Determining Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Systems Flashcards
Human comfort is based on which 8 environmental factors?
- temperature
- humidity
- air movement
- temperature radiation to and from surrounding surfaces
- air quality
- sound
- vibration
- light
What are the 3 ways a body loses heat? When does each occur?
- convection = transfer of heat through movement of liquid or gas. Occurs when the air temperature surrounding a person is lower than their body temperature
- radiation = the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves from one surface to a colder surface.
- evaporation = occurs when moisture change to a vapor as a person breathes or perspires
Thermal comfort depends primarily on which 6 environmental factors?
- air temperature
- air movement
- humidity
- ventilation
- surface temperature
- clothing
Which is always lower, the dry bulb or wet bulb temperature?
What does a large difference between dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures indicate?
What does it mean when dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures are the same?
wet bulb is always lower than dry bulb
large difference = low relative humidity
equal = air is at 100% humidity
What is relative humidity?
The ratio of moisture in the air to total moisture the air could hold
What is the difference between emissivity and emittance?
emissivity = the measure of an object’s ability to absorb and radiate heat
emittance = ratio of radiation emitted by a given object to that by a black object at the same temperature
What is 1 clo?
1 clo = the amount of thermal insulation provided by the typical business suit
What is the “effective temperature”?
A value that combines air temperature, humidity, and air movement.
What are 2 common methods to show the various environmental factors for human comfort?
- comfort chart
2. psychrometric chart
What does a psychrometric chart do?
What are the factors in a psychrometric chart?
Give a dry bulb temperature and specific humidity, how do you find the:
Dew point?
Wet bulb?
Max humidty? Relative humidity?
It helps calculate how much heat and moisture need to be added or removed by an HVAC system for comfort.
Horizontal axis = dry bulb temperature
Vertical axis = specific humidity (grains)
Left curve = 100% humidity
horizontally left from dry bulb and specific humidity gives you dew point
diagonal up/left from dry bulb and specific humidity gives you wet bulb
straight up and then straight right from dry bulb gives you max humidity
relative humidity = specific humidity / max humidity
What is the R-value of a material?
Resistance = the number of hours needed for 1 Btu to pass through a material of a given thickness when the temperature differential is 1 deg F.
What is is the U-value of a material?
Conductance = the rate at which heat passes through 1 sf of a material of a given thickness when the temperature differential is 1 deg F.
How do you calculate the amount of heat loss through unit of areas of a building material or assembly?
Q = (U-value) x (Area) x (change in temperature from inside/outside)
this formula is provided in the exam resources
Where should the vapor barrier go?
On the warm side of the insulation. So, if it’s hotter outside than inside, the vapor barrier should go on the exterior side of insulation. If it’s colder outside than inside, the vapor barrier should go on the interior side of the insulation.
How do you calculate heat loss through air infiltration?
Q = (volume of air lost in cubic feet per min)x(1.08)x(change in temperature from inside/outside)
this formula is provided in the exam resources
What is the difference between sensible and latent heat?
sensible heat = heat exchange through temperature
latent heat = heat exchange without temperature change, through gas or liquid
What are the 6 main options for fuel?
- natural gas
- oil
- electricity
- steam
- heat pumps
- natural energy sources
What are 2 types of refrigeration processes that produced chilled water or air? What is an essential difference between them?
- compressive refrigeration = uses a compressor to deliver the ammonia solution at high pressure to the condenser, where it releases heat.
- refrigeration by absorption = uses an absorber/generator loop to deliver the ammonia solution at high pressure to the condenser, where it releases heat.
Essential difference: compressive uses mechanics, whereas absorption uses laws of chemistry and physics. Also, compressor requires more energy than the absorbor/generator loop
What are the 3 components to compressive refrigeration?
- compressor = refrigerant is compressed, turning to a liquid
- condenser = liquid refrigerant is condensed and releases latent heat
- evaporator = refrigerant evaporates into a gas and draws heat from its surrounding
Which 2 types of refrigerant are not used anymore? Which is used instead?
Freon
CFCs
= deplete the ozone layer
HCFCs have replaced CFCs = less ozone depletion
What is evaporative cooling?
In which climates is it appropriate to use?
What is a benefit over a refrigeration cooling system?
Water is dropped over pads of fin tubs through which outdoor air or water circulates. As the free water evaporates, it absorbs heat from the outdoor air/water. This cools the outdoor air/water, which is then used to cool the building.
