MEC653

HVAC SYSTEMS

CHAPTER 7
FANS AND DUCT DESIGN
 INTRODUCTION

Liquid or gas flow through pipes or ducts is commonly used in HVAC

applications.

The fluid in such applications is usually forced to flow by a pump (liquid) or

fan/blower (air) due to pressure drop/head loss (major & minor losses) along
the pipes/ducts.

Proper pipes/ducts sizing and pump/fan/blower selection is important to

ensure smooth operation.

Fluid System Equipment Example in HVAC

Application
Liquid Piping Pump Condenser water,
chilled water
Gas Ducting Fan/Blower Supply and return air
distribution
- Chilled water pipe - Rectangular duct for supply
- Condenser water pipe and return air
- Also available in circular
shape (circular/flexible duct)
Types of flow: Laminar & turbulent

Reynolds number:

Pressure drop/head loss: @

Total head loss:

Energy equation:
Colebrook equation:

Haaland equation:

Roughness:
Equation (Colebrook) to chart (Moody):
Type of fluid flow problems:

1. Determining the pressure drop (or head loss) when the pipe length and
diameter are given for a specified flow rate (or velocity)
2. Determining the flow rate when the pipe length and diameter are given for
a specified pressure drop (or head loss)
3. Determining the pipe diameter when the pipe length and flow rate are
given for a specified pressure drop (or head loss)

USgpm/SAF

Pipe/duct
diameter

Friction rate
 TYPE OF FANS

The types of fans commonly used in HVAC applications include centrifugal

and axial fans.

In a centrifugal fan the airflow follows a radial path through the fan wheel.

In an axial fan the airflow passes straight through the fan, parallel to the
shaft.
 TOTAL PRESSURE

The total amount of pressure generated by a fan has two components: velocity
pressure and static pressure.

The velocity pressure is due to the momentum of the air as it moves

axially through the duct, while the static pressure is due to the perpendicular
outward push of the air against the duct walls.
When the damper is fully open nearly all of the usable fan energy is being
converted to velocity pressure.
When the damper is fully closed airflow stops and no velocity pressure
exists in the ductwork. All of the usable fan energy is now being converted
to static pressure.
 FAN PERFORMANCE TEST

The fan is operated at a single speed and the power applied to the fan shaft is
measured. A manometer is used to measure the velocity pressure - the
difference between the total and static pressures.

This setup is first tested at wide-open airflow and the pressure generated by
the fan is velocity pressure only - the static pressure is negligible.
The measured velocity pressure is then used to calculate the airflow delivered
by the fan.
FAN PERFORMANCE CURVE
Affinity Laws
Actual fan performance curve

Let say:
i) Pressure – 1.5 kPa
Flow rate – 40000 m3/hr

ii) Pressure – 1.5 kPa

Flow rate – 90000 m3/hr
Actual fan performance curve

Let say:
i) Pressure – 1.5 kPa
Flow rate – 40000 m3/hr

ii) Pressure – 1.5 kPa

Flow rate – 90000 m3/hr
 SYSTEM RESISTANCE CURVE

System resistance is the sum of all of the pressure losses experienced as air
passes through the ducting system, supply air diffuser, return air grille,
damper, filter, cooling coil etc…
This system resistance curve
represents the static pressure
that the fan must generate at
various airflows to overcome
the resistance in this particular
system.
 AIR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Ducting system: air distribution system to deliver the proper amount of

conditioned air to a space.

Most air conditioning system requires some form of duct work to channel or
direct the air to places where the conditioned air is needed.

The duct work must be sized properly. Oversized ductwork cost more and does
not maintain the desired air flow and undersized duct work causes the system
to strain mechanically and can be noisy.

Duct design method: Equal friction, velocity reduction and static regain
methods.
 TYPE OF DUCTING SYSTEM

CAD – conventional UFAD – underfloor

air distribution air distribution

Ventilation
displacement
Unoccupied zone Double/triple volume
 higher Btu/hr & cfm

Is this true?

Occupied zone
Unoccupied zone

Occupied zone
Unoccupied zone

Occupied
zone
 DUCT CLASSIFICATION
(1) Velocity
Ducts are classified according to the velocity they are subjected to:
 Low velocity duct system: 400 to 2000 fpm
 Medium velocity duct system: 2000 to 2500 fpm
 High velocity duct system: 2500 to 3500 fpm
(2) Pressure classification
Duct systems are also divided into three pressure classifications, matching
the way supply fans are classified:
 DUCT CONSTRUCTION

Most common material is GI sheet metal. Sometime Aluminium is also used

(lighter, better moisture resistance, claim to be less heat gain, but more
expansive than GI)

An insulation material is sandwiched between the sheet metals to reduce heat

gain.

Rectangular/square duct Round duct

Flexible duct for branch:

New type: fabric duct

 EQUAL FRICTION METHOD

Sizing is using the same pressure drop per unit of duct length (or friction
loss) throughout the system.

The friction loss is calculated between 2 points which represent the highest
losses within the system (‘longest run’)

The duct size is then designed based on the flow rate through that particular
section.

The duct system designed using the equal friction method is not self-
balancing. Balancing dampers must be installed in the lower pressure drop
branches to balance the system.

