PART B: Selection of Air-Conditioning Equipment and System.

After obtaining the heat load estimate and the other data shown in the estimate
form from Part A, the equipment can then be selected. The following would serve as a
guide to choose a suitable system and necessary equipment. Possession and study of
manufactures product technical data pamphlets would be of great help.

2. Window Units:
These would be suitable for individual rooms or offices with at least one external
wall. The highest tonnage of the units offered per Federal contract is 1 tons. The only
disadvantage of window units are:- (i) noisy, (ii) no fine control of temperature and
humidity and (iii) higher consumption of electricity per ton. However, they are ideal
when only a few rooms are to be cooled and individual controls are required. The initial
cost is low.

3. Packaged Units:
There are basically two types of packaged system; air-cooled or water-cooled. The
cooling capacities and volume or air delivered by the units would depend on individual
manufactures. Generally for air-cooled packaged units the cooling capacities are from
about 3 Tons to about 45 Tons (4HP to 60HP) and for water-cooled the capacities are
from about 5 tons to about 150 tons (6.7 hp to 200hp). The nominal delivery volume of
air delivered is about 500 cfm per ton.

These units are generally used with ductwork and the air-cooled type may also be
split into the compressor condenser section and the fan-coil section. This provides more
flexibility in equipment placement but the distances between these two sections should
not be too much or the refrigerant piping sizes would have to be increased. The agents
would have to be referred for the maximum distance allowable.

The packaged units also provide better control than window units as units may
have more than one compressor, cylinder unloading compressors, cylinder unloading
compressors, split coils, time delay starters, etc. the overall efficiency of package units
range from 9 to 15 BTU/HR per watt for water-cooled equipment and 7 to 11 BTU/HR
per watt for air-cooled equipment. It can be seen that although the first cost of air-cooled
package units are slightly lower (do not need a cooling tower) the running cost is higher.

4. Central direct expansion (DX) system:

These are made up of the compressor section, condenser section (usually air-
cooled), air handling unit/units comprising the centrifugal fan, direct-expansion
evaporating coils, face and by pass dampers and filters, cooling tower and water pump.
for condenser water.

The compressors are usually of the reciprocating type. These are either open type,
ie. with one end of the crankshaft extending outside the crankcase for external drive, or
hermetic type where the motor and compressor are enclosed. The open type is normally
available from 2 to 35 tons whilst the hermetic reciprocating type is available from 5 to
190 tons. Normally the open type is preferred for ease of maintenance.

Usually the condenser comes together with the compressor but the condenser
section can also be sized and obtained separately,

Normally, only up to two air-handling units can be connected to one compressor

system and they should not be mare than 100ft. from the compressor unit.

WINDOW UNIT

1 HP = 10,000 BTU/HR

1 HP = 12,000 BTU/HR

1 HP = 16,000 BTU/HR

2 HP = 20,000 BTU/HR

= AREA x ( 55 or 60 ) BTU/HR

1 ton = 12,000 BTU/HR

1.2 HP

Comp HP = TR x minis (1.25)

For SHC = ERSH + 4% of RHS + outdoor air sensible

TC = Grand total heat

Brake-horse power absorbed by pump

GPM: 10 20 30 50 100 150 200 500 1000

Average
Efficiency 30% 38% 44% 54% 65% 68% 70% 76% 80%
Total
Head (ft) Brake Horse Power (BHP):
10 0.12 0.18 0.23 0.3 0.43 0.7 0.9 2 3.8
20 0.2 0.32 0.42 0.58 0.94 1.4 1.75 4 7.6
30 0.3 0.48 0.63 0.84 1.4 2 2.6 6 11.4
50 0.5 0.80 1.05 1.4 2.3 3.35 4.3 10 19
70 0.7 1.12 1.47 2 3.2 4.7 6 14 26.5
100 1 1.6 2.1 2.8 4.6 6.7 8.6 20 38
200 2 3.2 4.2 5.6 9.2 13.4 17.2 40 76
300 3 4.8 6.3 8.4 13.8 20 26 60 114
500 5 8 10.5 14 23 33.5 43 100 120
700 7 11.2 14.7 20 32 47 60 140 265
1000 10 16 21 28 46 67 86 200 380

The above average efficiencies are for one duty only with the best pump selected
for that duty.

