by High Performance HVAC | Air Handlers |
Air Handler Components 3 - Hot water coils inside of air handler units combine a boiler system or a special capacity hot water heater and forced air to provide forced-air heating. The concept is simple and used a lot in commercial and some in residential.
Commercial systems almost exclusively use a boiler to provide hot water to the hot water coil inside the air handler unit while the residential systems use mainly special capacity hot water heaters to provide hot water to the hot water coil inside the air handler unit.
On a call for heat, a pump is energized to begin the circulation of hot water from the heating source to the coil. The air handler unit blower motor energizes and the air begins to move across the coil. Heat is exchanged from the hot water coil to the air and the air is delivered to its appropriate destination through the ductwork.
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by High Performance HVAC | Air Conditioning |
How Air Conditioning Works - Ever wonder how air conditioner works in a house? AC’s work by removing the heat from the space they service. An AC is simply a big refrigerator that uses the process of refrigeration to provide cooling for a building. AC’s work by using direct expansion coils or chilled water coils to absorb and move the heat from the air as air is blown across the coils.
Types of air conditioner systems that use direct expansion coils for cooling are window units, split system air conditioners, package unit air conditioners, packaged terminal air conditioners like the air conditioners used in hotels, and mini-split ductless AC’s. Essentially, an air conditioning system works by removing heat from the air. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Heat Pumps |
Heat Pump Sequence of Operation - Every electrical-mechanical piece of equipment has a sequence of operation. While some manufacturers of heat pumps vary slightly with their heat pump sequence of operation the overall sequence of operation for a heat pump is the same for most manufacturers. So unless you have a special type of heat pump (they are out there – the Acadia heat pump is designed for extreme cold weather temperatures up North like Canada) the sequence of operation for your heating equipment should be very similar to what is described here. This is the basic operation of a heat pump like you will find in conventional heat pumps.
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by High Performance HVAC | Commercial HVAC |
Cooling Tower Evaporation Cools Water | HVAC Technical - Cooling towers use the process of evaporation to cool or removes heat from the condenser water that was transferred to the water in the chiller condenser barrel. The heat is absorbed in the load in this case in a data center on a data center floor. The servers and electrical equipment produce a massive amount of sensible heat.
The heat is absorbed by computer room air conditioners or computer room air handlers. These systems, computer room air handlers, and air conditioners have chilled water coils. The chilled water originates at the chiller into the primary loop. The water circulates through the primary loop and makes its way into the secondary loops. (more…)
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 | Heat Pumps |
Heating with Heat Pumps | HVAC Systems - There are some people who say that heat pump heat is not as warm as other types of heat. Heating sources such as a hot water boiler or even a steam boiler. Even the forced air gas furnace gets more credit for providing better heat than the heat pump. Heat pumps are extremely popular in the southern states where the heating season is short. Additionally, where the temperature rarely dips below 35 degrees F. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Technical Reference |
HVAC Definitions - In air conditioning and heating the name HVAC is often used. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Other acronyms are less used to describe air conditioning and heating applications is HVACR or heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration and HACR or heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration. (more…)
by High Performance HVAC | Refrigeration |
These compressors are integral to a vapor compression refrigeration system in a supermarket
The process of refrigeration uses the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle to move heat from one place to another. In many HVAC air conditioner and heat pump applications, the process of refrigeration or the vapor-compression cycle is what makes it work. This process, in the air conditioning mode, moves heat from inside the structure to the outside. (more…)
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 | Air Conditioning |
For proper Air Conditioner Troubleshooting, you need to understand some basics of air conditioners. This includes basic refrigeration, electricity, electrical components and how electro-mechanical controls work. In addition, basic air conditioner components and air conditioner sequence of operation. Before troubleshooting, you need to identify the basic problem with the system. Aside from the basics such as blown fuses or a tripped breaker we will explore other areas to look at for air conditioner troubleshooting. Tripped circuit breakers for air conditioning systems are covered here. A good preventive maintenance program done periodically can help you avoid common air conditioning problems that require troubleshooting. (more…)
