ApacheHVAC User Guide

Part E: Prototype Systems

IES Virtual Environment

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No part of the manual is to be copied or reproduced in any form without the express agreement of
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Contents

1 Prototype HVAC Systems (section under construction) ................................................................5

1.1 Prototype HVAC systems: System types and configurations..................................................6
1.1.1 Loading HVAC systems from and exporting to library or project folders .................................................... 8
1.2 Working with prototype systems ....................................................................................... 14
1.2.1 Loading, saving, and retrieving prototype systems ................................................................................... 16
1.2.2 Selecting, moving, copying, and naming systems ...................................................................................... 16
1.2.3 Modifying pre-define prototype systems .................................................................................................. 16
1.3 Prototype HVAC systems: Common features ...................................................................... 19
1.3.1 System-level or air handler vs. zone-level elements ................................................................................. 21
1.3.2 Outside air intake and outlet ..................................................................................................................... 21
1.3.3 Airside energy recovery ............................................................................................................................. 21
1.3.4 Energy recovery and bypass damper section ............................................................................................ 21
1.3.5 Outside air ventilation damper and airside economizer ........................................................................... 24
1.3.6 Return air damper component .................................................................................................................. 35
1.3.7 Supply fan .................................................................................................................................................. 36
1.3.8 Return fan .................................................................................................................................................. 37
1.3.9 Cooling coil – system level or AHU ............................................................................................................ 37
1.3.10 Heating coil – system level or AHU ............................................................................................................ 37
1.3.11 Duct heat gain/loss component – zone level ............................................................................................. 37
1.3.12 Reheat coil and controller (or similar components) – zone level .............................................................. 37
1.3.13 Zone or “principal room” component ....................................................................................................... 37
1.3.14 Return air plenum component .................................................................................................................. 37
1.3.15 VAV airflow controls .................................................................................................................................. 38
1.3.16 Exhaust fan ................................................................................................................................................ 39
1.3.17 Exhaust airflow controller .......................................................................................................................... 39
1.3.18 Transfer airflow controller ......................................................................................................................... 39
1.4 Prototype systems: System-specific descriptions and guidance........................................... 40
1.4.1 Packaged Terminal Air-Conditioning (PTAC) .............................................................................................. 40
1.4.2 Packaged Terminal Heat Pump (PTHP) ...................................................................................................... 40
1.4.3 Single-zone air-conditioning system with furnace (PSZ-AC) ...................................................................... 40
1.4.4 Single-zone heat pump system (PSZ-HP) ................................................................................................... 40
1.4.5 VAV-reheat using DX Cooling and HW boiler............................................................................................. 40
1.4.6 VAV using DX Cooling and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat ................................................ 40
1.4.7 VAV-reheat using water-cooled chiller and HW boiler .............................................................................. 40
1.4.8 VAV using water-cooled chiller and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat ................................. 40
1.4.9 Dedicated outside air system (DOAS) with four-pipe fan-coil units, EWC chiller and HW boiler. ............. 41
1.4.10 Indirect-direct evaporative cooling version of VAV-reheat system 5 above with backup DX cooling and
zone-level CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation (DCV). ................................................................... 41
1.4.11 VAV-reheat with differential-enthalpy economizer set up for the public areas of a hotel or similar
building with PTAC systems for individual guest/resident rooms drawing air from an atrium zone on the
main VAV system. ...................................................................................................................................... 41
1.4.12 Mixed-mode natural ventilation and VAV-reheat with zone temperature and zone CO2 overrides for
nat-vent when it is insufficient .................................................................................................................. 41
1.4.13 Single-fan dual-duct and with zone-level mixing boxes............................................................................. 41

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 1.4.14 Dual-fan-dual-duct with zone-level mixing boxes. .................................................................................... 41
1.4.15 Underfloor air distribution with parallel fan-powered boxes for perimeter zones, leakage path, and
heating-mode re-mixing of PFPb zones. .................................................................................................... 41
1.4.16 UFAD/DV system as above, plus heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for free re-heat of sub-cooled
(dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil. ........................................................................................... 41
1.4.17 Active chilled beams and DOAS for ventilation using electric water-cooled chiller with waterside
economizer and condenser heat recovery; HW boiler and recovered heat for DOAS and zone baseboard
fin-tube convectors. ................................................................................................................................... 43
1.4.18 Radiant heating and cooling panels (i.e., four-pipe system), plus DOAS with airside energy recovery and
DCV. ........................................................................................................................................................... 43
1.4.19 Radiant panels and DOAS as above with heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for free re-heat of sub-
cooled (i.e., dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil. ........................................................................ 43

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 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems
The ApacheHVAC User Guide is divided into five parts—five separate documents—each of which covers a
set of related topics. Ten ApacheHVAC User Guide Appendices provide additional information.

A: Overview and Fundamentals

Part A describes general functions, toolbars, tree, canvas, drawing tools, overlays and
annotations, HVAC prototypes library, constructing systems, multiplexing basics, types of
components and controllers, essential rules, Integrated System Management (ISM) basics,
overview of the System Parameters UI, typical workflow, and results view.
Many of these topics are appear again in parts B–E where they are covered in greater detail.

B: Equipment, Loops, Components, and Controls

Plant Equipment and Water Loops
Airside Components and Controllers
Room Unit Components and Controllers

C: Working with Prototype HVAC Networks

Prototype HVAC Systems Library
Rooms, Zones, Layers, and Multiplexing
Integrated System Management (ISM), emphasizing broader VE context as in ISM phases
1b and 2, and productivity tools in phase 3; will cover phases 1-3 as they are released.
System Setup, System Parameters, Zones Tabular Edit, Loads, Ventilation, Autosizing,
Loads Reports, and Results Analysis workflow and essential steps.

D: System Parameters Interface for HVAC Networks

Description of each individual parameter and control in the System Parameters dialog.
See also Appendix B: System Parameter Dialog Data Mapping.

E: Prototype Systems
System types and common features of Prototype Systems in the HVAC Systems Library

Appendix A: Rules for Air Flow Specification

Appendix B: System Parameter Dialog Data Mapping
Appendix C: ApacheHVAC Component and Controller Limits
Appendix D: HVAC Systems Modeling Guidance for the ASHRAE 90.1 Performance Rating Method
Appendix E: Ground-Source Heat Pump Modeling with ApacheHVAC and Gaia Geothermal GLD
Appendix F: VRF systems in ApacheHVAC
Appendix G: Hydronic Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems in ApacheHVAC
Appendix H: UFAD and Displacement Ventilation in ApacheHVAC
Appendix I: Solar Hot Water Applications in ApacheHVAC
Appendix J: Pre-ISM Zone Loads, Ventilation, and Autosizing using the Loads Data Spreadsheet and
original System Schedules interface (VE2015 and earlier versions)
Zone Loads, Ventilation, and Autosizing using the Loads Data Spreadsheet
System Schedules dialog and HVAC controller profiles relative to setpoints
Manual Adjustment of Throttling Range for Space Temp & Humidity

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1 Prototype HVAC Systems (section under construction)
This section describes the pre-define prototype systems, the parameters within them that can be set by
the user directly (independent of the dialogs in the System Prototypes & Sizing navigator), and the
approach to modifying their configurations and controls without disabling the autosizing functionality.

Figure 1-1: The Prototypes Systems Library facilitates loading any pre-defined or user-defined system.

ApacheHVAC includes a range of pre-defined systems for which numerous parameters (controller inputs,
flow rates, coil sizes, temperature resets, fan sizes, heating and cooling plant equipment capacities, etc.)
can be autosized with respect to setpoints, design loads, ventilation rates, operating schemes, and so
forth. There also capability for autosizing coils, fans, and heating & cooling equipment in fully custom-built
systems. Section 7: System Loads, Ventilation, and Autosizing, describes the auto-sizing process,
opportunities for user intervention, and the setting of associated system schedules, operating schemes
for unoccupied hours, economizer operation, and other system parameters.
IMPORTANT: While pre-defined prototype systems will function with only the assignment of rooms or
zones having been completed, appropriate results depend upon completion of sizing at two levels. This
sizing process, as described in the previous section, is completed in two stages (see ApacheHVAC User
Guide part C - Working with Prototype HVAC Networks, section 4 System Loads and Autosizing).

