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CustomAirHandlingUnits|CoilSelectionGuidelines
PostedOctober25,2012byJimShiminski(http://dachvac.com)

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Ihaveincludedacollectionofnotesthatwehavepulledtogetherovertheyearsthat
guideusthroughtypicalcoilselectionsforcustomairhandlingunits.
 CoilsBasics:
HeaderOrientationSupplylowleaving,returnhighentering
CoilHandFacetheenteringairsideofthecoiltodetermineitshandconnection.
Withairatyourbackwhichside(hand)aretheheaderson?
PlateFinTypeMuchmorecommon,easiertoclean
SpiralFinTypeLesscommon.Lesspressuredrop.SpiralFinhasadvantagein
steamheatcoilasseparatetubescanhandlehigherthermalexpansion.
#Rows/Circuits=#ofPasses

CoilConstruction:

TubesCopperisstandard

5/8TubeO.D.isstandard.1/2TubeO.D.ismoretypicalonDX
Tubethicknessforwatercoilsusuallystartsat.020,butweusuallyspecifya
.025or.035.BelledendsallowforlargerUbendsandlesspressuredrop.
Wetypicallyusethem
FinsAluminumisstandardstandardfinthickness.0075,wesometimesuse
.0095forhospitals/labs/highquality,.006forlowercost

CasingGalvanizedisOKonSteamorHWCoilsbutChilledWater(CW)coilsare
typically16gauge304stainlesssteel

typicalcasingis11/2legbutonmostcoilsifspacingistightcanbe0.75or1

HeaderseitherCarbonSteelorCopperHeadersarestandard

oftenusenonferrousheadersforcoolingcoilswheretherewillalotof
moistureandcondensation
MPT(MalePipeThread)istypicalforcoilconnections

CoilSizingFinHeight

heatingcoilsmaxFHof60ismaxreasonablehandlingsizeinashop
coolingcoilsmaxFHforindividualcoolingcoilswithadrainpanexpectedto
havesignificantcondensationis42sincecondensationfromupperpartcancut
airflowinbottompart

CoilSizingFinLength
 withnoglycol,finlengthcanbewhateverisneededupto180.Withglycolthe
WPDgoesupsignificantlywithhigherFLsoprobablyneedtobreakbigcoilsup
intoshorterlengthsections.
typicalmaxcoilwidthorlengthinanAHUisFL+15toouterdimensionsof2
wallAHU

Coatingsifacoilisgoinginunitwithin35milesoftheoceanorinanareawhere
corrosionmightbeafactor,needtoincludecoating.Electrofinisthebest,goodup
toanynumberofrows,highlyflexiblesowontchipeasily.

SelectionCriteria:
FaceVelocities

CoilType AllowableVelocity

HotWater(HW) 2001200FPM

Steam 2001200FPM

ChilledWater(CW) 200550FPM

DX 200550FPM

TypicalHotWaterCoil600700FPM
TypicalChilledWaterCoil500FPM
OnaCoolingCoilAirvelocitiesabove500fpmisthepointwherewater
dropletscanleavetheouteredgeofthefin.Thisiscalledmoisturecarryover.
Wedesigntoavoidthis.

AirPressureDropWetypicallydesignforlessthananinchonallapplications
andlookforapressuredropnear1/2.

WaterCoilPressureDrop25WaterPressureDrop(WPD)isaboutmaximum
usebellendstodecreasepressuredrop.
 forHWcoils,WPDupto10ftisusuallyOK
forCHWcoils,WPDupto1520ftisusuallyOK

TubeVelocitystaybelow8ft/sec,3to6ft/secistypical.Numberishigherwith
glycol

Optimizevelocitythroughcircuiting

ReynoldsFlowNumberunder2100cancauselaminarflow.Caneitherchange
circuit(preferred)oraddTurbulators(turbulatorsaddpressuredrop)
MaxGPMtypicallylistedbyconnectionsizes
GlycolPolypropylene(propyleneglycol=PG)ismorecommonlyusedantifreeze
FoulingFactorsUse0ifyoucan.Typical#sareRis(inside).0005Ros
(outside).001

OtherRecommendations:
Ifspaceallows,makingcoilsectionlargertoreducevelocity.Movingto300400
FPMvelocityaddsasmall%firstcostbutsavesbiginsupplyfanHPoverlifeof
unit.
Glycol%hasadrasticnegativeeffectontransferpropertiesmakingGPM,coiland
pipingsizinggoup.Alwaysquestionunitdesignandoperationiftheyrequest40%
IfcoilsaretobeinalargeVAVAHUapplication,velocityshouldnotdropbelow250
fpmorlaminarairsidewillreduceeffectiveness.Facedampersmaybeneededto
controlairflow.

Seemanufacturerforfurtherinformationoncoils:Aerofin(http://www.dachvac.com/our
manufacturers/aerofin/)

(http://www.dachvac.com/category/askrick/)

Filedunder:AirHandlingUnits(http://www.dachvac.com/category/airhandlingunits/)

2Comments

DEEPAKSUNNAGERE
November24th,2013(http://www.dachvac.com/customairhandlingunitscoilselection
 guidelines/#comment2884)

HELLO,

WHYALWAYSINAHUS&FCUSCHILLEDWATERSUPPLYCONNECTIONISIN
BOTTOMSIDE&RETURNATTHETOP.COULDYOUPLEASETELLME
TECHNICALREASONBEHINDTHIS.

Reply(http://www.dachvac.com/customairhandlingunitscoilselectionguidelines/?

replytocom=2884#respond)

prashant
March10th,2014(http://www.dachvac.com/customairhandlingunitscoilselection
guidelines/#comment3467)

airpressuredropacrosscoolingoftheahuinmmh2o,inch,pascaletc

Reply(http://www.dachvac.com/customairhandlingunitscoilselectionguidelines/?

replytocom=3467#respond)

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