Chapter 3: Air Handling and Piping Equipment

1.0 Air Handling Units (AHU)

An handling units also known as air processing units is a device which is used to
condition and circulate air as part of a heating, ventilating and air-conditioning( HVAC)
system. AHU is a large metal box containing a blower, heating and/or cooling elements,
filter racks or chambers, sound attenuators, and dampers. AHU usually connects to duct
work that distributes the conditioned air through the building, and returns it to the AHU.
Sometimes AHUs discharge (supply) and admit (return) air directly to and from the space
served, without ductwork. Small air handlers, for local use, are called terminal units, and
may only include an air filter, coil, and blower; these simple terminal units are called
blower coils or fan coil unit. Larger AHU that conditions 100% outside air, and no
recirculate air, is known as a makeup air unit (MAU). An air handler designed for
outdoor use, typically on roofs, is known as a packaged unit (PU) or rooftop unit (RTU).

1.1 Air Handling Equipment

Components of air handling units:

 Fan section(s)
 Heat-exchange section
 Humidification section
 Filter section
 Air-mixing section
 Discharge sir plenum

1.2 Heat transfer

Heat transfer occurs at the heat-exchange section of the air handling unit. Commonly
used heating and cooling media include water, steam, refrigerant and electric.
1.3 Air cleaning

Air in urban environment contains many impurities, in the form of gas, liquid, and solid
particulates. Many of these particulates are classified as pollutants, such as smog, smoke,
and pollen. In addition, air may contain bacteria and viruses.

1.3.1 Air Filter

Air can be cleaned by passing it through a liquid curtain or spray or through a dry filter
medium. A liquid curtain or spray may use water or chemical solutions to remove the air
particulates, but these solutions usually serve other functions, such as cooling or
humidification. The dry type of filtration is by far the most commonly used method for
cleaning air.
Classification criteria of air filters:
- Filtration principle: Filtration by the medium or by electrostatic precipitation
- Impingement: Dry medium or viscous medium
- Configuration: Flat or extended surface (pockets, V-shaped or radial pleats)
- Service life: One-time disposable or renewable
- Performance: Low and medium efficiency, high efficiency particulate air
(HEPA), or ultrahigh efficiency (UEPA)
- Special features: Order absorption, disposal of radioactive material, etc.

1.3.2 Application of Air Filters

1. For residential and commercial buildings:
 - Low-efficiency and medium-efficiency filters are adequate.
- Bag-type or pleated filters are used for higher efficiency.
2. For health care facilities and laboratories:
- The filtration requirements are often dictated by codes and regulations.
- HEPA filters are used for clean rooms and special laboratories to maintain very
clean environments or to remove hazardous particles.
- HEPA filters are expensive and exhibit a high resistance to airflow, so their use is
limited to these special applications.
3. For hazardous materials:
- The filter housing is designed to pull the contaminated filter directly into a plastic
bag so that the filter can be replaced without exposing it to the environment. This
feature is called “bag out.”

1.4 Air Mixing

Outside air required for a building is usually ducted to the inlet of an air-handling unit by
mixing with the return air.
The two airstreams(OA, RA) must be balanced with dampers to introduce sufficient
outside air for ventilation, but not so much as to require excessive energy for
conditioning during extremes of weather.

1.5 Fans
A fan moves air used in HVAC systems to ventilate or transport heating or cooling.
All fans have a rotating impeller with blades; this increases the kinetic energy of air by
changing its velocity. The increased velocity is then converted to pressure.
Two basic fan designs: centrifugal and axial.

1.5.1 Application of Fans

a. Centrifugal fans are generally used for air-handling application. Centrifugal fan
can produce high pressure and has the capacity for large volumes of air. Most
suited to larger installations such as air conditioning systems. It may have one or
two inlets.
 b. Axial fans have the advantage of being compact when installed in line with
ductwork. Axial flow fan can develop high pressure and is used for moving air
through long sections of ductwork. The fan is integral with the run of ducting and
does not require a base.

1.6 Air Devices

Air devices, used for supplying air and removing air from space, are among the few parts
of the HVAC system that are visible to the occupants of a building.
Air devices include diffusers, grills and registers, flow control devices, and other
accessories.
Grills simply contain vanes; registers contain a control damper behind the vanes.

1.7 Duct Systems

Ductwork is part of the air-handling system.
Duct system includes ducts for supply air, return air, outside air, relief air, and exhaust
air.
Ducts are usually fabricated from sheet metal, such as galvanized steel, aluminum, or
stainless steel.
Some ducts are made with nonmetals, such as plastics.