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1.1 Prototype HVAC systems: System types and configurations
The full set of pre-defined HVAC systems in VE 2013 includes the following (Please note that the range of
systems offered is expanding with each major release; therefore this list may not include or describe all
systems in the Prototype Systems Library:
• All eight systems required by the ASHRAE 90.1 Performance Rating Method (PRM) with all
default equipment, component, and control inputs (including air and water supply
temperature resets, etc.) set to 90.1-PRM Baseline values. These generic systems are also
provided in a “standard” form that includes a small number of additional features and non-
PRM default settings and initial inputs values. Either version of these can be used outside the
context of the ASHRAE 90.1 PRM; only those labeled as “PRM Baseline” systems should be
used for the baseline model in the context of the ASHRAE 90.1 PRM:
o Packaged Terminal Air-Conditioning (PTAC)
o Packaged Terminal Heat Pump (PTHP)
o Single-zone air-conditioning system with furnace (PSZ-AC)
o Single-zone heat pump system (PSZ-HP)
o VAV-reheat using DX Cooling and HW boiler
o VAV using DX Cooling and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat
o VAV-reheat using water-cooled chiller and HW boiler
o VAV using water-cooled chiller and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat
o Heat & vent only DOAS with either furnace or electric resistance heat (for 90.1-2010)
These systems meet all ASHRAE 90.1-2007 PRM requirements for baseline systems modeling,
including all detailed system-specific requirements. Where equipment performance standards
vary with sized equipment capacity or design airflow rates, such values are revised according
to PRM requirements at the time of autosizing if the system application is a PRM baseline
model (there are a small number of exceptions, such as number of chillers, that still require
user intervention). For example, multiple pre-defined DX cooling types are provided for each
standard load range and associated COP/EER for DX cooling in systems 03–06. While users can
manually select these DX types, in the case of a PRM baseline model, the DX cooling type will
be automatically re-assigned to match the COP/EER to the load range as required by ASHRAE.
• Alternate configurations for both PTAC and PTHP systems (four each), supporting different fan-
and coil control schemes, ventilation/exhaust airflow paths, and choice of models for DX
cooling and small unitary systems, accommodating preference or available performance data.
• Dedicated outside air system (DOAS) with four-pipe fan-coil units, optional demand-controlled
ventilation, EWC chiller, and HW boiler.
• Indirect-direct evaporative cooling variant of the basic VAV-reheat system with backup DX
cooling and zone-level CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation (DCV).
• VAV-reheat with differential-enthalpy economizer set up for the public areas of a hotel or
similar building with PTAC systems for individual guest/resident rooms drawing ventilation air
from an atrium zone on the main VAV system.
• Mixed-mode natural ventilation and VAV-reheat with zone temperature and zone CO2
overrides to force mechanical operation whenever nat-vent is insufficient (for example, when
not enough cooling or ventilation is provided via operable windows, perhaps because there is
insufficient wind, in spite of favorable indoor-outdoor thermal conditions).

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 • Advanced VAV system with all zones voting on the continuously modulated minimum outside
air ventilation rate to ensure that no one zone has insufficient ventilation when load diversity
(thus VAV box position diversity) is high and that the system OA is truly minimized when
diversity is low. As such, this system also supports lower minimum VAV flow rates.
• VAV with parallel and series fan-powered boxes: The parallel fan-power box configuration is
typical (as in ASHRAE 90.1 App. G PRM Baseline systems 6 and 8); the series system includes
VAV fan-powered boxes (i.e., assuming variable-speed fan with VSD) and a zone-level mixing
damper to temper primary supply air with recirculated air so that the AHU can deliver low-
temperature supply air (e.g., 45 F) to the zones.
• DOAS with water-loop heat pumps (WLJPs) sharing a common heat transfer loop (HTL). The
HTL can use a wide variety of heat acquisition and rejection devices to maintain common loop
temperature within a set range. For example, the HTL includes a water-source heat exchanger
for acquiring/rejecting heat to/from a lake, well, ground-water source, or similar. Zone WLHPs
freely exchange heat via the HTL whenever simultaneous heating & cooling operation occurs.
• Single-fan dual-duct and with zone-level VAV mixing boxes.
• Dual-fan-dual-duct with zone-level VAV mixing boxes.
• Computer room air-conditioning (CRAC) and computer-room air-handler (CRAH) packaged
single-zone systems using DX cooling and chilled water coils, respectively (no heat).
• 100% outside air CAV-reheat system for laboratories featuring specialized temperature
controls for maintaining unusually narrow zone temperature control range (while minimized
by the coil control scheme, this is at the expense of some reheat owing to the fundamental
system configuration). This system also has a second CAV airflow control that maintains a
constant airflow rate in unoccupied hours according to the user setting for the Min fan flow
rate (typically on the order of 50% for laboratories using this type of configuration).
• Underfloor air distribution (UFAD) displacement ventilation (DV) with parallel fan-powered
boxes for perimeter zones, and re-mixing of PFPb zones when they’re in heating mode. Can
also be used for thermal displacement ventilation by simply omitting the PFPb’s, UFAD
plenum, and re-mixing in heating mode.
• UFAD/DV system as above, plus heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for free re-heat of sub-
cooled (dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil.
• Active chilled beams with DOAS for ventilation, both using electric water-cooled chiller with
waterside economizer and condenser heat recovery; recovered heat and HW boiler for DOAS
heating coil and zone baseboard fin-tube convectors.
• 4-pipe version of the active beams system (chilled and heated beams).
• Advanced variant of 4-pipe active beams system (chilled and heated beams) with multiple
zones on a single VAV box for primary airflow, but each zone having separate control over
water flow to heating and cooling coils in active beams.
• Radiant heating and cooling panels (i.e., four-pipe system), plus DOAS with airside energy
recovery and CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation (DCV).
• Radiant panels and DOAS as above with heat pipe, run-around coil, or heat wheel in AHU for
free re-heat of sub-cooled (i.e., dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil.
• Heat & vent only DOAS systems with options for gas boiler, furnace, or electric resistance heat
and either DCV or constant-volume ventilation.

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1.1.1 Loading HVAC systems from and exporting to library or project folders

1.1.1.1 HVAC Library toolbar buttons

• Load/import HVAC networks from system library, user library folders, and previous projects.
• Export HVAC networks (all, one complete network, selected subset, plant only) to user libraries
Use the load/import from library toolbar button to access the Import dialog shown above and browse the

1.1.1.2 HVAC Library Import Systems dialog

Figure 1-2: ApacheHVAC includes a library of numerous pre-defined, autosizable HVAC systems that can
be selected, previewed, and loaded from the dialog shown above. This dialog also provides access to user
libraries and project folders and options for inclusion of plant equipment, fuel code/energy end-use types,
and profiles referenced in the systems being loaded or imported.

1.1.1.3 HVAC Library folders

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 • Prototype systems – standard, fully autosizable: This is the principal and most complete set of
autosizable library systems provided with ApacheHVAC.
• User exported systems – Local: User library located in the VE apps/Templates/HVAC folder
• User exported systems – Any: Browse to any user library location or project folder
• Simplified systems: Non-autosizable systems with highly simplified configurations and controls
• 90.1 PRM 2004 and 2007 Baseline systems: Required baseline system configurations and
equipment with auto-selection of equipment (e.g., DX cooling types) where feasible and default
values set for the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 and 2007 Appendix G Performance Rating Method.
• 90.1 PRM 2010 Baseline systems: Required baseline system configurations and equipment with
auto-selection of equipment (e.g., DX cooling types) where feasible and default values set for the
ASHRAE 90.1-2010 Appendix G Performance Rating Method.
• Prototype equip, profiles, fuel codes only: This folder contains pre-defined equipment, profiles,
and fuel codes for import (e.g., to a user system file), but no airside HVAC networks.
• GreenMark: Required baseline system configurations and equipment with default values set for
the GreenMark Performance Rating Method.

1.1.1.4 HVAC Library systems selection and filtering

Figure 1-3: HVAC systems selection: branches of the library folder tree can be collapsed and expanded;
characters entered in the field at the top of the tree can be used to filter the list of files; a description of
each system is provided below the tree; and the preview window displays the selected airside network.

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 Figure 1-4: The Stay in dialog option allows selecting and loading multiple systems without need to re-
open the HVAC library dialog, navigate library folder, or reset filtering of the HVAC system files. The auto-
placement feature places each subsequent HVAC network to the right (in a row) or below (in a column)
any systems already on the canvas. The auto-placement option can be changed at any time.

1.1.1.5 HVAC Library Import options

Figure 1-5: The Import options tab provides selection of which categories of plant equipment will be
loaded, criteria for filtering equipment in each category, and which profiles or fuel-code/energy end-use
types, if any, should be loaded with the HVAC system network(s).
Additional systems can be loaded at any time and additional sizing runs performed as needed.

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1.1.1.6 Modifying pre-defined HVAC Library systems
Prototype systems can be modified or used as resources from which to copy elements for customizing or
extending the capabilities of a particular system. For all but advanced users, however, it is recommended
that initial system sizing and brief test simulations are completed prior to modifying the system
configuration, components, or controls (substantial experience with ApacheHVAC is also recommended).
While some autosizing features are constrained to particular component and controller applications or
configurations, all of the pre-defined systems can be extensively modified. This includes combining
features from multiple systems into one, directly coupling systems, or adding custom component and
control configurations.

