Choosing the right HVAC equipments

             The selection of equipment for heating, cooling and ventilating is a complex design decision that must balance a great many factors, including heating and cooling needs, energy efficiency, humidity control, potential for natural ventilation, adherence to codes and standards, outdoor air quantity and quality, indoor air quality, and cost.

In most parts of the country, climatic conditions require that outdoor air must be heated and cooled to provide acceptable thermal comfort for building occupants, requiring the addition of HVAC systems. The selection of equipment for heating, cooling and ventilating is a complex design decision that must balance a great many factors, including heating and cooling needs, energy efficiency, humidity control, potential for natural ventilation, adherence to codes and standards, outdoor air quantity and quality, indoor air quality, and cost.

                Where feasible, use central HVAC air handling units (AHUs) that serve multiple rooms in lieu of unit ventilators or individual heat pumps, although there are many different types of air handling units, for general IAQ implications, air handling units can be divided into two groups, Unit ventilators and individual heat pump units that serve a single room without ducts; and central air handling units that serve several rooms via duct work. Unit ventilators and heat pumps have the advantage of reduced floor space requirements, and they do not recirculate air between rooms. However, it is more difficult to assure proper maintenance of multiple units over time, and they present additional opportunities for moisture problems through wall penetration and from drain pan and discharge problems.

Central air handling units have a number of advantages as compared to unit ventilators and heat pumps serving individual rooms.

They are:

• Quieter, and therefore more likely to be turned on or left on by teachers and staff;
• Less drafty due to multiple supplies and a return that is away from occupants;
• Better at controlling humidity and condensed moisture drainage;
• Easier to maintain due to reduced number of components and few units to access;
• More space around units and can be accessed without interfering with class activities;
• Space for higher efficiency air filters, and more surface area;
• Made of heavier duty components;
• Less likely to have quantity of outdoor air supply inadvertently reduced;

Double-sloped drain pan:
A doublesloped pan prevents water from standing and stagnating in the pan;

Non-corroding drain pan:
Made from stainless steel or plastic. Prevents corrosion that would cause water to leak inside the AHU;

Easy access doors:
All access doors are hinged and use quick release latches that do not require tools to open. Easy access to filters, drain pans, and cooling coils is imperative;

Double wall cabinet: The inner wall protects the insulation from moisture and mechanical damage, increases sound dampening, and is easier to clean;

Tightly sealed cabinet: Small yet continuous air leaks in and out of the AHU cabinet can affect IAQ and energy. The greatest pressure differentials driving leaks occur at the AHU;

Double wall doors with gaskets: Double wall doors provide better thermal and acoustic insulation, and will remain flatter, allowing a better seal against door frame gaskets;

Minimum two-inch thick filter slots: For better protection of the indoor environment, as well as the equipment and ducts, the filters slots should be able to accommodate 2 in. or thicker filters;

Extended surface area filter bank: To reduce the frequency of filter maintenance and the cost of fan energy, the bank is designed to allow more filter area, such as the deep V approach or bags;

Air filter assemblies (racks & housings) designed for minimum leakage :
The filter bank should have gaskets and sealants at all points where air could easily bypass the air filters, such as between the filter rack and the access door. Use properly gasketed manufacturer supplied filter rack spacers;

Air filter monitor:
A differential pressure gauge to indicate the static pressure drop across the filter bank. This feature could easily be installed as an option in the field;

Corrosion resistant dampers & links:
All moving parts such as pivot pins, damper actuators, and linkages are able to withstand weather and moisture-induced corrosion for the full life of the system.

Energy recovery ventilation
Consider specifying energy recovery ventilation equipment. Indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air; therefore, most HVAC system designers understand that increased amounts of outdoor air supply is generally better for IAQ. Yet there are concerns over the implications that this added amount of outdoor air supply has on the first cost and operating cost of the HVAC system, as well as moisture control (too wet or too dry).

                As a result, school designers often try to reduce the amount of outdoor air equal to, or even below, 15 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of outside air per person, the minimum for school classrooms. In many parts of the country these concerns can easily be addressed by application of basic engineering principles and off-the-shelf HVAC equipment.

                First cost, energy costs, and moisture control do not have to be at odds with good IAQ. Energy recovery ventilation equipment can make the negative implications of 15 cfm per person of outdoor air behave like 5 cfm, while retaining the IAQ advantage of 15 cfm. This approach has been proven in various regions, where advanced HVAC systems cost roughly the same as conventional systems, yet provide significant operating cost savings and IAQ advantages.