Typical design friction rates are 0.1 inch w.c. per 100 ft of duct length.
Measured length - the measured length of duct between 2 points (major
losses)

Equivalent length - the equivalent length of all the turns/fittings/accessories

between the same 2 points (minor losses)

Effective length – measured length + equivalent length (major + minor losses)

External static pressure – ability of fan/blower to overcome pressure drop

Available static pressure – external static pressure of fan/blower minus

pressure losses across cooling coil/air filter/supply diffuser/return grille
 SUPPLY AIR OUTLET
Recommended cfm (and number of supply diffuser)
 DESIGN OPTION

Manual
Calculation Friction
Chart
Ductulator
Software
FRICTION CHART
DUCT CALCULATOR/
DUCTULATOR

How to use ductulator?

Please refer this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=_r239nh4w1Q&list=PL8C
9uOW7CO4WLzuYK6ZLcLRf
q-hCQd8iq&index=5
DUCT CALCULATOR SOFTWARE

How to use duct calculator

software? Please refer this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=qHp05AcB0yA
 SIMPLE EXAMPLE

Measured length of duct (A to B) 65 ft

Equivalent length of turns/fittings/accessories between A and B 190 ft

Total effective length 255 ft

External static pressure at fan/blower 0.5 inch w.c.

Pressure losses across cooling coil - 0.1 inch w.c.

air filter - 0.15 inch w.c.
supply diffuser - 0.03 inch w.c.
return grille - 0.03 inch w.c.
Total available static pressure 0.19 inch w.c.

Friction loss 0.075 inch

[(0.19 x 100)/255] w.c. per 100 ft
 EQUIVALENT LENGTH

Elbow Boot
Tapered
Reducer End Boot
Round Duct
Fittings and Tee
Transitions Stub Wye
Branch Angle Boot
for Table 9.8
Full Flow Tee
Elbow
Register
(90, 4-piece) Saddle Side Ceiling Box

Full Flow Elbow (45, 2-piece)

Wye Branch
Reducer Straight Boot
Plenum
Wye
Take-off
Branch
20 Plenum Return
(No Taper) Top Ceiling Box

Plenum or
Coil Cabinet Return Grill
45 Box Transition
D

R
Tapered
Return 45
Tapered Return
Grill Transition
 Transition
3 Straight sides
Transition
2 Straight sides
Square Rect-Round Radius Tee
Tee Transition
Rectangular
Elbow
Square
w Transition
Smooth
h Radius 45Rect.
Conical Elbow Take-off
Take-off Rectangular
Take-off
Round Take-off
45 Round
Take-off
R
w
Plenum or
Coil Cabinet Return Grill
45 Box Transition
R
w

Tapered
Return 45
Tapered Return
Grill Transition
 FRICTION CHART

0.075

107 517 1000

 {iii}

{i} {ii}

Section Flowrate Duct Velocity New

(cfm) diameter (fpm) friction
(inch) loss
{i} 1000 14 900 0.08
{ii} 517 12 700 0.06
{iii} 107 6 550 0.09
Section Flowrate Duct Velocity New
(cfm) diameter (fpm) friction
(inch) loss
{i} 1000 14 900 0.08
{ii} 517 12 700 0.06
{iii} 107 6 550 0.09
(1) Enter flow rate & head (1) Let say choose 14 in
loss duct
(2) Obtain velocity & (2) Obtain new head loss
equivalent diameter & velocity
EXAMPLE (FREE RETURN)
EXAMPLE (RETURN DUCT)
 EXERCISE
(1) What is the duct diameter and velocity for a flowrate of 2000 cfm and
friction loss of 0.08 inch w.c. per 100 ft duct length?

(2) What is the velocity and pressure loss per 100 ft duct length in a 12”
diameter duct delivering 1000 cfm of air?

(3) Fill up the following table. Use friction loss of 0.1 inch w.c. per 100 ft duct
length

Section Flowrate Duct Velocity New

(cfm) diameter (fpm) friction
(inch) loss
{i} 3600
{ii} 2400
{iii} 1200
{iv} 300
EQUIVALENT RECTANGULAR DUCT

initially design bulat then if we want smaller for 8'' then use
goes to rectangular
15''

8''

12''

10''

at circular duct diameter 12'',

rectangular duc s shown above
ASPECT RATIO & PERIMETER

22”

6”

AR = 6/22 = 0.27
P = (2x6)+(2x22) = 56”

15”

8”

AR = 8/15 = 0.53
P = (2x8)+(2x15) = 46”

12”

10”

AR = 10/12 = 0.83
P = (2x10)+(2x12) = 44”
 CASE STUDY (B3-A11-1/2)

Room size – 20’ x 30’ = 600 sq. ft.

Cooling load – 58,100 Btu/hr

(96.83 Btu/sq. ft.)

SAF – 1,200 cfm

(2.00 cfm/sq. ft.)

Friction loss – 0.1” w.c. per 100 ft

duct length

No of supply diffuser - 6
 {iv} {iv} {iv}

FCU {i} {ii} {iii}

{iv} {iv} {iv}

Section Flowrate Duct Velocity New

(cfm) diameter (fpm) friction
(inch) loss
{i}
{ii}
{iii}
{iv}
 {iv} {iv} {iv}

FCU {i}

{iv} {iv} {iv}

Section Flowrate Duct Velocity New

(cfm) diameter (fpm) friction
(inch) loss
{i}
{iv}