Figure 1-6: HVAC library systems 05c – VAV hotel-dorm public areas plus PTAC rooms and 07i – Multi-AHU
- DCV - commonDOAS are examples of system configurations that combine other pre-defined HVAC
networks for floor-by-floor applications, cascading airflow, or similar schemes.

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 Figure 1-7: System 07c – Mix-mode VAVr-NatVent is an example of a more basic system (07a – VAV
reheat) with four dependent controllers added to coordinate mixed-mode mechanical HVAC operation
with that of operable openings or any of many possible controlled natural ventilation schemes.
For example, the pre-defined DCV controls, heat pipes, or controllers for mixed-mode operation could be
drag & drop copied from other pre-defined systems to one of the Active chilled beam systems. The air
supply for the system could be drawn from an atrium or other space on another system. The heat
recovery could then be modified to model a desiccant wheel regenerated by heat recovered from the
condenser loop on the electric water-cooled chiller, which can also me set to use a waterside economizer
(waterside free cooling). There are also special features for advanced modeling, such as surface
temperature (e.g., ceiling or floor slab) sensors for control of hydronic components.
Airside components—coils, mixing dampers, spray chambers, heat exchangers, fans, flow splitters, etc.—
sensors and controllers can be arranged as needed to model custom configurations, such as an earth
tube or subterranean labyrinth for pre-conditioning intake air, series or dual-mode rather than parallel
fan-powered boxes, a DX cooling and dehumidification system with desiccant wheel regenerated by waste
heat from the DX condenser coil, staged dual-max and triple-max VAV controls, specialized temperature
resets, or a laboratory with exhaust air changes made up by a combination of supply air and transfer air
from adjacent spaces.
All available waterside and plant equipment selections, options, and parameters, including user-defined
equipment, can be added or modified within any pre-defined prototype system without detracting from
the autosizing and simulation capabilities. (Note that hydronic room units, such as radiators and chilled

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 ceilings, are autosizable within prototype systems as of VE2013; however, these are zone-level features
for which autosizing is currently still tied to the Load Data spreadsheet for each system.)
For chillers, boilers, and DX cooling there are both detailed models with editable pre-defined performance
curves and models using a matrix of part-load data. There is detailed modeling of chilled water loops,
flexible sequencing of separately defined boilers, chillers, and other sources of hot or chilled water, and
detailed hot-water and chilled-water coil models with autosize and design sizing modes. There are also
editable models for cooling towers and fluid coolers, and various options for modeling pumps on primary,
secondary, and tertiary (hydronic unit/zone) water loops.

PLEASE NOTE: This section of the ApacheHVAC User Guide is presently still under construction. Please be
sure to check for updates.

Part-load data matrices are provided for modeling generic and non-standard heating and cooling sources.
For this type of model, cooling COP can vary both with load and outdoor conditions. Part-load cooling
sources can also use the chilled-water loop model and associate pump modeling, but do not share the
detailed condenser-water loop and cooling tower models used by the full electric water-cooled chiller
model. Like hot-water boilers, part-load heat source models can use recovered chiller condenser heat
must presently still modulate associated pump power according to heating load. Any heat source can
serve space heating and/or domestic hot water loads, and a solar thermal hot water model with storage
tank is available to use as the first source of heat for domestic hot water.
Presently, mapping of results for any given node in the HVAC system on a psychrometric chart must still
be done by transferring state points to a separate psychrometric chart tool. However, this data is
available for every simulation time step and the Vista Results view supports graphing selected zone and
system-level node variables on the same graph. Room conditions and outdoor variables can similarly be
added to the same graph. Anything that can be graphed can also be viewed, copied, and exported to
other tools as a table of results data for each time step.

The pre-defined systems added in 6.3 include versions of systems 1 & 2 using the more detailed Unitary Cooling System
Model, a more advanced configuration of system 5 with enthalpy economizer and directly coupled copies of system 1 for
residence/hotel rooms, and a range of eight more advanced “non-conventional” systems. These include the following:

• Packaged terminal air conditioning using the detailed Unitary Cooling System (UCS) model
(appropriate for small single-zone units with fixed-speed fans that cycle on and off, such as
through-the-wall AC), with a hot-water heating coil coupled to a central boiler.
• Packaged terminal heat pump using the detailed Unitary Cooling System (UCS) model (appropriate
for small single-zone units with fixed-speed fans that cycle on and off, such as through-the-wall AC)
in cooling mode and an air-source heat pump in heating mode, with electric-resistance backup
heating coil.
• Indirect-direct evaporative cooling VAV-reheat system with backup DX cooling coil, dew-point-
temperature OA economizer high-limit control, zone-level humidity high-limit control, and CO2-
based demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) using zone-level sensors to first force individual VAV
boxes further open and the request additional outside air at the system level.

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 • VAV-reheat with differential-enthalpy economizer set up for the public areas of a hotel, dormitory,
or similar building with PTAC systems for individual rooms drawing air from and atrium zone prior
to the return path of the main VAV system.
• Mixed-mode natural ventilation and VAV-reheat with zone temperature and zone CO2 overrides to
re-introduce system air supply when nat-vent mode is insufficient (e.g., when the room occupancy
is very high or wind-driven pressure differentials are too low) in spite of indoor-outdoor thermal
conditions that are appropriate for ventilation and cooling via operable openings.
• Dual-fan-dual-duct system with dew-point-temperature OA economizer high-limit control and
zone-level mixing boxes (reduces fan energy and avoids the need for reheat, but requires second
set of ducts).
• Underfloor air distribution with parallel fan-powered boxes (PFPb’s) for perimeter zones, leakage
path, and re-mixing of otherwise thermally stratified PFPb zones when in heating mode.
• Underfloor air distribution as above, plus heat pipe or run-around coil in the AHU for “free” re-heat
of sub-cooled (i.e., dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil, and accounting for added static
pressure seen by the supply fan when airflow passes through the heat pipe/coil (i.e., when it is not
bypassed).
• Active chilled beams (zone-level induction units with cooling coils and induced flow in proportion to
the primary airflow) and a Dedicated Outside Air System (DOAS) for temperate ventilation air.
• Radiant heating & cooling panels (multiple two-pipe or four-pipe units can be placed in each zone; 2
types are pre-defined for both heating and cooling as examples), plus DOAS with zone CO2-based
DCV.
• Radiant panels and DOAS as above with heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for “free” re-heat of
sub-cooled (i.e., dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil, accounting for added static pressure
seen by the supply fan when airflow passes through the heat pipe/coil (i.e., when it is not
bypassed).

All 22 predefined systems will now load via the System Prototypes “S” button in ApacheHVAC and the System Prototypes
& Sizing Navigator. When the tabbed views have been provided in ApacheHVAC, users will load these predefined systems
individually, as needed.

1.2 Working with prototype systems

All pre-defined controllers, configurations, default values, and autosized values are meant to be a starting
point. This starting point provides defaults for ASHRAE baseline systems, a means of facilitating the rapid
use of systems without excessive setup effort, and an example of how the system are intended to be set
up. In other words, the pre-defined configurations, default values, and their relationships are meant to be
instructive and illustrative, but not set in stone. Except in the case of autosized ASHRAE baseline systems
in the context of the 90.1 PRM, it is recommended that users modify inputs and configurations as needed
to accurately represent the systems in each actual project.
The following are strongly recommended when learning something new, starting a complex project, or
experimenting with new strategies for a significant project:

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 1. Start with a small model that represents what you’re exploring is the simplest terms, then save to
a new name just before trying something new so that the experiment can be readily tossed out
and started again without any significant loss of investment.
2. Use short simulation runs of one to three select days (very hot, very cold, should season, etc.) to
explore new configurations of models and systems prior to running full annual simulations. This
facilitates rapid and efficient cycles of experimentation and learning.
3. When setting up the model of the full project, combine separate rooms into thermal zones within
ModelIt to the extent feasible, given the diversity of space uses, solar exposures, other loads, and
the required resolution of results. Any actual internal partitions should be retained. In most cases,
there should be no fewer thermal zones than there will be actual thermostats in the building.
4. If already well underway with a large model and there is need to use some aspect of this model to
test a new HVAC system configuration or controls, etc., place the portion of the building that will
be represent what is being tested—e.g., all zones on one particular HVAC air handler that is to be
controlled differently—on a unique layer within ModelIt and turn all other populated model
layers OFF. If there are other systems in the HVAC system file, save a copy of the file and remove
all but the system required for the experiment. This facilitates thermal modeling of just the
selected zones or rooms and just the system associated with them. The simulation run could be
performed for just one important or representative space in the building with other
zones/multiplex layers temporarily removed from the system. This is bounds the experiment,
significantly reducing simulation run times and improving the ease of initial analyses and
detection of input/configuration errors as the first stage of an efficient means of attempting
adjusted, new, complex, or innovative configurations and control strategies. Once corrections and
refinements have been competed in this context, the user can re-introduce other building zones,
systems, etc., perform short runs to refine this, and then perform longer runs to generate needed
whole-building annual results, etc.

