Chilled Beam App Guide - 2013
Chilled Beam App Guide - 2013
Chilled Beam App Guide - 2013
Introduction
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
Both active and passive beams utilize water coils to provide sensible
cooling, reducing the total load that must be addressed through the
buildings air handlers. Since chilled beams provide sensible only cooling
they are best suited for spaces with low to moderate latent loads. This
offers considerable potential for energy savings due to the volumetric heat
transfer capacity of water and trade-off between fan energy and pumping
power.
U
either through natural or mechanical means. room temperature. This effect has the advantage that the room requires
less conditioning than a traditional system, introducing an additional
opportunity for energy savings.
History
Modern chilled ceiling systems, more specifically active chilled beams,
got their start in the 1920s when Willis Carrier began to develop the
concepts for under-sill induction units. Patents were applied for and first
installations of these units were completed in 1940. The use of an air-
water terminal located in the space was an important advance in and of
itself; however, these systems solidified the advantages of an air-water
system over an all-air system.
Incorporating supply air into a beam creates an active diffuser. Ventilation Water is much more efficient heat transfer medium than air.
air pressurizes a plenum and the aerodynamically designed jets induce Reduced duct size required to only supply ventilation air increased
room air over water coils. Forced induction dramatically increases the usable space, and reduced the material cost and installation time.
heating and cooling capacity per square foot, compared to passive beams
and radiant products. Active chilled beams harness the energy of the
supply air to further reduce total energy consumption.
APPLICATION GUIDE
U6
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
Scandinavian engineers, during the mid-1970s, adapted this technology Heat loss is measured in BTU which is the amount of heat required to
U
closed loop water system. Return air from the space passes across a fin
Humidity tube coil.
The transfer of fluid currents produced by external sources, such as by a Atmospheric Air (the air that you breathe), contains many gaseous
blower, is called forced convection. components including water vapor and containments. Dry Air is
atmospheric air with all moisture removed and is used only as a point of
When the fluid air movement is caused by the difference in density and reference. Moist Air is a combination of dry air and water vapor and can
the action of gravity, it is called natural convection. Natural convection is be considered equal to atmospheric air for this discussion.
very active near windows and near heat sources in the occupied spaces.
The colder air falls and the warmer air rises. A psychrometric chart (FIGURE 4) is a graphical representation of the
thermodynamic properties of moist air. There are several charts available
Radiant heat transfer takes place through matter. It is a change in energy to cover all common conditions. The one shown here is taken from
form, from internal energy at the source to electromagnetic energy for ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, Chapter 1 and illustrates conditions of
transmission, then back to internal energy at the receiver. Examples of 32 to 100BF at sea level. APPLICATION GUIDE
radiation are sunshine through the air and window to the inside floor or
ceiling light to occupants and to the floor. The Dry-bulb Temperature (DBT), is the temperature measured using a
standard thermometer. Dry-bulb is also known as the sensible temperature.
All of these methods of heat transfer effect a persons comfort reaction.
In addition, humidity has some effect caused by a change in evaporation The Wet-bulb Temperature (WBT), is the temperature measured using
rate from the body. a wetted thermometer. Wet-bulb is used to determine the moisture
content of air.
Heat transfer is also affected by the following factors:
A greater temperature difference will result in a greater amount of The Absolute Humidity (AH), is the vapor content of air. It is described in
heat transfer. terms of moisture per lb of dry air or grains of moisture per lb. of dry air.
The amount of surface area is directly proportional to the amount of AH is also referred to as moisture content or humidity ratio. There are
heat transfer. 7000 grains in a lb. of water.
The amount of time is also directly proportional to the amount of
heat transfer. The Relative Humidity (RH), is the vapor content of air. It is described as
The thermal resistance of the material use affects the rate of heat the percentage of saturation humidity at the same temperature (%). The
transfer. goal for optimum space comfort is 30-35% for heating conditions, and
45-60% for cooling conditions. Saturation humidity is the maximum vapor U7
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
content (lb./lb.) per lb. dry air that air can hold at a fixed temperature. two psychrometric properties. A hydrometer or psychrometer is commonly
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
The Specific Volume (Spv), is the reciprocal of air density which is To locate a status-point, find the dry-bulb temperature on the bottom of
described in terms of cubic feet per lb of dry air (cu ft/lb.). An increase the psychrometric chart. Follow this line upward until it intersects with the
in air temperature will result in a decrease in density and an increase in wet-bulb temperature from the left side of the chart.