8. Air-Handling Units:

Air-handling units comprises the centrifugal fan, fan-motor, faces and by pass
dampers with control motor, filter section and the cooling coils.

The centrifugal fans are normally forward curved for quitter operation air
quantity. The product data sheets will then give the fan and casing size, fan-motor horse
power required and rpm of fan.

The normal cooling coil face velocity designed for is from 400 fpm to 700 fpm.
At low velocities the air film resistance is high and the heat transfer coefficient is low-
also if the velocity is too high condensate moisture may be carried into the duct work and
would become a problem. In our JKR specifications we usually specify 500 to 550 fpm.
The minimum coil face area can therefore be obtained from the total air quantity (CFM)
divided by the design cooling coil face velocity.

An idea of the depth of coils and the number of fins per inch of coil can be
obtained from the following table:
 8 fins/in 14 fins/in
Depth of Coils Velocity (fpm)
( rows)
300-700 300-700
2 0.42 to 0.55 0.22 to 0.38
3 0.27 to 0.40 0.10 to 0.23
4 0.19 to 0.30 0.05 to 0.14
5 0.12 to 0.23 0.2 to 0.09
6 0.08 to 0.18 0.01 to 0.06
8 0.03 to 0.08

The above bypass factors apply to coils with 5/8 outside diameter and spaced on
approximately 1 centre. The values are only approximate and actual values should be
obtained from the coil manufacturers.

9. Duct sizing:
Duct sizing is usually done using a ductulator available from major air-
conditioning manufacturers. The normal method used is the equal friction method.

The initial duct size from the air-handling unit or package unit is sized using the
recommended maximum initial velocity systems (high velocity systems using spiral
conduits are not normally used here).

Recommended Maximum Duct Velocities (fpm)

Application Controlling Controlling Factor Duct Friction

Factor Noise
Generation Main Duct Branch Ducts
Main Duct: Supply Return Supply Return
Residence 600 2000 800 600 600
Apartment
Hotel Bedrooms 1000 1300 1300 1200 1000
Hospital Bedrooms
Private Officer
Directors Rooms 1200 2000 1500 1600 1200
Libraries
Theatres
Auditoriums 800 1300 1100 1000 800
High class Restaurants
Generals Offices 1500 2000 1500 1600 1200
High Class Stores
Banks
Average Store
Cafeterias 1800 2000 1500 1600 1200
Industrial 2500 3000 1800 2200 1500
 The friction loss per 100 ft. of the duct is thus found and this is maintained in the
rest of the ductwork.

The total friction loss in the duct work (the longest duct is used) including losses
due to bends, transformation expansions or contractions, and terminal pressure required
at the fan discharge.

10. Supply air outlets:

The number of supply air grilles required can be determined from the following
table:
Recommended Maximum CFM Per outlet

Temperature Differential Ceiling height (ft)

at outlet. (F)
8 9 10 12 14 16
10 600 1500 4000
20 250 700 1400 4500
30 100 300 550 1500 3500 6500
The grille sizes should be selected such that the air would not be too noisy for the
application. The following table would serve as a guide:

Recommended Outlet Velocities

Applications: Terminal Velocity (fpm)

Residences studios 300-500

Apartments
Churches
Hotel bedrooms 500-750
Theatres
Private offices, acoustically treated

Private offices, not treated 500-800

Cinema 1000

General offices 100-1250

Dept stores, upper floors 1500

Dept. stores, main floor 2000

The neck sizes of ceiling diffusers or the dimension of side discharge supply air
grilles can be found from the selected CFM per outlet divided by the above recommended
velocity, giving the area and hence the required dimensions. When deciding on the
number of grilles for a supply system, it must be kept in mind that larger grille sizes are
more expansive.

In summary, the following table would serve as a rough guide for estimation
purpose:

Type of Equipment: Usual Tonnage: Installation Cost per ton:

Air-cooled package Up to 15 tons RM 3,000/=

Water-cooled package Up to 60 tons RM 3,500/=

DX Central systems 30 to 120 tons RM 1,400/=**

Chilled water 100 tons and above RM 6,000/=

The cost of electricity in operating an air-conditioning system is approximately

RM 175/= per kilowatt per year operating for 8 hour per day. The servicing cost is
roughly 1% to 2 of the installation cost but this would vary with the location of the
plant type of the plant.

** Old figure from Yap Pow Fah