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1.2.1 Loading, saving, and retrieving prototype systems

1.2.1.1 Pre-defined and user-defined prototype systems

1.2.1.2 Maintaining connection to referenced schedules and profiles

1.2.2 Selecting, moving, copying, and naming systems

1.2.2.1 Maintaining autosizing capability

1.2.3 Modifying pre-define prototype systems

1.2.3.1 Maintaining autosizing capability for components and controllers with autosized parameters

• The following system elements depend upon the relationships to the Loads Data spreadsheet:
o Room/zone-level airflow sizing process, including oversizing factors, turn-down ratios, etc.
Zone cooling min & max flows
Zone heating min & max flows

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 Ventilation rates
Minimum OA setting the OA economizer damper set
o Settings from the AHU parameters dialog
AHU cooling coil LAT values
AHU heating coil LAT values
OA Economizer enabling
OA Economizer DBT high-limit value
Heat recovery enabling
Heat recovery sensible effectiveness
Heat recovery latent effectiveness
Heat recovery operating power
o Supply fan power curves (static pressure and efficiency values) in PRM baseline systems that
are used in PRM Baseline models.

• Currently, updating system parameters and autosizable values in components controllers in a design or
proposed system—i.e., not the system for a PRM Baseline model—using the “Assign system
parameters and room sizing data” action requires that the target ApacheHVAC system file is named
“Proposed.asp”. As of version 6.4.1, there will be a list for selecting the target ApacheHVAC file when
performing a Room Loads Calculation, using the System Parameters dialog, or using the “Assign system
parameters and room sizing data” action, much as there is presently in the ASHRAE Loads dialog for
System-level sizing.

• The “Baseline0.asp,” “Baseline90.asp,” “Baseline180.asp,” “Baseline270.asp,” file names are and will
continue to be required for autosizing of baseline systems for the PRM Baseline model.

• Note, however, that for non-Baseline models only the four elements listed above under Room/zone-
level airflow sizing are significantly challenging to manually determine, edit, and/or modify directly in
the ApacheHVAC system file without the link to the spreadsheet. The others are about as easy to
change in either place, provided the next point is understood.

• If any autosized or autosizable values (with an “A” next to the input field) are manually edited in the
ApacheHVAC system file, care should be taken to prevent these being overwritten if the user wants to
avoid losing the changes if/when a subsequent “Assign system parameters and room sizing data”
action is used to update other numbers in the same ApacheHVAC system file. If this is a concern and
the user may again want to apply the “Assign system parameters and room sizing data” action for a
particular ApacheHVAC system file, then preserving manual edits to a component or controller
requires removing the alpha-numeric designation and colon at the beginning of its reference name—
e.g., deleting the “S2:” or “MC3:” bit of the component or controller name.

Avoid unnecessarily deleting and replacing controllers in autosizable systems; however, if a controller does
need to be replaced and the intent is to preserve relationships to the room/zone-level sizing spreadsheet for
the system elements listed above, the following rules apply:

• Any controller mapped for autosizing (having an “A” next to one or more input fields) must retain the
alpha-numeric designation and colon at the beginning of its reference name, as in “MC3:” , in order for
the autosizing function to be retained for those values.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 17

 • The controller must be the same type with the same active elements—e.g., with “Proportional
control” enabled—if the same input fields are to receive autosized values that would have gone into
the pre-defined controller.

• Users can also add controllers that re-use the alpha-numeric designation and colon at the beginning of
the reference name, as in “MC3:” , if they would like to have the newly added controller pick up the
same autosized values as the identically designated controller of the same type within the same HVAC
system category.

o For example, if it is helpful for some reason to have the Heating Airflow values in MC4 for
system type 07 show up in a controller that is be added to a customized version of a pre-
defined system that has a 07 at the beginning of the name, the new control would need to be
the same type as the pre-defined controller and would need to have “MC4: “ at the beginning
of its reference name.
o Once the new controller is added and properly named, clicking Save for the ApacheHVAC file
will complete the link and a black “A” should show up next to the corresponding input fields
(the same fields that receive the autosized values in the pre-defined controller that normally
uses the chosen alpha-numeric designation).

• Users can substitute non-autosized controllers, if desired. This is a workable approach in the case of
any controller for which inputs will be the same for all or most multiplex layer instances—e.g., a supply
temperature reset controller that will be set to have a range of 58 to 68°F for all layers in the
multiplex—or when the system has a very small number of layers, which makes manual editing much
more straightforward.

1.2.3.2 Maintaining connection to referenced schedules and profiles

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1.3 Prototype HVAC systems: Common features
The pre-defined prototype systems in ApacheHVAC provide autosizing capability, examples of various
system configurations, and a starting point for users who wish to create custom configurations—either
from one of the prototypes or using these as an example.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 19

 OA economizer dewpoint high-limit control
Cooling coil SAT reset
Energy recovery OA economizer dry-bulb high-limit control
per zone temperature
bypass damper
SA fan min flow control
Outside air economizer Cooling coil SAT reset
for night-cycle operation
damper set per zone % humidity

Outside air inlet Zone re-heat coil

Supply fan Cooling VAV airflow

SA fan copy Heating VAV airflow

to account
for added Duct heat Principal room
pressure on gain/loss or zone in which
path through sensors and
AHU cooling coil thermostats are
energy
recovery located (usually
AHU heating coil occupied zone)
and control Multiplex layers
use the name of
Energy Transfer the space
recovery airflow assigned here.
Zone reheat
device control temperature
control
System Exhaust
air outlet airflow
control
Return air plenum
Energy recovery
bypass control

Energy recovery controls

Return fan or common exhaust fan Fan and outlet for separately exhausted spaces
(volume not available for recirculation or transfer)

Figure 1-8: Many elements shown here are common to other pre-defined prototype systems. The sections below describe these and many others.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 20

1.3.1 System-level or air handler vs. zone-level elements
For single-zone systems, the entire system is multiplexed, allowing numerous single-zone systems to be
set up and autosized via multiple layers within a single airside network view and multiple rows within a
single zone-level Loads Data spreadsheet.
For multi-zone systems, each airside network represents just one air handler and the associated zones.
The system-level or air handler components are located on the left and outside of the multiplex boundary,
whereas the zone-level components and controls are located within the multiplex boundary.

1.3.2 Outside air intake and outlet

All system networks must have at least one air intake and outlet; however, a system can have more than
one of either (see further guidance in section 1.4: System Modeling Fundamentals and Appendix A: Rules
for Air Flow Specification). Generally, the predefined systems have inlets for both direct outside air supply
and an optional path through an airside energy recovery device. These could be combined, but there is no
need for or benefit in doing so. Similarly, there are outlet at the air handler and separate exhaust fan that
could be combined. The separation of these in the pre-defined configuration is intended simply to make
clear that the separate exhaust is air that is not available for recirculation, transfer air, etc.

1.3.3 Airside energy recovery

The airside energy recovery component can be used to model a broad range of devices. In the pre-
defined systems, it is most often …

1.3.3.1 Energy recovery device

1.3.3.2 Cooling mode control of recovery temperature target

1.3.3.3 Heating mode control of recovery temperature target

1.3.3.4 Energy recovery bypass damper

1.3.3.5 Bypass damper control

1.3.3.6 Energy recovery static pressure

1.3.4 Energy recovery and bypass damper section

This system element is common to all of the pre-defined multi-zone systems, and provides for recovery
and heating and cooling energy for pre-conditioning of outside air when it is enabled.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 21