volume. A decrease in atmospheric pressure also decreased air density
while increasing volume. At 5000 feet above sea level, density is decreased From the status point you can locate:
by 17%. Higher altitudes require larger motors and blowers to move the Absolute Humidity (AH)
same effective mass, due to the increase in specific volume. Relative Humidity (RH)
Dew Point Temperature (DPT)
The Enthalpy (H) is the heat content of air. Enthalpy is also known as the Specific Volume (Spv)
total heat of air. Enthalpy is defendant on the wet-bulb temperature of air.
It is described in terms of Btus per lb. dry air (Btu/lb.). When will condensation occur? To determine if a supply air duct or air
outlet device will form condensation on the surface:
A Status Point is a location on the psychrometric chart defined by any
90
60
.028
60
: 1.0 1.0 : 85
15.0
5000 0.8 .026
2.0 -2000
0.6 Sensible Heat Qs 4 -1000
8.0.0
3000
Total Heat 45
Qt
0.5 - :
-48.0 85
-2 .0 0 We .024
00
20 0.4 -1
.0 tB
ulb
.0 Te 55
mp
3
era
0.
80 t ure
-0 .4
50
-0
0.2
, F
.5
0
-0.
.022
-0.2
0.1
0 40
-0.1
3
15
00
80
1000
.020
Enthalpy Dh 75
Humidity Ratio 35 50
DW
.018
14.5
75
ir
70 .016
A
30
ry
F
D
,
of
re
tu
nd
ra
ou
pe
45
rP
70 .014
m
pe
Te
65
tu
n
tio
-B
ra
y
APPLICATION GUIDE
25
tu
lp
Sa
a
th
.012
En
65
14.0
60 %
90
Humidity Ratio - Pounds Moisture per Pound Dry Air
Vo
lum
% .010
80 40
e-
20 55 60
cu.
%
70
ft. p
.008
er lb
50 55
%
60
.D
13.5
ry A
15 45 50
50%
ir
.006
Dry Bulb Temperature, F
40 35
45
40%
35
40
.004
30%
13.0
35
20%
.002
12.5
Humidity
10% Relative
30
110
105
120
100
115
35
50
65
80
95
40
45
55
60
70
75
85
90
10 15 20
Enthalpy - Btu per Pound of Dry Air
U
COMFORT AND IAQ BENEFITS:
Latent Cooling (Qlat), is the removal of latent eat from air without lowering Active beams typically supply a constant volume of primary air,
the dry-bulb temperature. To retrieve 1 lb. of condensate, 970 Btus would decreasing occurrences of dumping and changes to the air motion in
need to be removed. As latent heat decreased, moisture content decreases. the space; issues common to typical VAV systems
When supplied with primary air from a dedicated outside air system
Latent Heat of Fusion is the heat required to change a liquid into a solid (DOAS) 100% fresh air is supplied to the space
(144 Btu/lb. Water can be cooled to 32BF. If more heat is removed, it will Dry-coil sensible cooling, eliminates bacterial, fungal, or mold
cause ice to form. To retrieve 1 lb of water from ice, 144 Btus must be growth associated with fan coils and other unitary products with
added. condensing coils
Constant primary air volume ensures ventilation requirements are
Sensible processes can be shown as horizontal paths on a psychrometric met and helps to maintain relative humidity levels in the space
chart. Latent processes can be shown as vertical paths on a psychrometric
chart. Most processes include both, resulting in an angled or diagonal
path.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND OPERATIONAL BENEFITS:
Utilizing the heat transfer capacity of water also takes advantage of
Sensible heat factor (SHF) is the measure of sensible heat to latent the superior operational efficiency of pumps as compared to fans.
heat. Sensible heating only is 1.0. Equal proportions result in 0.5. SHF is "" A 1 diameter pipe can deliver the same cooling/heating
generally higher than 0.5 because of the cooling processes that remove capacity as an 18 x 18 duct
more sensible heat than latent heat. "" Reduction of fan energy by a factor of 7 to deliver the same
cooling to the space
INDUCTION
Higher supply water temperatures compared to conventional
Induction is a flow that occurs as a result of the change in velocity pressure systems allow for use of water side economizers.
