by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |

The air handler coils should be checked for dirt and debris which may have been sucked into the air handler inadvertently. Some air handlers have filters inside them before the coils. It is a good time to change the filters when making this check.
Any dirt or debris on the coil(s) should be removed immediately as these things will impede airflow through the air handler and throughout the entire system as a whole. Dirty evaporator coils can cause AC problems. Some air handler coils are installed in the air handler cabinet while other coils are installed in the ductwork. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |

Automatic Flow Valve
HVAC Piping Valves | Heating and Cooling Hydronics - Triple Duty Valves are three valves in one as the name implies. Triple Duty Valves act as a check valve, balancing valve, and shut-off valve all in one valve.
From the smallest hydronic loops to the largest hydronic loops triple duty valves are very a popular selection for engineers when designing hydronic loops for chilled water and hot water applications. The triple-duty valve consists of a threaded stem attached to a disc. The disc has a spring that will allow the disc to open when the flow is induced throughout the loop. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Variable Air Volume Systems - Variable Air Volume (VAV) systems are the best way to zone especially in large buildings. A VAV system with the proper controls and setup will help the building owner realize large savings in energy usage. There are many VAV systems out there set up in different ways. The most common set-up (for DDC) is, of course, usually the cheapest to install.
They have an air handler (DX or Chilled Water) which supplies the VAV Boxes with fixed pressure and temperature of the conditioned air. The VAV Boxes have electric reheat which will heat the air if that particular zone calls for heat (it is not uncommon to also find VAV boxes that have hot water reheat although this usually costs more to install but can save in energy costs). More on how VAV boxes work.
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by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Chilled Water Storage Tank | Critical Facilities - Data centers use redundant systems for back-ups in case of an emergency. An HVAC chilled water storage tank adds an extra layer of redundancy to the process so if the chilled water plants crash the chilled water storage tank or tanks will provide a small cushion of time to allow the operating engineers time to straighten things out or in a worst-case scenario allow time for the servers in the data center to be transferred to another data center and shut down. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
DX CRAC Unit Condensers | Critical Facility HVAC - Most data centers do not utilize HVAC DX (Direct Expansion) CRAC units or air conditioning but instead use chilled water systems to provide cooling for the data center. In smaller buildings such as remote telecom buildings, DX air conditioning systems are used to keep the equipment cool and operating efficiently. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |

Carrier Chiller w/Air Source Condenser
Chilled Water System Efficiency - Chilled water systems in HVAC are common in large commercial applications utilizing chillers to chill the water, a pumping system to pump the water (water and glycol systems are common), and chilled water coils inside air handlers or ductwork to exchange heat from the air that is distributed throughout the building for conditioning.
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by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |

Chilled Water System Basics - Chilled water systems work much the same way as direct expansion systems work. The exception is they use water in the coil rather than refrigerant. Technically speaking, water can be classified as a refrigerant. Chilled Water systems can be rather complex and many chilled water systems are found in commercial and industrial applications. There are some chilled water systems used in residential applications. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Trane Chilled Water Systems – Multi-Zone Air Conditioning Systems - This Trane HVAC chiller serves four different apartments. Chilled water systems offer a great way for multi-zone air conditioning. From small apartment buildings to large commercial buildings chilled water systems can serve multi-zone air conditioning systems. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Plate Heat Exchanger and Free Cooling - This plate heat exchanger is used in a data center for a chilled water system and is a chilled water economizer. Heat exchangers are used in marine applications, industrial processes including chemical processing systems, food processing, and many HVAC applications including chilled water applications, hot water applications, and economizer applications. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Boilers |

The automatic air vent is found in the piping system of water loops. If air is introduced into the water loop system it eventually finds its way to the automatic air vent where it is vented. The automatic air vents are located throughout the system. Automatic air vents may also be found throughout any hydronic loop system. A hydronic loop is a water loop.
These water loops can be for hot water or chilled water. Any hydronic loop needs an air management system or automatic air bleeder system to keep the air out of the system otherwise, the air will be up in the system and air will block or prevent the flow of water throughout the loop. Water naturally has air in it. Air vents help the water loop by: (more…)