 • Midband for damper modulation and set point for changeover from heating to cooling mode for
energy recovery target are the airflow-weighted average midpoint between heating and cooling
room temperature setpoints for all zones on the same system. If the heating and cooling setpoints
for the zones on the system are 68 °F and 76 °F, respectively, then the midband/setpoint value
returned to these controllers will be 72 °F.
• For the Energy Recovery mode controls, this is the return air temperature, subject to a
deadband or hysteresis, above or below which the default configuration assumes the majority
of zones on the system are in cooling vs. heating mode. The majority, in this case, is with
respect to total conditioned/ventilation air volume on the system, as the sensors for these
controls see only the combined return air temperature. If the RA temperature is below the
threshold minus half the deadband (e.g., 71 °F for the example above with a 2 °F deadband),
the zones are, on average given the volume return air from each, assumed to be in heating
mode, and the heating mode temperature target in SC5 applies. If the RA temperatures is
above the threshold plus half the deadband (e.g., 73 °F), the zones are, on average, assumed
to be in cooling mode, and the cooling mode temperature target in SC4 applies.
• For the Energy recovery bypass damper SAT target, the same value, is the midband for
proportional control of the mixed-air target temperature downstream of continuously
modulated bypass damper. As the return air gets warmer, indicating the zones are collectively
warmer, the temperature target for damper modulation is steadily reduced over the
bandwidth of sensed values. For the 72°F the example above with a 4°F defaults bandwidth,
the bypass temperature target will be at its maximum value when the sensed RA temperature
is 70°F and will be at its minimum value when the sensed RA temperature is 74°F, thus
minimizing undesirable heating or cooling load associated with outside air while maximizing
fee cooling when a warmer RA temperature indicates the zones are on average (by volume)
74°F or warmer (i.e., they are in cooling mode).
Autosizing values in the energy recovery device and bypass damper controllers are determined as follows:
Target temperatures for the energy recovery bypass damper and for the heating and cooling for modes of
the energy recovery device are also based upon the return air temperature. The intent here is to
maximize economizer hours. The ER component has a leaving air temperature target set as follows:
• The LAT target for ER is set unachievable low value (for “coolth” recovery) when the temperature of
the return air is above the mid-point between the flow-weighted average of heating and cooling
setpoints for all zones on the system. This condition suggests that the “average” conditioned
volume of air for any zone on the system is in cooling mode.
• The LAT target for ER is set unachievable high value (for heat recovery) when the temperature of
the return air is below the mid-point between the flow-weighted average of heating and cooling
setpoints for all zones on the system. This condition suggests that the “average” conditioned
volume of air for any zone on the system is in heating mode.
• Both of the above are subject to a 2°F deadband that provides hysteresis—i.e., the RA temp must
drop to 1°F below the flow-weighted average setpoint mid value before the ER will switch from
coolth recovery to heat recovery.
• The ER bypass damper uses the same flow-weighted average of heating and cooling setpoints for all
zones on the system as a proportional midband to adjust the bypass damper mixed-air target from
the same unachievable high value (for ER heat recovery target) to the same unachievable low value
(for ER “coolth” recovery target). Thus when the RA is decidedly warm (suggesting the zones are, on
average, very warm) the bypass damper will modulate to provide the coolest mix of air from the
combination of the direct OA vs. ER paths. Conversely, when the RA is decidedly cool (suggesting

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 22

 the zones are, on average, very cool) the bypass damper will modulate to provide the warmest mix
of air from the combination of the direct OA vs. ER paths.
• The flow-weighted average of midpoint between heating and cooling setpoints for all zones on the
system is just that:
o The spreadsheet figures the midpoint between heating and cooling setpoints for each
zones on the system.
o Each of these values is then multiplied by the max design flow rate to the
corresponding zone.
o These values are added up, and then divided by the total flow rate for all zones to get
the flow-weighted value for the midpoint between heating & cooling setpoints.
• The resulting behavior should be that the ER component plus bypass damper will provide a
relatively ideal selection of air as direct OA vs. OA with ER, selecting from the relative
temperatures of the air on these two paths with its logic driven by the temperature of the RA.
• If your swimming pool is very large relative to other spaces on the system, it’s higher cooling
setpoint will have a proportionately large influence upon the heating and cooling targets for
the ER component and bypass.

Note that the energy recovery heating and cooling mode target temperatures are intended to be
unattainable targets, just beyond the reach of the capability of the device to pre-heat or pre-cool the
incoming outdoor air with recovered heat or “coolth”. For the example above, when in heating mode
(based upon a sensed RA temperature of 71°F or less) the energy recovery would not be expected to be
able to heat the outside air all the way to 70°F with heat recovered from return/exhaust air that is itself
71°F or cooler. Similarly, the energy recovery would certainly not be expected to cool the outside air all
the way to 50 °F by rejecting heat from it to the return/exhaust air that is itself 73°F or warmer.
SC5 uses the same values at Min and Max signal as the energy recovery targets in SC4 and SC5. For the
controllers on the energy recovery device, SC4 and SC5, the targets could be more extreme with no effect,
as they are almost certainly unattainable. However, if the target temperatures at the high and low ends of
the proportional control band for the bypass damper are set to overly extreme values, this will have the
effect of making the useful part of the proportional band ramp very quick (over a nary range of sensed
values) from the lowest to the highest attainable values, or vice versa.
The most important number in these three controllers is the setpoint in the energy recovery mode
controls and midband value for the proportional control in the bypass and the bypass damper control, as
it determines the changeover from heating to cooling logic for energy recovery based upon the RA
temperature.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 23

 Note that, apart from the energy-intensive intentional reheat after sub-cooling to dehumidify the intake
air, it is unlikely you would set the LAT for the AHU heating coil in a pre-defined system configuration to a
value warmer than the lowest LAT for the cooling coil immediately upstream of it (e.g., 55 °F): If set to a
warmer LAT, the heating coil will simply consume energy reheating the air just cooled by the cooling coil.
If, however, you chose to replace the fixed-temperature controller on the AHU heating coil with one that,
for example, used a sensor to re-set the SAT according to zone temperatures, etc., then you would
replace the autosized controller with one of your own.
The following graph of intake air flow rate and temperatures on either side of the energy recovery device
on a hot summer day.
Teal = outside air (node 21)
Blue = intake air after the energy recovery device (node 22)
Purple = return/exhaust air (node 40)
Red = exhaust air after receiving rejected heat from the intake air (node 41)
Gold = intake air flow rate (node 21)
It can be seen that the intake air matches the outside air temperature until the point at which the outside
air is actually warmer than the exhaust air from the building. At this crossover point, the energy recovery
device begins, by virtue of this temperature differential, to transfer heat from the incoming outdoor air to
the outgoing exhaust air. The effect increases with the delta-T in keeping with the heat exchanger
effectiveness input. This rejection of unwanted heat continues until the system airflow is reduced to zero
at the end of the day. It can also be seen that in the early evening the temperature of the intake air rises
with a rise in the temperature of the return/exhaust air, and thus also a drop in useful delta-T and the rate
of heat rejection to the exhaust.

1.3.5 Outside air ventilation damper and airside economizer

1.3.5.1 Minimum ventilation rate

The minimum outside ventilation rate is set for pre-defined systems within the mixing damper S1: OA
Economizer - min OA per 62.1. While this component includes “per 62.1” in its name, the 62.1 calculations
are used only if the user asks for this within the 62.1 OA Calcs tab of the Loads Data spreadsheet and is

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 24

 otherwise the ventilation rate set up by the user in the VE thermal templates/room data or in this
component. The default HVAC EP1 - Economizer (Timeswitch: Sys 3--8) profile used in the OA damper set
is linked to the System Schedules dialog and provides means of setting the minimum OA value to zero in
the unoccupied hours (depending upon the operating/set-back strategy selected in this dialog for
unoccupied hours). As described below, this profile can be modified to modulate the minimum OA value
for scheduled changes in ventilation rate and certain similar DCV strategies.

1.3.5.2 Demand-controlled ventilation

For systems with demand-controlled ventilation (DCV), building codes may permit the use of a modulated
minimum outside air setting or even a minimum setting of zero outside air. Depending on what type of
DCV control is used, however, the OA ventilation/economizer damper component will most often still
have a set design minimum airflow value. How this is modulated depends upon the type of DCV control.
• Occupancy schedule: For systems that serve spaces with dependably predictable occupancy
schedules, a modulating profile (ranging from 1.0 to some fraction of 1.0) can be used to
reduce the OA ventilation rate to a fraction the design airflow set point when permitted by
reduced occupancy. This is similar to the standard profile that is used to reset the OA damper
to zero flow during scheduled unoccupied hours, such as nights and weekends. When starting
with a pre-defined prototype system, therefore, the modulating profile for schedule-based
DCV should be either a modification or user-defined replacement for the default HVAC EP1 -
Economizer (Timeswitch: Sys 3--8) profile used in the OA damper set.
Note that changing the name of this profile precludes it being edited along with other HVAC
profiles via the System Schedules dialog. Simply modifying it maintains the connection, but can
be overwritten when the System Schedule inputs are subsequently saved by clicking OK in the
System Schedules dialog.
• Occupancy sensors: Because any model of building operation will use schedule profiles to
simulate variations in occupancy for rooms and thermal zones, this type of DCV will also be
modeled using a schedule-based modulating profile in the OA damper. The one difference
from the profile used to represent spaces with occupancy sensors is that it will most often be
appropriate to create a modulating profile that represents some overlap and some diversity in
the timing of occupancy for spaces on the system. This should reflect the building program.
• CO2 sensors – single-stage control: This type of control adjust the system-level outside air
setting based upon a “critical zone” (the zone with the highest sensed CO2 value). So long as
there are CO2 sensors and a means of modulating the mix of outside vs. recirculated air, this
can be used on single- or multi-zone systems with either variable or constant-volume airflow.
This is modeled via a zone-level controller with CO2 sensor that “votes” on the position of the
system OA damper. Whichever zone votes for the most open position of the OA damper wins
the vote, and thus becomes the “critical zone,” as it is determining the system OA damper
position at that time. In the cases of a single-zone system, the percentage OA is simply
modulated in response to the zone CO2 concentration—no voting is required.
The OA modulation is performed via a damper component providing a bypass around the main
OA economizer damper. In a real-world application, these would most likely be one in the
same. The separate damper set is used in the system model simply to allow the controlled
variable to be a target leaving air temperature for the economizer operation and a percentage
damper opening to the left branch of the component for the DCV control (one damper
component cannot be controlled according to more than one controlled variable type). The
two dampers are, in effect, one damper with two overlapping modes and means of control.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 25