1.7.1 General Guidelines for Duct System Design

A well-designed duct system will result in the lowest installation cost and most energy
efficient operation of the air-handling system.
Duct sizes are selected that will produce the highest possible velocity consistent with a
reasonable friction loss.
Duct installations are most economical when maximum use is made of straight duct runs,
and the number of fittings is minimized.
Duct systems that are not properly designed will create objectionable noise. Insulation
placed inside the ductwork will attenuate noise radiating from the system.
Doors should be provided in the duct walls to allow access for cleaning inside the duct
and for maintaining components in the ductwork.
Coordination of the ductwork with lighting layout and structural elements is an important
criterion in the architectural design process.

1.7.2 Ductwork Layout Plan

2.0 Piping System

A piping system is a network of pipes, fittings and valves intended to perform a specific
job i.e. to carry or transfer fluids from one equipment to another. The plumbing network
supplying water at your home is a common example of a piping system. Other more
rigorous examples include steam piping in a power plant, milk piping in a dairy, paint
piping in a paint manufacturing plant, oil piping in a refinery, so and so forth.
2.1 Basic HVAC Piping Systems
Pipes: to transport fluids
Pumps: to provide power for transporting fluids through pipes
Valves: to stop, divert or control the fluid flows
Pipe fittings: elbows, tees, flanges, couplings, unions, etc.
Accessories: strainers and temperature-, pressure-, and flow-gauges.

2.2 Material for Piping Systems

Piping system may consist of a variety of materials including mild steel, stainless steel,
aluminum, brass, copper, glass or plastic. Usually, pipe fittings and valves are made of
the same material as the pipe. The material selection as well as pipe sizing depends upon
parameters like nature of fluid, pressure, temperature and flow rate.

General purpose piping for HVAC systems are constructed of plain (black) steel,
galvanized steel, copper, or cast iron.

Special applications requiring corrosion resistance may require nonmetallic materials,

such as fiberglass, plastic, or glass, or more expensive metallic materials, such as
stainless steel or aluminum.

Fiberglass and plastic are require extra design attention to prevent damage from water
hammer.

Thermal expansion needs to be considered carefully; plastics expand at a much higher

rate than metals.

Plastic piping is made of:

PVC polyvinyl chloride

CPVC chlorinated polyvinyl chloride

PB polybutylene

PE polyethylene

PP polypropylene
8.2.1 Materials for Pipes

1) Black Steel Pipes

Uncoated steel pipe, called “black” because of the dark-colored iron-oxide scale formed
on its surface. These pipes are usually used for low-pressure hot-water heating pipes.

2) Galvanized Steel Pipes

Galvanized steel pipe is a steel pipe that has been coated with zinc. This coating protects
the steel from corrosion. It is most commonly used for outdoor construction like fences
and handrails, or for some interior plumbing.

3) Copper Pipes (Tubes)

Copper pipe is used both for plumbing and air conditioning. Pipe for residential
plumbing, or “plumbing tube,” is sold in nominal sizes which are 1/8 inch less than the
actual outside diameter. There are four types (K, L, M, and DWV).

4) PVC pipes

A polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe is made from a plastic and vinyl combination material.

The pipes are durable, hard to damage, and long lasting. A PVC pipe does not rust, rot, or
wear over time. For that reason, PVC piping is most commonly used in water systems,
underground wiring, and sewer lines at the lowest cost. It is joined by solvent cementing,
threading, or flanging. Gasketed push-on joints are also used for larger sizes.

5) CPVC Pipes

Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride has the same properties as PVC but can withstand a
higher temperature (typically 40°C to 50°C ) before losing strength.

This is a popular material for water piping systems in residential as well as commercial
buildings.

It is joined by the same methods as PVC.

6) PB Pipes
Polybutylene, developed in 1970’s, is a gray plastic used for both hot and cold plumbing
water piping.

A PB pipe is light and flexible and can be used up to 99°C.

It is joined by heat fusion or mechanical means, can be bent to a 10 diameter radius, and
is provided in coils.

However, in the 1980’s, buildings with PB piping started reporting leaks. And when PB
pipes were replaced, it was noticed that the interior walls of the pipes and fittings were
breaking down and flaking apart. Polybutylene water pipes are no longer accepted by

United States or Canadian building codes and have been the subject of class action
lawsuits in both countries.

PE Pipes

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is a flexible light tubing with good low-temperature

properties. It is used in the food and beverage industry and for instrument tubing. It is
joined by mechanical means such as compression fittings or push-on connectors and
clamps.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a tough, weather-resistant material used for large

pipelines in the gas industry. Fabricated fittings are available. It is joined by heat fusion
for large sizes; flare, compression, or insert fittings can be used on small sizes.