APPLICATION GUIDE
as a jet of air expands. The principals of induced air flow are based on the "" Increased opportunities for free-cooling
Venturi effect. The Venturi effect is a derivation of Bernoullis principle
and the continuity laws. In order to satisfy the fluid dynamic principles
Significant reduction in maintenance costs and labor as compared to
of continuity, a fluids velocity must decrease as the flow expands; at the conventional all air systems
same time the static pressure of the flow must increase. The increase
"" No moving parts - no blowers, motors, damper actuators to
in static pressure balances the decreased velocity, thus maintaining the replace
principles of conservation.
"" Dry-coil operation - does not require regular cleaning and
disinfecting of condensate pans
Benefits of Chilled Ceiling Systems "" Recommend cleaning of coils once every 4 to 5 years, more
frequently in hospitality rooms where linens are frequently
changed (i.e. hospital patient rooms and hotel rooms)
Chilled Ceiling Systems are designed to provide superior occupancy
comfort. These systems require less energy to operate, operate more
efficiently, and use less materials than conventional all air systems.
Tempered and dehumidified air is supplied to the space to meet ventilation
requirements and to handle the latent load. The majority of the sensible U9
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
Chilled Ceiling System Design Room air temperature is maintained through regulation of 2-way control
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
U
higher loads. for creating an effective, efficient, and comfortable system:
Total unit capacity
Chilled beams and radiant ceiling systems should not be applied in "" Size of units
buildings where relative humidity of the space is not easily maintained. "" Quantity of units
This would include retrofit applications, lobbies, and entrances where
"" Unit Configuration
there is excessive infiltration.
Supply Air
Chilled beams are best applied when installed no higher than 14 feet "" Flow rate
above the floor, but can remain effective with installation heights up to "" Temperature
20 feet. When installed above these heights it is difficult to effectively get "" Relative humidity
heating and cooling into the occupied space. "" Operating pressure
Entering Water Conditions (cooling & heating)
PRACTICAL DESIGN GUIDELINES "" Entering water temperature
There are guidelines that should be followed when considering a chilled "" Flow rate
ceiling system to ensure the design will create a comfortable environment "" Coil pressure drop
for occupants and result in optimum energy efficiency. Unit Placement
"" Throw patterns
The system should be designed to meet only the heating and cooling "" Throw length
requirements of the actual space. Overdesigning the system will increase Noise
the cost of the project, and potentially result in decreased comfort.
Once the inlet conditions and equipment has been selected, the controls
Primary air must be adequately dehumidified, and supplied at a flow rate
APPLICATION GUIDE
for the system are selected. The room control system must be designed to
large enough to offset the latent loads of the space. This flow rate must deliver the selected inlet parameters and maintain the energy efficiency
also be high enough to meet the ventilation requirements outlined in of the design. The critical points to be maintained are the entering water
ASHRAE standard 62.1. conditions as well as the supply air conditions. After control of the
critical points has been established, additional controls to compensate
When heating with chilled beams and radiant panels, care must be taken for changes in space dew point temperature and occupancy should be
that the system is not oversized for heating. Entering water temperatures considered through a building management system.
should be as low as possible to meet the heating requirements, and
should never be over 140BF. This methodology is depicted in Figure 5, Chilled Ceiling Design
Methodology.
Condensation control strategies must be implemented to maintain
optimum operating conditions, prevent bacterial, mold, and fungus
growth, ensure damage to building does not occur.
When designing a chilled beam system it is best to limit the types and
configurations of products used. This will help to make logistics during
installation and building maintenance easier.
U10
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
U
Product selection: type, length, configuration, and design parameters
Chilled Ceiling Product Selection
- Active Chilled Beam
- Passive Chilled Beam + supply air system
- Radiant Panels + supply air system
APPLICATION GUIDE
Design of room controls, water and air distribution, and BMS systems
Room air control
- Temperature control by regulating water flow rate
- 2-Way valves; on/off or proportional control
- Constant supply air flow; possible unoccupied set back
U11
Figure 5. Chilled Ceiling Design Methdology
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
U
. .
V = q ./. [4840 x (HRr - HRp)]
.
SPACE DESIGN CONDITIONS V = the volumetric flow rate, CFM
.