 • CO2 sensors – dual-stage control: The two-stage DCV control is appropriate in multi-zone VAV
systems for which the primary air supply is at least partially recirculated air and there is both a
zone-level damper to modulate primary airflow and a system-level outside-air damper.
The first stage forces the VAV damper for any given zone to open more, to the extent it is not
already fully open, to minimize CO2 accumulation as the CO2 level in that zone approaches the
set CO2 ppm threshold. Once the VAV damper is fully open, if the CO2 level in the zone
continues to rise, exceeding the setpoint, this will initiate a second stage that “votes” for a
more open position of the system OA damper. As long as the CO2 level continues to rise, this
second stage will continue to request a greater fraction of outside air from the system air
handler until the system is at 100% OA.
The first stage resembles the proportional controller for VAV zone cooling airflow in terms of
min and max airflow, but uses the CO2 level in the room as the sensed value and CO2 setpoint
minus 200 ppm (a default that can be overridden) as its midband.
The second stage is modeled as a second outside air damper providing a bypass of sorts
around the main OA/economizer damper. This is, as in the single-stage DCV control. All zones
with DCV sensors enabled will “vote” on the position of second damper for additional
ventilation air. Whichever zones votes for the most open damper position wins the vote. The
reason this uses a separate damper set is, once again, to allow the controlled variable to be a
target leaving air temperature for the economizer operation and a damper opening
percentage (for air from the left branch) for the DCV control. The two dampers are, in effect,
one damper with two overlapping modes and means of control.
If desired, a lesser maximum OA percentage can be entered either in the Loads Data
spreadsheet for the system, and then applied with an update of other linked controllers, or
simply edited in the Percentage flow at Max Signal field within controller MC12: Demand-
controlled ventilation (DCV) per zone CO2 levels - stage 2 - demand more system OA.

• CO2 sensors – single stage control for dedicated 100% outside air systems (DOAS): For these
systems, there is no recirculation path at the system level and thus the air handler is always
delivering 100% outside air to the conditioned zones. Therefore, for this fundamental category
of system configuration the sensed zone CO2 level is simply used to directly control the system
airflow to just that zone. If the air handler is delivering only tempered air having a relatively
neutral temperature to the zones, it may be acceptable for the system airflow to modulate to
zero so long as this does not cause CO2 levels to rise above the ppm setpoint. The default
calculations in the Loads Data spreadsheet set the lower bound at 30% of the maximum
airflow, however, this can be easily overridden by setting the Flow rate at Minimum Signal in
controller MC3 to an alternate value, including zero. When this type of DCV is set up to
modulate all the way to zero airflow, the zone damper will normally begin to open again as the
CO2 levels approach the ppm setpoint. The default proportional control bandwidth of 400
ppm, which can also be readily overridden in the controller (MC3 for any system type 09),
causes the damper to begin to open at 200 ppm below the setpoint and to reach fully open at
200 ppm above the setpoint.

1.3.5.3 Adding CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation to a multi-zone system

Demand controlled ventilation with zone CO2 sensors can be included in any system. To add zone-CO2
based DCV to multi-zone system that does not have these controls (see components and controls
highlighted in the screen captures on subsequent pages), the appropriate source file or example to work
from depends upon whether your proposed system will have a dedicated outside air handler or DOAS

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 26

 without recirculation (e.g., prototype systems in the 09 category [at left in the image below]) or will
include a recirculation path (e.g., prototype systems in the 05–08 categories[at right in the image below]).

A typical overall room CO2 setpoint might, for example, be in the range of 1,000 ppm, depending upon the
application, codes, etc. A single stage control for spaces served by a dedicated outside air system without
recirculation (e.g., one of the 09 prototype systems) would simply use this value as the midband to ramp
zone ventilation air between minimum and maximum values in keeping with CO2 levels for that zone. A
two-stage control for VAV system configurations 05 and 07 (with recirculation) might force the zone VAV
box all the way open using a ramp with midband of 900 ppm and then have a second stage ramp with
midband of 1,100 ppm used to gradually demand more system OA if the zone CO2 levels continue to rise.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 27

 Adding zone-CO2 based DCV to prototype systems in the 09 category is, where applicable, a matter of
enabling variable flow for the ventilation air to the zone. This is accomplished by simply setting Flow at
Min Signal to a value that is less than Flow at Max Signal. This control (MC3) is pre-defined for all category
09 prototype systems other than active chilled and 4-pipe beams (induction units). In those with “DCV” in
the name, the default inputs before autosizing illustrate typical control of ventilation between min and
max values (see screen captures below). For those without “DCV” in the name, the default inputs before
autosizing provide constant-volume ventilation flow rate (flow at min signal = flow at max signal), thus
negating the influence of the CO2 sensor until the flow rates are revised to distinct high and low values.

Specific instructions for category 09 active chilled beam and 4-pipe active beam systems, as well as other
prototype system categories, follow below.

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 For the active chilled beam and 4-pipe active beam systems, the MC3 controller with CO2 sensor is
replaced by MC10: Primary airflow to active beam, which modulates primary airflow according to a zone
temperature. Because there is also supply air temperature reset—effectively a water flow control valve—
on the cooling coil (and heating coil for 4-pipe beams), the MC3 controller with CO2 sensor used on other
category 09 systems can be used with these systems without losing space conditioning control.
• If the DCV airflow is to replace the thermostat-based control of primary airflow to the beam, the
setting and reference name within MC10 should be revised to match those of MC3 in any
category 09 prototype system with DCV in the name. One means of accomplishing this is to delete
MC10, import one of the systems with DCV, and copy the MC3 controller. In any case, if you wish
to have the controller pick up the DCV inputs from the Loads Data spreadsheet during autosizing,
it is essential that the reference name of the controller begin with “MC3:”, including the colon.
• If the DCV is to be added as a secondary means of modulating the airflow to the active beam, the
MC3 controller should be manually added as shown in the illustration and dialog below. Again, if
you wish to have the controller pick up the DCV inputs from the System Parameters dialog and
the Loads Data spreadsheet during autosizing, it is essential that the reference name of the
controller begin with “MC3:”, including the colon. Also, the HVAC PP2 or similar user-defined
time-switch profile is needed to ensure that the ventilation air does not get stuck on at the
minimum flow rate when the building is unoccupied and the ventilation is meant to be off.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 29

 To add zone-CO2 based DCV to systems in categories 05–08, begin by importing system “05b IDDE VAVr -
CO2-DCV…” from the HVAC library into your file. Copy the additional damper set and two multiplexed
zone-level controllers (MC11 and MC12) from that system to the system to which you would like to apply
DCV, as described below.

Figure 1-9: Two-stage DCV components in prototype system 5b are highlighted in this screen capture.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 30

 1 2

To add zone-CO2 based DCV to multi-zone VAV system 5 or 7 configurations (including most variants):
1. Delete the three connectors marked with a red “X” in step in the image above and move the SA
fan, OA/economizer damper, and associated controls one cell to the right.
2. Select and copy the junction, connectors, damper set, and both MC11 and MC12 controllers
(pointing to primary airflow path and DCV damper, respectively) as highlighted an placed in step
above. This will provide two-stage DCV-based control that first forces the zone VAV box more open
and then (when the VAV box is fully open) demands more system OA at the air handler, consistent
with the descriptive Reference names for controllers MC 11 and MC12.
3. Because systems 5 & 7 share the same fundamental configuration as system 5b, the MC11 and
MC12 controllers copied from that system to any derivative of either 5 or 7 will remain linked to
the “Sys 5,7” tab in the Loads Data spreadsheet. When data is assigned from the spreadsheet to
the controllers in the system, they will pick up min and max VAV airflows and CO2 midbands
bracketing the target CO2 level set in the System Parameters dialog.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 31

 1 2

To add zone-CO2 based DCV to multi-zone VAV + fan-powered boxes system 6 or 8 configurations:
1. Delete the three connectors marked with a red “X” in step in the image above and move the SA
fan, OA/economizer damper, and associated controls one cell to the right.
2. Select and copy the junction, connectors, damper set, and just the MC12 controller (the controller
pointing to the DCV damper) as shown in step above. This step will provide the DCV-based
system OA control, consistent with the labeling of MC12, “Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV)
per zone CO2 levels - stage 2 - demand more system OA”
3. To include the initial stage of DCV control that first forces the zone VAV box to open further (until
fully open) before demanding additional outside air at the system air-handler, you will also need
the MC11 controller; however, because there is loop with fan for the zone fan-powered box in
systems 6 and 8, this control needs to occupy a different location on the canvas.
4. Version 6.5 will include stretchable controller leads
for the controlled and sensed nodes, which allows
for copying the MC11 controller from system 5b
and stretching lead to fit it as shown (figure at
right). In releases prior to v6.5, however, the MC11
controller needs to be re-created so as to include
the same sensed and controlled variables, etc. as in
system 5b. Place the new controller as shown
above so that it senses room/zone temperature
and controls airflow at the same nodes as the
primary airflow VAV control, but without falling on
top of the loop for the fan-powered box.