7) PP Pipes

Polypropylene is a light plastic used for pressure applications and also for chemical waste
lines, because it is resistant to corrosion towards alkaline and acidic solutions.

PP pipes can withstand higher temperature up to 90 °C.

A broad variety of drainage fittings are available. For pressure uses, regular fittings are
made. It is joined by heat fusion.

Types of pipe joints are major components of plumbing system provided to connect
multiple pipes. Pipe joint provided should withstand pressure of each pipe. There are
several ways to join pipes, but selection of pipe joint depend upon the pipe size, pipe
material and flow pressure etc.

Types of Pipe Joints in Plumbing

Different types of pipe joints used in plumbing system are as follows.

a. Threaded joint
b. Brazed joint
c. Soldered joint
d. Welded joint (butt welded, socket welded)
e. Flanged joint
f. Compression joint
g. Grooved joint

Valves

Valves are used for the control of volume and pressure of fluids moving through piping
or in enclosed vessels. They may be operated automatically or by hand. Type of
construction is as varied as the operations within the plant; each is designed for the
service to be performed.

Piping system, in order to effectively perform the function of transporting fluids from the
point to another, need devices to control or regulate the flow of fluids. Although devices
are available – which by suitable instrumentation automatically regulate or control the
flow of fluids in response to flow, level, pressure, temperature, or other control signals –
only manually operated devices will be discussed in this section. Check valves, relief
valves, steam traps, drain valves, etc although not manually operated are also discussed in
this section. • Manually operated valves are devices which are opened or closed by
turning a hand wheel or moving, rotating or otherwise manipulating a hand lever or
wrench. Gate, globe, plug, ball, diaphragm and butterfly valves are in this category.

• When valves are large size, difficult to operate due to flow conditions, located in
inaccessible positions, require rapid opening and closing, or need to be operated remotely
from a central control area, mechanical or power actuated operators are frequently
installed on these valves. Gear operators, chain wheels, or electric motor operators are
some of the mechanical or power actuated operators most often used. • Each type of
valve is designated for a specific purpose to meet and/or satisfy the following basic
control functions desired in a piping system.

Function of valve

Shutoff valves are installed to isolate components and portions of systems.

Drain valves are installed at equipment and at the low points of piping system. Hose and
fittings are normally used, and fluid is transferred to the nearest floor drain.

Balance valves are installed to adjust the flow through the system in proper amounts to
serve loads. They can also be used as shutoff valves.

Control valves are installed to modulate the flow of fluids through heat transfer devices in
response to fluctuating loads. Unlike shutoff and balance valves, control valves are in
continuous operation.

- A two-way control valve is installed in series with the load device and simply throttles
the flow in response to the load. This control method results in a variation of flow.

- A three-way control valve is arranged to force fluid through the load device or to bypass
fluid around the load device, resulting in a constant system flow.

Back-pressure regulators can be used to avoid unacceptably high system pressure at light
load conditions.

Check valves allow flow to occur in only one direction. They are installed in multiple
pump applications to prevent backflow through pumps that are not running.

Pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) are installed to reduce the pressure of supply water or
steam.

Types of Valves
Gate Valves

Gate valves are used to isolate flow.

These valves have a low resistance to flow when they are wide open.

These valves are used for shutoff duty and are not intended to regulate flow.

Globe Valves

Globe valves are used to isolate (on/off) as well as control flow rate (L/s).

These valves have a high resistance to flow even when wide open.

3) Ball and Butterfly Valves

These valves are used to control flow rate.

They can also be used for isolating flows.

Check Valves

Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV)

Basic Control Functions Of Valves

• Starting and stopping Flow

To start or stop the fluid flow is the function for which valves are most generally used.
Gate, plug, ball, butterfly and diaphragm valves effectively perform this function with
very little pressure drop through the valve.

• Regulating and throttling Flow

Regulating or throttling flow is most efficiently performed with globe, angle, or needle
valves. These valves are seldom used in size above 8 inches because of the difficulty
opening and closing the larger valves against pressure.
Butterfly and diaphragm valves are also effective as regulating or throttling valves at
limited fluid flow characteristics.

• Preventing backflow

Check valves perform the function of checking or preventing reversal of flow in piping
systems. Flow keeps these valves open if the flow is in the right direction, while gravity
and reversal of flow closes them automatically. Check valves are available in two basic
types - swing and lift checks.

• Relieving Pressure

Relief and safety valves are installed on equipment such as boilers, vessels, drums, piping
systems, etc. which can be seriously damaged if subject to pressures in excess of the
equipment design.

They are usually spring loaded and automatically open to release pressure which exceeds
the limit for which the valve was set.