The first step in determining the space design conditions is to define the q = latent heat gain in the space, BTU/H
design temperatures for both heating and cooling. This should be done by HRr = room air humidity ratio, lbs water/lbs dry air
following the guidelines set in ASHRAE Standard 55 and the chapters on HRp = primary air humidity ratio, lbs water/lbs dry air
heating and cooling loads in the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook.
Once the design temperatures have been defined, an iterative process It follows that the required flow rate to maintain control of the humidity
should be used to determine the indoor air quality requirements, will rapidly increase as the difference between the room air and primary
calculating the required capacities to address the heating/cooling loads, air humidity ratios decrease. As a result, designs seeking to maintain
and adjusting the building design/construction (if applicable). relatively low humidity ratios will need a high primary flow rate if the dew
point temperature of the supply air is close to the design dew point in the
The indoor air quality (IAQ) requirements include supply air flow rate, to room.
meet both ventilation requirements and address the latent loads in the
space, determining infiltration, and defining the maximum allowable Comparing the required supply airflow rates for ventilation and to maintain
humidity level. the relative humidity of the space, the higher of the two flow rates will
determine the minimum flow rate allowable for the space. If necessary the
Based on the building design and construction, anticipated infiltration supply air flow rate can be increased to supplement the sensible cooling
should be calculated. Information on how to calculate infiltration and of the products selected.
how to use infiltration when calculating heat loads and losses can be
After the IAQ requirements have been tentatively set, the required
APPLICATION GUIDE
found in the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook. The heat loads and losses
calculated associated with infiltration are used in determining the latent equipment capacities to meet the heat loads and losses can are
cooling requirements. This will affect the volume of supply air necessary determined. Care should be taken to design around actual loads/losses
to maintain the design humidity levels in the room. that will be experienced in the space. Overdesigning the system will
increase installation and equipment costs, and could potentially cause
Guidelines for determining the minimum ventilation requirements are thermal comfort issues. Once the capacity requirements have been
given in ASHRAE Standard 62.1. Criteria for maximum relative humidity in calculated, either supply air conditions or building design/construction (if
the space, based on a humidity ratio of 0.012, is set in ASHRAE Standard possible) can be adjusted to be more suited to chilled ceiling application.
55; for a room design temperature of 75BF, the maximum relative humidity
is 63.5%. Once the design conditions for room relative humidity have PRODUCT SELECTION
been determined the supply air flow rate necessary to maintain this level
The type of product to be used to is at the designers discretion. However
can be calculated. The required flow rate to meet the latent load can be
the recommended limitations of maximum capacity per square foot should
determined by the following equation:
not be exceeded where high levels of thermal comfort are required.
Once product type has been decided the entering water temperature
should be selected such that condensation is prevented. The majority
U12 of chilled ceiling products do not include a means to collect or manage
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
condensation. This means the temperature of the heat transfer surface, Water flow rate: this should be selected to minimize pressure drop,
U
point temperature of the space. Using this information the
chilled water temperature can be adjusted upward to prevent "" It is critical to the operation of passive beams that adequate
condensation. This measure should only be used in the event space is provided for air flow through the beam. When installed
that an entire building is at risk for condensation. in a flush mount application, shadow gaps, perforated ceiling
tiles, dummy beams, or return air grilles must be installed so
At this time the supply air temperature should be tentatively selected. that warm room air enter the air path for the passive beams. It
Supply air temperature can be varied between cooling and heating, but is recommended that the total free area for the return air path
most designs keep a fixed temperature as long as heating requirements be at least 50% of the passive beam surface area. In exposed
can be met. applications, the beams should be installed with a minimum
distance between the top surface of the beam and the ceiling
The size and configuration of products selected should be completed that is equivalent to half of the beam width, see Figure 7.
while adjusting the following parameters:
APPLICATION GUIDE
U13
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
Balancing Valves
(Manual or Automatic)
Condesate Sensors
Chilled Beams
U
Thermostat/Room Controller
Figure 6b. Condensation Prevention Strategies
Balancing Valves
2-Way Flow Control Valves (Manual or Automatic)
(On/Off or Proportional Control)
Relative Humidity
Sensor
Chilled Beams
Balancing Valves
Variable speed pump (Manual or Automatic)
Thermostat/
Room Controller
w/ Dew-point Sensor
Chilled Beams
U14 C) Use of a 3-way proportional valve and variable speed pump to raise
supply water temperature above the room dew-point temperature.