VE 2016 ApacheHVAC User Guide part E: Prototype Systems 32

 5. Use the dialog for system 5b (shown above) as an example for appropriate sensed and controlled
variables, CO2 midband, flow rates, and time switch profile.
a) The sensed variable is CO2 Concentration
b) The controlled variable is Flow Rate
c) Proportional control bandwidth should indicate the range of sensed CO2 concentration (ppm)
over which the VAV damper for primary airflow will modulate in response to zone-level CO2. As
the zone CO2 rises, this control will be voting on the VAV damper position along with the VAV
cooling airflow controller (the highest value at any time step will prevail). To facilitate
straightforward coordination of control midbands, set this bandwidth to the same value as
used in MC12 (e.g., 400 ppm).
d) The proportional control midband sets the midpoint of the range of sensed CO2 concentration
(ppm) over which the VAV damper for primary airflow will modulate in response to zone-level
CO2. If this control is to take effect prior to MC12, fully opening the VAV box prior to
requesting additional outside air at the system level, and assuming the bandwidths for MC 11
and MC 12 are the same, this midband should be set to one bandwidth less than the midband
for MC12. The two proportional bands will then be immediately adjacent, but not overlapping
with respect to the sensed value for zone CO2 concentration.
e) Flow Rate at Max Signal and Flow Rate at Min Signal in MC11 should match the values in MC3:
Zone VAV cooling airflow control with night-cycle on when set-up temp is exceeded for all
multiplex layers. For autosized systems, these values can be copied as a column of numbers
from the system Loads Data spreadsheet to the tabular edit or “Data table” view of input fields
within the controller dialog (see Chapter 6 for description of multiplex editing).

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 f) If a non-zero airflow rate is used for the Flow Rate at Min Signal value, as in the autosized
controllers, then the time switch profile should be HVAC PP1 or an equivalent profile that will
force the minimum flow rate on only when the system airflow is required for space ventilation.
This will set the timing the same as any exhaust and/or transfer airflow controls.
g) To disable or enable DCV control (stage 1 and/or stage 2) for any given set of layers, select
those layers in the Multiplex Edit dialog while in Global Edit mode and then set the Time
Switch Profile in the controllers to either OFF continuously or HVAC PP1 (or user equivalent).
6. Because there are no pre-defined systems in categories 6 and 8 with DCV, there is also no shortcut
to the DCV inputs provided for these system configurations within the System Parameters dialog.
Parameters related to DCV for these systems should be edited as described above.
The two-stage MC11 and MC12 controls are used only for multi-zone systems with a recirculation path;
the DOAS systems have a single-stage control on the ventilation air at the zone level.
The MC13 controller is used only on the prototype 07b Mixed-Mode system wherein it forces the
mechanical ventilation to override the natural ventilation when the latter is insufficient to maintain the
CO2 levels below the setpoint (subject to a deadband on the order of 200 ppm). This controller could also
be copied to another mixed-mode configuration and would be similarly autosized so long as this is based
upon a category 05 or 07 configuration.

1.3.5.4 Airside economizer controls

There are at least three main types of airside economizer control:
• Damper position modulation according to target mixed-air temperature with outside air dry-
bulb temperature high limit.
• Damper position modulation according to target mixed-air temperature with outside air dew-
point temperature high limit.
• Damper position modulation according to the relative difference in enthalpy between the
return and outside air.
On systems with energy recovery, the high-limit sensor for the OA damper is placed downstream of the
energy recovery component so that recovery of “coolth” (using the ER device to remove heat from
incoming OA when the exiting EA is cooler than the OA and the zones are, on average, in cooling mode)
can be allowed to extend the number of OA economizer hours. See the section above regarding controls
for the Energy Recover device and bypass damper to understand how this is operated and changes from
heat recovery to “coolth” recovery in relation to the system return air temperature.
The pre-defined standard and ASHRAE Baseline HVAC systems modulate the economizer damper position
according to a target mixed-air temperature and include an outside air dry-bulb temperature high limit.
Many of the standard pre-defined HVAC systems also include an outdoor dew-point temperature high
limit controller (coupled to the DBT high limit control by a logical OR connection); however, this additional
controller has an excessively high default DPT high limit that effectively disables it. To enable the DPT high
limit, simply change the Set Point input to an appropriate value, such as 55°F or similar.

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 The image above shows an example of a differential enthalpy control for the OA economizer damper. In
this example the differential enthalpy control is used as a limiting device with a logical AND connection to
the standard dry-bulb high-limit economizer control with mixed-air target temperature. If the dry-bulb
high limit is not to be used, either set the high limit to an exceptionally high value (effectively no limit) or
replace the standard controller with a simply time switch that set the target temperature for the OC
economizer modulation. Light the dry-bulb high-limit control, the differential enthalpy control coupled by
a logical AND connection will simply force the OA damper to its minimum OA setting whenever the OA
enthalpy is greater than the return-air enthalpy. When the either sensible heat or enthalpy recovery is
enabled via the heat exchanger in the lower left corner of the system, the comparison is between the OA
enthalpy after this heat exchanger and that of the return air. This example is from the library HVAC
system “5c VAV hotel/dorm public areas plus PTAC rooms,” and can be copied from that system.

1.3.6 Return air damper component

This component has a special relationship with the outside air (OA) damper: when located immediately
below the OA damper, as in the pre-defined systems, it can force the OA damper to open more than its
minimum setting or its current position (when modulating) if needed to provide adequate makeup air for
exhausted zones, etc. This should not be seen as a substitute for appropriate minimum setting in the OA
damper component. It is mainly intended for systems with variable exhaust flows, such as a laboratory
with VAV fume hoods, wherein the variable exhaust flow rate does not exceed the primary supply flow,
but does sometimes exceed the OA flow rate as otherwise determined for ventilation and/or economizer
operation. This allows for modeling of diversity in exhaust schedules—e.g., simulating relatively random
operation of VAV fume hood—so long as they are not in conflict (with respect to On/Off times) with the
OA damper control or primary airflow controls that will determine the volume of air flowing to the zones
having variable exhaust (even when indirectly supplied via transfer flows from adjacent zones).

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1.3.7 Supply fan
The following are the default inputs for the SA Fan components in the standard multi-zone systems within
the HVAC library. This is meant to be representative of a typical variable-speed fan (i.e., with variable-
frequency or variable-speed drive) in a VAV system. While this will scale with autosizing, the pressure and
efficiency performance curves will obviously remain unchanged. For accurate modeling of fan power,
users need to enter data for the actual fan they intend to use in the proposed design.

The bold values for flow rate, which is autosizable, total pressure, and overall efficiency are the default
values within the supply fan component dialog for multi-zone VAV systems in the HVAC library. The fan
performance curve is defined by the series of shaft power (bhp) values relative to the Design shaft power
at max flow. The default RA fans use the same curves, but with 1.0 iwc default pressure at maximum flow
rate. Default fans for EA, fan-coil units, and fan-powered boxes are assumed to be constant-volume with
autosizable flow rate, 0.5 iwc pressure, and 70% overall efficiency. All fans have a default oversizing factor
of 1.15 for the flow-rate scaling of the performance curves during autosizing. Note that these fans are
notably more efficient than the required defaults for PRM Baseline systems.
Fan performance data in all ASHRAE 90.1 PRM Baseline systems is specific to the required fan power
allowances: Pressure and overall efficiency in the SA fan yield the required curve for variable-volume
systems and in all Baseline system the SA fan power accounts for all SA + RA + EA fans (but not fans in
parallel FPBs). The SA fans have flat pressure and very low efficiencies; RA and EA fans have zero pressure.

