by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
Air Conditioner Components - There are big differences between heat pumps and air conditioners. While the air conditioner provides cooling the heat pump will provide heating and cooling so the components inside the air conditioner differ from the components inside the heat pump system.
I constantly get emails from people asking if they can convert their air conditioner to a heat pump and of course they can but it is not recommended. I have even devoted an article to it for those who are considering converting their air conditioner to a heat pump.
After all, if you sit a heat pump next to a condenser it would be impossible to tell the difference between the air conditioner condenser to the heat pump condenser unless you looked inside the unit and were able to identify the different components from a heat pump to an air conditioner. Here are the basic components of an air conditioner that make the air conditioner cool your home or business. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
What you will learn from
What is a Metering Device:
- We will answer the question, “What is a metering device”. We will define the various types of devices and how they work.
- How the metering device is involved in the refrigeration cycle
- A comprehensive list defining the metering devices commonly used in HVAC.
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by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Evaporator Coil Air Conditioners - the evaporator in air conditioners is responsible for absorbing heat into the coils and the refrigerant. The evaporator in heat pumps and air conditioners is an essential component of vapor compression refrigeration. This is usually done as a result of passing air or water over the evaporator coil where a heat exchange process takes place.
Heat leaves the air or water (whatever medium is used) and is absorbed into the coil and the liquid refrigerant. As more and more heat is absorbed by the evaporator coil and the refrigerant again changes state from a liquid to a refrigerant vapor. By the time the refrigerant leaves the evaporator coil the refrigerant should be all vapor and ready to be received again by the refrigeration compressor. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Trane Heat Pump Condenser
The Condenser in the Refrigeration Process - The condenser coil receives the high-pressure high-temperature refrigerant vapor from the compressor and immediately begins to remove heat from the refrigerant vapor. As the refrigerant vapor makes its way through the condenser coil more and more heat is removed and the refrigerant vapor changes state from a refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant liquid. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Compressor in an HVAC refrigeration system
The Compressor | HVAC Refrigeration - In a typical HVAC air conditioner or heat pump, there are four major components that make the process of refrigeration work. Basically, this is how air conditioners work. And how heat pumps work. The first component in the process is a compressor or the heart of an air conditioner or heat pump system. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
A new evaporator coil
Fixing a Refrigerant Leak – You had the new air conditioner or heat pump system installed some years ago and suddenly it stopped heating or cooling properly so you call the HVAC contractor to check it out. The HVAC technician arrives and spends about thirty minutes HVAC troubleshooting and then he comes to you with the news.
The unit needs a charge of refrigerant. It is low on refrigerant (R-22) or R-410A. You ask the HVAC technician if it is normal for this to occur and he informs that, no, it is not normal for the HVAC system to lose refrigerant that you have a refrigerant leak. Is it the evaporator coil? Is it the air conditioner condenser? Something else with the air conditioning system? Or heat pump? (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Duct Work |
Ductwork and High Ceilings - I did not see any reference to my question and would appreciate a response as soon as possible, as due to a medical situation, have to make a decision soon. We own an OLD house with 13′ ceilings in a large part of the home and 11″ ceilings in the LV/DR and BR. We are oscillating on where to place the ducts…Floor or ceiling. It appears to be counterproductive to me to put the ductwork in the ceiling since it will have so far to go.
We are looking for the most cost-effective, not upfront cost but operating cost, solution. In addition, we are considering DF heat pumps. The house will need 2 or 3 to be zoned correctly. Please let me know about the duct placement and thank you for your help? (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Air Handler Water Coil Freeze Stat - The HVAC Air Handler Freeze Stat is a low-temperature limit control and it is used mainly in commercial systems in the ductwork on economizers or in air handlers just before any coil especially water coils. It is a safety and protection control to prevent extremely cold air from reaching the hot water or chilled water coils inside the air handler where the air enters from the economizer.
Under ideal control setup if the freeze stat trips the economizer dampers close and the blower fan stops. This prevents coils from freezing. A frozen coil can bust open and will need to be replaced if it freezes. This is the purpose of the freeze stat in HVAC air handler applications which utilize economizers for free cooling and other purposes.
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Find Tonnage on AHU | HVAC Equipment Nomenclature - How do I find out the tonnage on an AHU (Air Handling Unit)? The label/tag has faded all I have on file is the model number and the serial number, make.
Question Posted By Francisco the Building Engineer on May 3, 2011
Refer to the manufacturer’s website for their HVAC nomenclature of the model number and serial numbers and how those numbers correspond to the tonnage and other technical data. Or you can call your local dealer for the manufacturer and they will tell you. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
Refrigeration for HVAC - Air conditioners and heat pumps use the process of refrigeration to provide heating and cooling. What is the definition of the process of refrigeration? Refrigeration is the process of moving heat and depending on whether it is a heat pump or air conditioner and what mode it is in will depend on where you are moving the heat. An air conditioner and a heat pump (in the cooling mode) will move heat outside. The evaporator coil absorbs the heat and the condenser rejects the heat. (more…)