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
"" After the throw pattern has been decided, placement of
"" When applying 2-way and 4-way beams in small offices and
Passive beams should be mounted such that the return air path
is not restricted. individual offices the recommended location is directly above
the occupants. This will result in the lowest velocities within
Figure 7. Passive beam mounting height the occupied space. It is also recommended that 2-way beams
are installed lengthwise in the space. This will allow for the use
"" Active Beams: With the different configurations available of longer beams, reducing the cooling requirements per linear
in active beams, 1, 2, and 4-way beams a design can be foot which will in-turn lower total air flow per foot and the
resulting velocities in the space ensuring occupancy comfort.
U
implemented to effectively create a comfortable space. In open
office spaces as well as internal offices 2-way or 4-way beams If placement is required near a wall use of 1-way throw beams
are typically used. The flexibility provided by 2-way and 4-way are recommended. 1-way beams can also be effectively used in
beams, due to multiple sizes and nozzle configurations, allow perimeter zones for cooling applications; however they should
them to be appropriately applied in most applications. 1-way be supplemented with baseboard heating to address window
beams are typically used in perimeter zones and small spaces loads during the heating season. 2-way beams can be effectively
such as individual offices and hotel rooms. applied in perimeter zones for both heating and cooling. Care
must be taken if 2-way beams are installed parallel to windows.
In intermediate seasons when internal cooling is required and
window surfaces are cool an acceleration of the air can occur in
the space creating drafts and potential discomfort.
a) b)
APPLICATION GUIDE
Figure 8 - Open-office Active Beam Layout: In lengthwise installations(a) there are less piping and duct
connections than in crosswise installations(b). In crosswise installations, there is typically one beam per
module. Even if the total cost for the beams in both layouts are the same, installation costs, additional
valves, piping, and ductwork will prove to be more costly.
U15
APPLICATION GUIDE chilled beams
Redefine your comfort zone | www.titus-hvac.com
X X X
Vcollision
Occupied Zone
The minimum distance between units (2X) or minimum distance from a sidewall (X), can
be determined by taking the difference between the diffuser's characteristic throw to 50
U
fpm (T50 ) and the distance between the ceiling and the occupied zone (Y).
"" The ideal location for most active beams is directly above the velocities across the coils result in a fairly long response time.
occupant. This is because the lowest velocities in the space
will occur in the induced air path. If it is desired to position With chilled beams or radiant systems, the most common method for
an active beam close to a wall, a unit with an asymmetrical or controlling room temperature is regulating the water flow rate through
1-way throw pattern is recommended. As active chilled beams the selected equipment. The alternative is to vary the supply water
have throw characteristics similar to linear slot diffusers the temperature.
same principles for determining thermal comfort conditions
should be used. Location for final placement should take into
consideration the allowable average air speed in the occupied The control of water flow rate is achieved through on-off, time proportional
space in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 55. Accounting for on-off, or modulating control valve actuators. The maximum flow rate
the air side sensible capacity will allow for reduced capacity should be limited by a balancing valve installed on each beam circuit. It is
requirements of the water coils in the beams. Designing with generally recommended for 2-way valves to be used to reduce pumping
this in mind will reduce airflow requirements per linear foot, costs, but 3-way valves can be used when pump speeds are not variable.
which will help to meet the requirements for thermal comfort. While on-off and modulating actuator control is straight forward, time
When placing two beams in the same space as shown in Figure proportional on-off systems are a bit more complex. These systems use a
9, Local velocity diagram, care must be taken to ensure that feedback control loop to open and close an on-off actuator such that the
the colliding air streams do not result in velocities over 50 fpm total time open is proportional to the percentage of flow that is requested
causing discomfort. A general guideline to achieve air velocities by a modulated room controller. While control of this system is more
of 50 fpm or less in the occupied space is to ensure the velocities complex, actuator first costs are greatly reduced.
APPLICATION GUIDE
Supply Water
Temperature Control
Balancing Valves
Chiller Bypass Loop
(Manual or
Automatic)
Figure 10a. Chilled beam zone control - Single flow control Figure 11a. Supply water temperature control with dedicated chiller;
U
Figure 11b. Supply water temperature control chilled beam loop
Thermostat
3-Way Flow
Control Vale
(On/Off or
Proportional
Control)
Balancing Valves
(Manual or
Automatic)
Chilled Beams
B) Beams installed with a single 3-way valve serving a entire zone.
U17