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1.3.7.1 Minimum flow controls for night-cycle and unoccupied-hours fan operation
For variable-flow systems, the minimum flow rate during unoccupied hours is set by the autosizing
process at the zone level in keeping with the maximum design flow rate for each zone. For example, if the
default value of 20% minimum flow is used for supply and return fans, then when any one zone requires
minimum flow to maintain a setback temperature via night-cycle fan operation during unoccupied hours,
all other zones on the same system will be forced to accept 20% of their max design flow rate. In version
6.5, the default 20% value for minimum fan flow rate can be modified either via the System Parameters
dialog or within the Loads Data spreadsheet prior to assigning values from the spreadsheet to controls.
IMPORTATN NOTE: Because the Min Flow value for night-cycle fan flow to any particular zone are written
to the MC4: Zone VAV Min airflow when any other zone demands flow in unocc hours controller, manual
editing of flow rates in either MC3 or MC4 should be accompanied by corresponding edits to the min fan
flow rate values in to values the Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. This is particularly important
whenever editing controller values that have not been autosized on layers that were added after
autosizing of controls on the previous set of multiplex layers. The reason for this is that it is normal for
newly added multiplex layers to pick up all controller inputs and settings from the last layer on the list in
the Edit Multiplex dialog. This includes the Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. If any of the manually
edited flow rates in MC3 and MC4 VAV airflow controllers are intended to be less than the autosized min
flow for the last autosized layer prior to adding more multiplex layers, manual edits to MC3 and MC4 must
be accompanied by manual edits to the duplicate MC4 Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. If not,
inappropriately high minimum flow rates copied from the previously autosized layer will persist.

1.3.8 Return fan

1.3.9 Cooling coil – system level or AHU

1.3.10 Heating coil – system level or AHU

1.3.11 Duct heat gain/loss component – zone level

1.3.12 Reheat coil and controller (or similar components) – zone level

1.3.13 Zone or “principal room” component

1.3.14 Return air plenum component

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1.3.15 VAV airflow controls

Profiles for proportional control midbands

• Timed variation of values provides nighttime set-back/set-up.

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 Using a constant static pressure in each row of the fan component dialog, as we do by default, achieves
this for a system wherein the fan speed will always be re-set so as maintain the specified static pressure
after any downstream adjustment of VAV airflows. This is typical of a a system wherein fan speed is
adjusted to maintain a static pressure set point. If the specified static pressure to be maintained by
adjusting fan speed is to differ according to fan speed—some fans operate more efficiently or effectively
with a particular pressure and speed relationship—then different static pressure numbers can be entered
on the rows corresponding to the appropriate fan speed ranges in the fan dialog.
IMPORTATN NOTE: Because the Min Flow value for night-cycle fan flow to any particular zone are written
to the MC4: Zone VAV Min airflow when any other zone demands flow in unocc hours controller, manual
editing of flow rates in either MC3 or MC4 should be accompanied by corresponding edits to the min fan
flow rate values in to values the Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. This is particularly important
whenever editing controller values that have not been autosized on layers that were added after
autosizing of controls on the previous set of multiplex layers. The reason for this is that it is normal for
newly added multiplex layers to pick up all controller inputs and settings from the last layer on the list in
the Edit Multiplex dialog. This includes the Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. If any of the manually
edited flow rates in MC3 and MC4 VAV airflow controllers are intended to be less than the autosized min
flow for the last autosized layer prior to adding more multiplex layers, manual edits to MC3 and MC4 must
be accompanied by manual edits to the duplicate MC4 Zone VAV Min airflow… controller. If not,
inappropriately high minimum flow rates copied from the previously autosized layer will persist.

1.3.16 Exhaust fan

1.3.17 Exhaust airflow controller

1.3.18 Transfer airflow controller

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1.4 Prototype systems: System-specific descriptions and guidance

1.4.1 Packaged Terminal Air-Conditioning (PTAC)

1.4.2 Packaged Terminal Heat Pump (PTHP)

1.4.3 Single-zone air-conditioning system with furnace (PSZ-AC)

1.4.4 Single-zone heat pump system (PSZ-HP)

1.4.5 VAV-reheat using DX Cooling and HW boiler

1.4.6 VAV using DX Cooling and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat

1.4.7 VAV-reheat using water-cooled chiller and HW boiler

1.4.8 VAV using water-cooled chiller and parallel fan-powered boxes with electric heat
To understand this system, start by understanding System 7 VAV reheat, and substitute parallel fan-
powered boxes with 2-stage ER heat for the HW reheat coil.
The zone re-heat coil is two stage because that is how most electric-resistance coils in zone-reheat fan-
powered boxes are set up and controlled---as two on/off coils each with a fixed output. This allows users
to model this type of control/operation.
Parallel fan powered boxes have a fan that can run as needed for heating purposes (not all the time) and
also has both primary (mixed air from the AHU) and secondary (recirculated room air) paths that are
mixed together in the parallel box. Read up on parallel fan-powered boxes to learn more. A parallel fan-
powered box takes air out of the room, mixes that with the primary airstream, and runs both through a
heating coil and back to the room. The node immediately downstream of the room component on the
network is effectively "in" the room—i.e., it sees the fully-mixed condition of that room. This node is the
location on the network where air at the current room condition can be drawn from the room and
recirculated back to the room.
The zone-level recirculation loop is the parallel fan-powered box, as described above. Because System 8 is
a multi-zone VAV system with economizer damper set, just like other VAV re-heat systems but with fan-
powered reheat boxes using ER coils in place of HW reheat coils, and not a dedicated outside air system,
it must therefore also have a path for recirculating air at the system level.

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1.4.9 Dedicated outside air system (DOAS) with four-pipe fan-coil units, EWC chiller and HW
boiler.

1.4.10 Indirect-direct evaporative cooling version of VAV-reheat system 5 above with backup DX
cooling and zone-level CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation (DCV).

1.4.11 VAV-reheat with differential-enthalpy economizer set up for the public areas of a hotel or
similar building with PTAC systems for individual guest/resident rooms drawing air from an
atrium zone on the main VAV system.

1.4.12 Mixed-mode natural ventilation and VAV-reheat with zone temperature and zone CO2
overrides for nat-vent when it is insufficient

1.4.12.1 Temperature and CO2-based overrides when not enough cooling or ventilation is provided via
operable windows, in spite of favorable indoor-outdoor thermal conditions

1.4.13 Single-fan dual-duct and with zone-level mixing boxes.

1.4.14 Dual-fan-dual-duct with zone-level mixing boxes.

1.4.15 Underfloor air distribution with parallel fan-powered boxes for perimeter zones, leakage
path, and heating-mode re-mixing of PFPb zones.

1.4.15.1 Can be used for thermal displacement ventilation by simply omitting the PFPb’s, UFAD plenum,
leakage path, and re-mixing in heating mode.

1.4.16 UFAD/DV system as above, plus heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for free re-heat of sub-
cooled (dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil.

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 OA economizer dewpoint high-limit control SA fan min flow Heating coil for
control for night- parallel or series Cooling coil SAT reset
OA economizer dry-bulb high-limit control cycle operation fan-powered box per zone temperature
Energy recovery
bypass damper OA economizer damper set Cooling coil SAT reset
per zone % humidity
Outside air inlet UFAD supply plenum
Supply fan Cooling VAV airflow
Duct heat
SA fan copy
gain/loss De-stratification control to re-
to account
mix stratified and occupied
for added
zones when fan-powered box
pressure on
operates to provide heat
path through
energy
recovery Principal room or zone in which
sensors and thermostats are
located (usually occupied zone)
Transfer air control Multiplex layers use the name
Energy
recovery of the space assigned here.
AHU heating coil
device
Fan-powered box De-stratification (local
Bypass (parallel configuration) remixing) path connecting
System damper for stratified & occupied zones
air outlet heat pipe / Fan-powered flow control
runaround
coil Stratified zone Exhaust airflow control
Energy recovery AHU cooling coil (UFAD and DV)
bypass control Heat pipe, z-coil, or
runaround coil Return air plenum
Energy recovery controls

Return fan or common exhaust fan SA fan copy to

account for added
pressure on path
through heat pipe
or runaround coil Fan and outlet for separately exhausted spaces
(volume not available for recirculation or transfer)

Figure 1-10: Many elements shown here are common to other pre-defined prototype systems. The sections below describe these and many others.

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1.4.17 Active chilled beams and DOAS for ventilation using electric water-cooled chiller with
waterside economizer and condenser heat recovery; HW boiler and recovered heat for
DOAS and zone baseboard fin-tube convectors.

1.4.18 Radiant heating and cooling panels (i.e., four-pipe system), plus DOAS with airside energy
recovery and DCV.

1.4.19 Radiant panels and DOAS as above with heat pipe or run-around coil in AHU for free re-heat
of sub-cooled (i.e., dehumidified) air after the AHU cooling coil.

PLEASE NOTE: This section of the ApacheHVAC User Guide is presently still under construction. Please be
sure to check for updates.

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