Only works in hot-arid climates where outdoor air has low enough humidity to allow the moistened air to evaporate.
It can be more economical and easier to install than a refrigeration cooling system
What are the 5 broad categories of HVAC systems?
- Direct expansion (DX) Systems
- All-air systems
- All-water systems
- Air-water systems
- Electric systems
What does the direct expansion (DX) system do?
It is the simplest type of HVAC system in which a self-contained unit cools non-ducted fresh air with a refrigerant vapor expansion and compression cycle. The cool air is then discharged into the room.
- Intake comes directly from outside -> improved IAQ
- With the addition of a heat coil, can provide heating as well.
What are 5 types of all-air systems?
- Constant-Volume Single-Duct System
- Variable Air Volume (VAV) System
- High-Velocity Dual-Duct System
- Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) System
- Multizone System
What is a constant-volume single-duct system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
the simplest type of all-air system in which air is heated/cooled in a central furnace/air conditioner and is distributed through ductwork at a constant volume.
- central unit
- central thermostat = no independent control
- boiler/chiller to heat/cool air
- often used in residential and small commercial
What is a variable air volume (VAV) system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
- what is 1 negative?
Air is heated/cooled in a central plant and distributed through a single duct at a constant temperature.
- central plant
- individual zone control but not simultaneous H/C
- boiler/chiller
- efficient air conditioning large internal load dominated buildings.
- Limited in extreme simultaneous heat/cooling demands
What is a high-velocity dual-duct system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
- what are 3 negatives?
2 parallel ducts run to each space, one carrying hot air and the other cold air. The two streams of hot/cool air are joined in a mixing box in proportions to suit the temperature requirements of the space.
- central distribution unit
- individual zone controls = thermostat controls the mixing box for each space
- boiler/chiller
- best for buildings that need varying simultaneous heating/cooling requirements.
1. - inherently inefficient since both hot air and cold air are supplied at all times
2. - high velocity = higher energy for more powerful fans and higher noise with in ductwork
3. - high quantity of ductwork = higher cost
What is a similarity between a VAV and high-velocity dual duct system? Difference?
They both provide heating/cooling with boiler/chillers with individual zone control.
VAV cannot provide large simultaneous differences in heating/cooling since it has a single duct, but high-velocity dual duct can. VAV is better for large internal load dominated buildings. high-velocity dual duct is better for buildings that need varying simultaneous heating/cooling requirements.
What is a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
A single compressor and condenser unit is located outdoors and connects to multiple evaporators located in different zones/rooms. Reduces power consumption by operator compressor and evaporators at varying speeds to precisely meet the load in each zone.
- individual zone control through individual evaporators
- uses refrigerant. Can also be designed to use a heat pump or heat recovery to reduce power consumption.
- best for buildings with varying heating/cooling loads and different zones:
- office buildings
- hotels
- schools
- multifamily residential
What is a multi-zone system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
Supplies air to a central mixing unit where separate heating (coiler) and cooler (chiller) coils product separate hot/cold air streams. Hot/cold air streams are mixed with dampers controlled by zone thermostats and delivered to the zones.
Best used for medium sized buildings that needs various heat/cooling in different zones, but where each floor is one with 1 central mixing unit/floor.
What is an all-water system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
uses a fan coil (boiler/chiller) in each conditioned space to heat/cool water.
- individual controls = thermostat in each room regulates how much water flows through the coils
- most often used in dry/arid locations = It is an efficient way to transfer heat and is easily controlled, but cannot control humidity.
What are the 3 types of all-water systems?
two-pipe = one supply pipe for both hot and cold and one return pipe three-pipe = two supply pipes for hot and cold and one return four-pipe = one supply/return circuit for hot and another for cold
What is an air-water system?
- central unit?
- independent control?
- boiler/chiller or heat pump or refrigerant?
- where it is most often used?
a central air system provides humidity control and ventilation air to spaces, with the majority of heating/cooling provided by fan coil units in each space for independent control. Supply air is 100% fresh and return air is completely exhausted to exterior.
- often used when return air cannot return to the system due to potential contamination (like laboratories or hospitals)
What are two types of air/water systems?
- air-water induction system = air is supplied to an induction unit (instead of coils) in a room/zone, where air is heated/cooled as needed
- fan coil with supplementary air = fan coiled unit provides heating/cooling, but separate supplementary air supply provides humidity control and ventilation