of

controlling humidity but does not give as good a humidity control
in the space as with a reheat coil.
 MULTIPLE ZONE ALL-AIR UNITS
1. Reheat Systems
2. Multizone systems
3. Dual duct system
4. VAV system

 Reheat, multizone and dual duct systems are all

constant air volume (CAV) type systems. Air quality
delivered to different rooms does not vary. Only in
the case of VAV, it varies.

 We will deal with these systems now.

 REHEAT SYSTEMS
 In Reheat system, separate single ducts from AHUs
are distributed to each zone or room that is to be
controlled separately .

 A reheat coil is used in each of these ducts.

 Thus, separate control of both temperature and

humidity can be achieved in each zone.

 The AHU is same as a single zone system except

perhaps the main reheat coil which can be
eliminated.

 But this systems is wasteful in terms of energy

 MULTIZONE SYSTEMS

 A system in which the AHU that has both heating &

cooling coils.
 Zone dampers are provided in the unit across the
hot and cold deck.
 DUAL DUCT SYSTEMS
 In the dual duct system arrangement, separate hot
and cold main ducts are run from heating and
cooling coils in the AHU.

 Mixing boxes are provided in each zone tapping air

from the hot and cold ducts . Dampers in the
mixing box respond to a room thermostat to mix the
proper proportion of hot and cold air delivered to
the zone.
 DUAL DUCT SYSTEMS
 Dual duct systems are generally designed as high
velocity air systems in order to reduce duct sizes.
The mixing boxes therefore have sound attenuation
section built into them.

 The availability of warm and dry air at all times in

any proportion gives the dual duct system great
flexibility in handling many zones with widely
varying loads.

 Installed cost is high as also the fan horse-power due

requirement of large volume air moving at a high
pressure.
 DUAL DUCT & MULTIZONE SYSTEMS
 Both the dual duct and multi-zone systems are
inherently wasteful, since, during part load cooling
for a zone, overcooled air is reheated by mixing
warm air with it. It is double waste of energy.

 Where these systems are used they must have

controls that reset the cold deck (duct) temperature
at the highest value needed for cooling at all times.

 Similarly, there must be controls that reset the hot

deck (duct) temperature at the lowest value needed
for heating at all times. These minimizes the excess
energy expended from the reheating or recooling.
 V.A.V. SYSTEMS
 Varies air volume or VAV system varies the air
quantity rather than temperature to each zone to
maintain the appropriate room temperature.

 The basic VAV system: A single main duct is run

from the air handling unit . Branch ducts are run
from this main through VAV boxes to maintain the
desired room set point temperature.
VAV System - Diagram
V.A.V. SYSTEMS
 PROBLEMS WITH V.A.V. SYSTEMS
 Since, total supply air quantity is reduced at low
loads, the quantity of outside air would also be
reduced .

 One solution could be to use a reheat VAV box

which has a built-in reheat coil. A control limits the
minimum air quantity. If the cooling load continues
to decrease, the reheat coil is activated.

 Low load and the resulting low air flow rates is poor
air distribution in the AC spaces. Diffusers do give
good coverage at maximum design air quantity.
Variable diffusers could be a solution.
CHILLER, CONDENSER AND COOLING TOWER